Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-09-07
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Mr.. Luccock is entitled to praise fo- sug-
costing that the coats OF many tame and do"
mestic animals might, like that of the sheep
be applied to that of the loom. The sneer
of assumed sapience may be excited by
this suggestion, accompanied with the ex-
clamation, ssWhat shear wool from the
backs of bulls and asses! Was ever any idea
80 preposterous." Let us, however, bear
in mind, that the horizon OF ignorance is as
contracted as the narrow bounds OF Its own
limited experience every thing beyond this
is considered as absurd or impossible. Had
these sapient sneerers lived in period prl-
!. or to the application OF the lahors OF the silk
worm 10 the luxury or convenience OF man,
with what contemp, would they have treated
the observer OF Nature, who having re-
marked some of the p, operties OF silk, and
anticipated its use, had hence ventured to
predict, that in some future age, the impe
rial purple, the royal mantle which was to
invest the shoulders of the mightiest poten-
tates, would be fabricated from the cobwebs
of grub. There is indeed no instance in
the history of human industry. which would
at the first sight appear more surprlzlng than
. the application of this substance to the SER
vice of man. Instead of allowing ourselves
to believe that what has already been done
! bv ingenuity and perseverance, is all that can
be accomplished, We should rather contem-
plate the experience of former times, as at
iording Us imperfect hints, which if pro-
IL 10
provement, and discoveries Of still greater
importance.
Amongst the animals which seem suited
to our climate, would recommend an at.
tention to the varieties of the Pacos and Vi
Cuna. Some of these are nearly white, and
! have little doubt would, witt proper at
tention, grow fleece free from the long
coarse hair with which its downy coat is
frequently intermixed. The wool when
clear from these hairs, would be worth sos
per pound and the flesh, if we may Judge
from. the appearance of the animal, would
be equal to venison.
A graZier in Leicestershire, who is also
q dealer in wool, has observed that some of
the Scotch cattle have upon their backs,
what he called 6 soft woolly tufts of hair !"
and he further noticed, tn at the cattle which
had these tufts throve better than others,
and he always gave them the preference
when purchasing his stock. If such varie-
ties were attended to, and promoted, pro-
badly we might obtain from them valua-
BILE addition to the materials on which ma
tional industry might be proftably employed.
Nor can this be thought improbable, if we
recollect, that q breed of oxen is said to ex.
ist In Hudson's Bay, which producesa wool
finer and softer than that of the Vicuna.--
We know already that the coat of the latter
animal, and of the goat, the rabbit, and of
the amphbious seal, have been spun and
wove into cloths and shawls, some of which
were of greater value than any ever produc-
ed from the wool of European sheep.
In former chapter, have noticed the
effect Of increase of food on The qualities of
wool. 1.-THE Spanish sheep resist this eff
feet longer than the English, it may arise
from the popularity of its constitution.
whereby the increase of nourishment is sp-
Piled more to fattening the animal, and the
production of yok. than TO the secretion Of
the wool-torming fluid or its pores NAV
more firmly resist dilation from the impetu.
OF increased secretion the staple of the
wool may thus be grown longer. bur the
bas may continue equally fine. The etfec,