Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-08-09
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en- annually by these sheep, is to seek food
in places where it can be found, and that
these migrations would not be undertaken,
If either in the northern or southern provln-
ces. suficiency of good pasture could be
obtained during the whole years, appears a
matter Of certainty. That change OF pasture
has no effect upon their wool, is clear, from
all the experiments tried IN other countries,
and in Spain also, for BureoEne tells us,
that there are stationary aocks, both in Lee
on and in Etramadura, which produce wool
quite as fine as that of the Trashumantes.
The sheep lately presented to his majesty
are of the Cavana of Paular, one OF the We
~ finest in point of pile, and esteemed also
above all Others for the beauty of carcase.
In both these opinions, MIR. Lasteyrie, a
French writer on sheep, who lived many
years in Spain, and paid eiiigent attention
to the Merano sheep, entirely agrees he
also tells Us, that the Cavana OF Negrete,
from whence the sheep imported by his ma
iesty, in the year 1891, were selected, is
not only. one of the finest piles, but produc
es also tfle largest carcased sheep OF all the
Merinos. Mr.. Burgoyne agrees with him
In asserting, that the piles of Paular, Ne
CRETE. and Esearial, have been withheld
from exportation, and retained tor the roy
Al maaufactory of Guadalaxara, ever since
sifsSass6s stS establish I'd. =. ov,uyyU
.ssbssp u or ginally belonged to the rich.
Cs:ahusian Monastery of that name, near.
Sssoviz soon after the Prince OF the Peace
r6Sr into power, he purchased the flock from
the Monks, with the land belonging to it,
both In Etremadura and in Leon, at price
equal to twenty French franks head, los.
BID. English. All the sheep lately arrived
are marked with large M. the mark of
Don Manuel.
The number sent from Spain to the king
was 1000. equal to two sub divisions of the
original Cavana; to make the present the
more valuable, these were selected BY the
shepherds from eight subdivisions, in or
der to choose young, well shaped, and fine
woolled animals. This fact is evident, from
the marks which are placed on eight differ.
ent parts OF the bodies of the sheep row at
Kew.
The whole number embarked was 2,224
OF these, 2I4 were presented by the Spa
niards, 10 some of his malesty's ministers,
and 427 died on the journey, either at sea,
or on their way from Portsmouth to Kew.
His majesty was graciously pleased to take
upon himself the whole of the loss. which
reduced the royal flock to 1878; several
more have since died. As the time of Civ
Ing the ram III Spain is July, fhe-ewes were
full OF lamb when they embarked, several
of them cast their lambs when the weather
was bad at sea, aud are rendered so weak
and inhrn BY abortion, that ii is much to
b. feared more will die, notwithstanding
the great care taken of themb by his maies-
ty's shepherds. "A few have died of the
rot. This disease must have; been con-
tracted by hating on some swampy district,
IN their journey from the mountains 10 the
a-a at Gijon, where they were embarked, as
one sheep died rotten at Portsmouth /; there
is>lvery reason however to hope, that the
disease will not spread, as the land on which
they are now kept has never been subject
10 its ravages, being of very light and
sandy texture.
1t is well worthy of observation, that al
though the Swedes, the Saxons, the Danes,
the Prussians, the Austrians, and of late,
the French. have, either by the foresight of
their governments, or the patriotic exer-
tions of individuals imported Merino sheep,
no nation has hitherto ventured to assert,
that they possess the complete, and unmix.
ed race OF any one Cavana this circum-
stance does not appear to have been attend-
q t. any whore but Ia England; though