Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-10-11

addition 70 the gra0udl FloselS " IMPROVE
ment, BY beGowing more care and atten-
ton on cur native Aocks, in feeding them
we'll and croding the blood, (obviouily
frggeAed by reafon and experienced two
modes occurred for haGening and eniuring
the attainment Of that interetting Object.
The 6rR TO introduce and propagate an
entirely new race, if a more perfect one
could BE obtained; the fscont, to melio-
rate our flock by producing a mixed pro-
gency from our ordinary ewes by rams OF
better breed"
6 But before there could be efficiently
good rsafon for outlying the trouble and
cxpence Of Transporting an adequate num-
Der, it was the part OF wiidom TO aicer-
tain, frf, whether the breed be hyperion
in intrinhc value to lhafe which already
| exifed. And in thar cafe, fscondly whe-
| Their the race contemplated TO be introduc-
ed is likely, when propagafed there, 70
retain all thofe qualities which con.tiuted
the original foperiority Of value. Ard
here founded my opinion in the aRlrma
tive Of both qucfions, as applied to
particular kind Of Spaniih Sheep, en- the
facts aated, in fome inaarces, by relpeeta-
bic individuals and in others by official
reports.
!" In SPAR, two diair & fFecies of fheep,
have for ages cxiaed, the enc named Me
rinoe, famous for their fhcrt and fine wool,
peculiarly fit for carding; the ctEer dero-
minated Churros, dilinguifaed for their
lcng and coarfc wool, more fuitable Tor
combing. The former arc 70 precious as
to be fought with eagernefs by all who
with to naeliorate The eaple for the wooden
mandatory in any country Of Europe !;
while The latter, though much larger 10
fze, are in 70 little efimation as never to
he procured for expectation. My fiat.
ment and remark. will be confined to TIE
Merinos. The height Of the male is a
bout the fame as that OF the ordinary
breed 10 this ccuntry. The head appears
rather bigger & a,aighter. The ears are
very Enall. The eyes remarkably bright.
The horns curved in fpiral turn. The
neck fhort. The chef bread. The mem
bers are more compact and thick than thofe
Of our former breed of lneep; and the
carcafe is thought to have finaller bones
sod 70 be more rounded in the hinder part.
| The body, face ard legs, are covered with
delicate fleece, which grows amazingly
thick, without any mixture of coarfer
locks or hairs. This fleece, is remarked
to be much more inpregnated than that
of any other breed, with an oily fubfance,
apparently excied in Perfpira,ion. This
animal is perfectly gentle, bet quick, firm,
ard regular in all his movements. The
female is conidered generally as having
the mere charatseFifics Of the pure blood,
in proportion as fhe spproximates 20 this
defcription-yet the ewes are commonly
deRitute Of horns
I" A few we'll attefsd facts will ierve
to flew the value of this race. None Of
the fuper6ne cloths r2ade in England,
France and Holland can be fabricated
without the mixture of certain portion
OF this wool. TIE price is more than
twice as Lign per pound as it is for o,di.
rary kinds. I fhsll mention in another
place, the increa{ed weight Of the fleece,
when this breed has been transferred from
Spain to another country, upon the telti-
many of thofe concerned in their manage
nent. That the Helh is not lefs facculeptI
or well favoured than the beit Englinl or
American mutton. have had frequent
opportunities to decide fer myielf. 1t isl
underfood that the Mcrinos are more
eahly maintained and f4ttened than the
taller & larger breed, infamuch that there
are perfons acquainted with both breeds
who calculate that 200 Of thefe fmall-
boned and fhort legged lheep may be kept
in tolerable good condition, WHARF 20 of
the other would fufer for want.