will be of double, then treble, and quadruple value, as the Merino blood continues to be introduced? That fuch is the abfolute fact we have abundant proof from the moft refpectable authorities above quoted. Yet are there many farmers who tell us, that they are content with the breed, by which their forefathers earned a livelihood, like a fhepherd at Penruddock, who, being afked, whence his fingularly rough-legged, ill-formed fheep had been obtained, gave as his anfwer: "Lord, Sir, they are fik as God fet upou the land; we never change any. * After thefe few preliminaries, which will, I truft, not be deemed ufelefs, I proceed to M Lafteyrie's Account of the Introduction of fine-wooled Spanish Sheep, into the different States of Europe, and at the Cape of Good Hope: “ SWEDEN. "There is, doubtlefs, jutt ground for furprife, that Sweden, which feeined to be a country the most unfavourable in Europe for rearing fine-wooled theep, fhould, nevertheless, have been the first to naturalize this valuable race; but what excites till greater aftonishment is, that there are men in France (to which may be added England) who ftill dispute the poffibility of a naturalization established in Sweden, during nearly a century. M. Alstroemer imported a flock of Merino fheep from Spain in 1723; and government, convinced that the ignorance of thepherds oppofed ferious obftacles to the prefervation and propagation of this new race, inftituted in 1739 a school for fhepherds, the direction of which was confided to M. Alfiroemer. Premiums were appointed, and various falutary regulations adopted. In 1764, Sweden poffeffed 65,369 fheep of the pure, and 23,384 of the mixed breed; and although this fupply was not fufficient for the manufactures of the country, yet the importation of wool has been gradually diminithing from year to year, while the manufactures have been increafing; fo that, taking every thing fairly into calculation, it may be afferted that the number of pure and mixed breeds is at prefent about 100,000, and this forms a 25th part of all the theep reared in that country; a very great proportion, if we confider the relative tate of agriculture in that country, which it would here occupy too much space to defcribe. The Merino theep preferve, in Sweden, their pri P. 19. Beauties of England and Wales, vol. III, mitive form; their fleece is clofe and firm, lofing nothing in finenefs, length, clafticity, or quantity. There are ram.s, which have produced thirteen pounds of wool. I obferved too, that the race, bred in and inured to this climate, appeared stronger and larger than the fheep of Spain. I found on the farm of M. Schulzenheim, in the province of Upland, a flock confifting of animals bred from a Spanith importation fifty-five years before the time; and their wool, when compared with that of fome Merinos recently procured from the fame country, yielded to it in no one defirable quality. Thefe, and other facts, prove in a manner decifive and peremptory, that the Spanish fheep may be propagated and reared to advantage in fevere climates, by which it is certain that the fleece is not affected; a fact, inconteftibly proved by the fpecimens which I procured on my journey through different countries; and which I afterwards fubmitted to the infpećtion of the Department of the Seine. DENMARK AND NOP.WAY. "The Norwegian race has been improved by the English, as well as the Spanish breeds, but the most important amelioration in the fleece must be attributed to a Spanish ram, which was imported above fifty years ago on the western coaft of Norway. This introduction was, however, but partial, and did not extend into other parts of the country, where the sheep in a wild ftate, and without inconvenience, bid defiance to the moft intenfe cold. I have feen them living in the midst of fnow, without ever receiving any portion of food from the hand of man; and of fo untractable a nature are they, that they cannot be taken but by a chace on horfeback. This breed is fo accustomed to the impressions of the atmosphere, that it cannot support a fudden tranfition from a state of nature to a domeftic one. "The Danes, induced by the example of Sweden, imported Spanifh fheep from that kingdom about twenty-feven years fince, and their defcendants exift to this day, though not in large numbers. Some of them have preferved their original quality of fleece, while others have degenerated, but palpably from neglect. At Efferum, a royal domain, I faw a flock of Spanith theep imported from Sweden, many years before, which yielded wool of a fair quality. To that place, too, which is eight leagues from Copenhagen, the Danith government has fent three hundred Merino fheep, imported from Spain in 1797. This flock is compofed of the breeds, which are of all others the moft defirable to be obtained, viz. thofe of the Efeurial, of Guadaloupe, of Paular, of the Duke del Infantado, of the Count de Montareo, and the Count de Negretti. "The Efcurial breed is looked upon as poffeling the fineft fleece in all Spain. The Guadaloupe theep are remarkable for fymmetry of form, as well as for the quantity and quality of their wool. The Paular are equally gifted with the two latter perfections, but poffefs a greater fwell behind the ears, and a more palpable degree of throutines. The lambs of this breed, and thofe of the Infantado, are generally produced with a coarfe hairy appearance, which is fucceeded by wool of exquifite quality. The Negretti breed is compofed of the largest theep in Spain. The Efferum flock, when I law it, had been twenty months from Spain, and was very healthy. Only two theep had been loft by the long voyage, fevere winter, and heavy rains of fpring, to which they had been expofed fince their arrival in Denmark. 66 SAXONY. "Upper Saxony is the country into which, after Sweden, the Spanith race of theep is of moft ancient introduction, and it is in Saxony that this naturalization has been marked with the completest fuccefs, and produced the most advantageous refults. The different indigenous breeds of that country, of which fome produce tolerable and others very coarfe wool, have been equally improved by the crofs. The Elector of Saxony, withing to repair the devaftations occationed in his dominions by a feven years' war, obtained from the King of Spain in 1765, a felection from the beft Merino flocks, confifting of one hundred rams, and two hundred ewes. Experience having proved that they were easily reconciled to the climate, attention was paid to the general amelioration of native breeds, after fubjecting thofe animals which appeared moft defective to caftration. In 1776, fheep of four years old were difpofed of to individuals; but as the bett experiments always meet with oppofition, the fale was attended with fuch difficulties, that the government obliged thofe who rented the electoral farins, to purchase a certain proportionate number of Spanith theep. The breeders foon difcovered what was moft conducive to their intereft, and the Electoral flicks not being able to fupply the demands which multiplied every day, another importation took place in 1778, and feveral more fince that time. At prefent the Elector's flock amounts to 3,400, and he annually difpofes of five hundred by public anction, which are not enough to meet the demands of the breeders. The Spauith race preferve in Saxony all their original perfections; which is proved by the fpecimens of wool preferved for many years, and alfo by a comparifon of new importations with the offspring of former ones. The Saxon government has been amply recompenced for its attention, and indemnified for its advances by the immenfe advantages, which the country has thereby procured." Sheep-breeding is, indeed, the mott incrative purfuit of the Saxon farmer; and the manufacturers, finding within their own limits the quantity and quality of wool neceffary for their purpote, are no longer obliged to import from Spain; and are thereby freed from the ditadvantages attendant on the chances of com-: merce. Saxony rears about 1,600,000 fheep of all kinds; and of thefe about 90,000 are at prefent of the Spanish and "mixed breeds. Thefe produce not only the quantity of wool necellary for the fine manufactures of the country, but even furnith a furplus equal to the interior confumption, which furplus is fold at the Leipzig fairs. "PRUSSIA. "Frederick the II. who was not lefs famed for the wifdom of his adminiftration, than for his martial glory, and to whom Prutian agriculture is under great obligations, introduced from Spain, in 1786, a flock of one hundred rams and two hundred ewes, defined to improve the various breeds of his kingdom. Several Pruilian farmers have, fince that time, bought theep of the Saxo-Spanish kind; in confequence of which the country can now boak of many flocks entirely compofed of fine-wooled animals. Government has encouraged this evident advantage, and has founded an inftitution for the purpofe, which is directed by Mr. Fink, a celebrated agricniturit of Germany. This gentleman had begun the improvement in his own flock by the introduction of theep from Silefia, remarkable for the fineness of their fleece. He purfued his fyftem further by purchases from Saxony in 1768, and from Spain in 1778. By thefe progreffive means, Mr. Fink has fucceeded in imparting finenefs to the fleeces of Pruffian fheep, which were originally of the coarseft quality. Ile has been imitated, with a refult equally fatisfactory, by the Count von A 2 Magnis, who with a patriotic zeal forfook. the court, and devoted his attention to agricultural purfuits. When he fettled on his eftates in 1786, he found himself poffeffed of three thoufand native fheep, which returned him one thoufand two hundred rix-dollars per annum. He now poffeffes above nine thousand fheep, improved by the breeds of Hungary and Spain, which yield him twenty-lix thoufand rix-dollars per annum. This enlightened breeder conducts his fheep-farm with admirable order and intelligent skill, beyond all praife. The fine manufactures of Pruffia are increased three-fold within the last thirteen years; and the encouragement given to the adoption of Merino theep, makes it probable that the country will, ere long, be able exclufively to fupply itfelf with fine wool, which is at prefent partly imported from Saxony by purchafe at the Leipzig fairs before mentioned, "GERMANY, &c. "The first importation of Merino fheep into this country, was made by the Em prefs Maria Therefa in 1775; but the fuccefs was commenfurate with the attention paid to them, which was next to none, though there are still to be found flocks of improved wool derived from thefe, in the Austrian states, and more particularly in Bohemia and Hungary. The examples of Saxony and Silefia feem alfo to have awakened the attention of the Auftrian government, which is at this time employing agents in Spain to procure Merino sheep. "Anfpach and Bayreuth applied themfelves to this ufeful purfuit in 1788, and ftill more ftrenuously in 1790. So complete, indeed, was their conviction of its importance, that there are at this time but few breeders, whofe flocks have not at least begun to introduce the Spanish crofs. "The Duke of Wirtemberg (who was fond of agriculture,) imported Merino sheep in 1786, and afterwards established a regular fale to his fubjects. The thirtytwo animals, which that brave and skilful General Moreau prefented to the Agricultural Society of Strasburg, were bred by the Duke of Wirtemberg. They had been gratuitoufly offered to the French General, after the conclufion of the armiftice, and, are now near Strafburg at Sulz.. "In other parts of Germany, the fame race has also been adopted with the most decifive fuccefs. The Chamberlain Von Molk, whose domain is in Mecklenburg, has an extenfive flock of them, and the Agricultural Society of Zell maintain, at their coft, a mixed breed improved to the laft degree of finenefs. Many of the flocks in the Electorate of Hanover, the Duchy of Brunfwick, the Palitinate, Suabia, Baden, &c. are alfo indebted to the Merino theep for their palpable im provement. The breed was adopted by Brunfwick in 1783, by Suabia and Baden, 1788. "FRANCE. "The first man, whofe attention was directed to this important branch of national economy, was Colbert. This minifter formed a defign of improving the French breeds of fheep by importing from Spain and England fuch as were at that time more perfect than France could boat of poffelling. Colbert's views were ufeful and well-digefted; but they were alfo new, confequently there were not wanting thofe who oppofed the execu tion of them. Since that time, however, an able and accurate obferver has stept forth to undertake this purfuit, and has rapidly caufed the improvement of the French flocks to fuch an extent, that it may almoft be faid to have sprung at once from infancy to maturity. Dau benton is the naine of the enlightened agriculturift, who, with a fuccefs equal to his perfeverance, has devoted himself to the cultivation of a race fo important to our fubfiftence, to our clothing, and to a multitude of arts connected with our innumerable wants; a cultivation, evidently tending to releafe France from a kind of tribute, which the annually pays to Spain for fine wool. The breed was first imported from that country in 1776, and Daubenton having, by the experiments made during feven years, afcertained that he had by judicious intermixture produced a breed bearing wool equal in quality to that hitherto obtained from Spain, fent various portions of it to dif ferent manufacturers in 1785, and 1784; the result of which was, that the highest price of the fineft wools was offered by them; nay, they even went fo far as to point out qualities, in which this improved French wool excelled the Spanish. Such being the cafe, many landholders directed their attention to fo lucrative an object; and M. Dangevillier, at that time governor of Rambouillet, applied to the Spanish Court for a flock. The King gave orders for a felection to be made from the most perfect breeds, and three hundred and Bixty-feven were fent in 1786. They pro ceeded by moderate journeys to Ram bouillet, bouillet, after having paffed the winter in the neighbourhood of Bourdeaux; and from the time of their original departure to that of their final arrival, about three fcore of them died. The furvivors gave rife to the extenfive flock now kept at Rambouillet; and to the confiderable number which have been fold to individuals, as the breed progreffively increafed. At first, feveral rams and ewes were given to encourage enterprifing farmers; but as it appeared that thefe were de fpifed merely because they were a gift, a fale was fubftituted. The provincial adminiftrations, then established, made application for them, and had a preference. Since that time, and especially of late, the prices at Rambouillet have been much increased, and have indeed reached a height, which appears extraordinary in a country, where it is not cuftomary, as in England, to expend confiderable fuis for the purpose of acquiring a theep particularly fuited to the breeder's purpose. The Merino race having thus beeu proved to carry as valuable a fleece in France as in Spain, an oppofition has next been made to the mutton; thofe, who withed to depreciate it, having afferted that the animal was not disposed to fatten kindly, and that its flesh was very coarse; affertions, which have both been experimentally proved to be totally deititute of foundation, There are at prefent in France more than fifteen thousand of the pure Merino breed, befides an immenfe number improved by the cross. 66 HOLLAND. "Agriculturists have told us that animals, which are tranfported from North to South, viz. from a climate less warm than that to which they are removed, will degenerate, whether they breed among themfelves, or crofs any other race of the country; and that, vice verfa, animals taken from South to North, improve those with which they are connected. Many facts, however exift, in oppofition to this opinion; befides which, it is eafy to prove that the degeneracy complained of, thould be afcribed to other caufes than those which are adduced. When a fufficient number of experiments fhall have been made by accurate obfervers, it will be found from a comparison of them, that want of knowledge, a bad choice, neglect, and improper nutriment, tend as much and even more towards degeneration of the fpecies, than the greater or lefs degree of heat which prevails under a different latitude. The fuccefs of finewooled sheep at the Cape of Good Hope, proves that this general opinion is not founded upon facts. I am convinced, indeed, after the obfervations which I have collected in Spain, upon the breeds of that country, upon their mode of rearing, upon the nature of the foil and cli wools are not thofe ufually fuppofed. The prefervation in its utmost purity of the Merino race, at the Cape of Good Hope, in the marthes of Holland, and under the rigorous climate of Sweden, add an additional proof to this my unalterable principle: fine-wooled sheep may be reared wherever indufirious men and intelligent breeders exift. The Spanish breed was taken to the Cape in 1782, and Lord Somerville received fpecimens of its excellence, with an affurance from his cor refpondent, that the wool had rather gained than loft in quality, from its growth of eighteen years in that colony. "There are few regions of Europe, whofe temperature and foil differ more than thofe of Spain and Holland. The Merino fheep, tranfported from a fcorching climate, that the general canfes of their fine mate to a cold and marthy country, have, nevertheless, preferved, in Holland, the qualities which diftinguith then from other breeds, and have remained vigoroufly healthy. It was not till 1789, that Mr. Twent made the firit fmall importation, which he placed upon his farm between Leyden and the Hague. It confifted of two rams and four ewes, which are now increafed to two hundred, befides thofe fold from it, this being the number to which Mr. T. is obliged to confine himself by the limits of his farm. It is by parting with the leaft perfect animals, and preserving thofe which bear the longeft as well as fineft wool, that he has formed a valuable flock; preferable, indeed, to any in Holland. Mr. Twent has alfo crofled the different breeds of Holland, particularly thofe of the Texel <6 ITALY. "Is Italy then, which has fo long de fpifed the ufeful arts, willing to awake from the trance, into which ignorance and fanaticifin have, till now, plunged her? her? Has her connexion with France, a nation hitherto fo fatal to her, produced an electrive movement which leads her to objects of real utility? Piedmont poffeßes many flocks both of the pure and improved native breeds. Count Granerie, a man of genius, and a found patriot, a warm protector of arts and of commerce, becoming a member of adminiftration, on his return from his embaffy to Spain, conceived the project of fecuring to Piedmont this fource of wealth; for which purpofe he obtained from the court of Madrid permiffion to take from that country one hundred and fifty of the beft Segovian breed, felected by the Prince of Mafferaw. The war, which prevailed at this period, did not permit the government to purfue the progrefs of this new ettablishment; and the lofs of the minifter would have been followed by the lofs of the fine-wooled race, but for the interference of the Academy of Agriculture, and fpirited individuals, who have thereby encreafed the prefent flock to five thoufand; and unanimoutly affert that the fleece is not inferior in quality to that of the animals originally imported; that in no other refpect has it degenerated; that the crofs with the Roman, Neapolitan and Paduan breeds, has been moft fatisfactory in its refults; and that the flesh of the Merinos is infinitely more delicate than that of the native fheep. GREAT BRITAIN. "England, which has of late years fhone fo pre-eminent in her various improvements, muft, nevertheless, be charged with neglecting almoft to the prefent moment the improvement of fine wools. Thofe for combing, not lefs ufeful in certain kinds of manufacture, have had the preference in that country, and the perfeverance of breeders has been rewarded by producing admirable wool of its kind. The prejudices of other countries have found their way hither; and it has been conftantly afferted that the fineness of the flecce depended upon climate, foil, and pafturage; confequently that in England, the quality of Spanith wool muft degenerate. The merchants and manufacturers, mifled by the fame prejudices as the breeders, have embraced the fame opinion; but the first were guided, in fome degree, by different motives: they feared that interior fuccefs might dhainifh the advantages which importation produced to them. Little more than a dozen years ago the English nation did not know the Merino breed, in its living ftate; fince which, fome few of that valuable race When the com have been introduced. mercial fpirit and patriotifm which aui-' mate this nation are confidered, no doubt can exift but that the Merino theep will fpeedily be naturalized in that ifland, and become a new fource of wealth to a people ever ready to avail themselves of fources opened to their habitual industry. The papers on this fubject, published by the Board of Agriculture, the efforts of various Agricultural Societies, as well as of individuals, prove that a breed, fo intimately connected with the profperity of their manufactures, will meet with the reception due to its vaft utility. The late Duke of Bedford, a powerful patron of agriculture, Lord Somerville, the King of England, and fome other agriculturifts, have procured Merino fheep, from which the flock is beginning to increafe. It is gratifying to fee the head of a government, as well as the men moft diftin-' guifhed by their influence, their wealth, and their knowledge, encourage, by all the means in their power, the most useful of the arts." As I thall here, Sir, conclude my fketch of Monfieur Lafteyric's publication, it remains for me only to point out (which I do with a blush) that Great Britain is, not from any apparent national antipathy on his part, but defervedly placed the laft in his account. Great Britain, whofe fuperfine manufactures are far more extentive than thofe of any other nation, whofe vital interefts are therefore materially connected with the internal produce of the article, which forms the fubject of this paper-Great Britain is ftill inactive, when the difficulties of procuring the article muft, to all appearance, annually increafe, and the power to grow it at home, in full perfection, as well as with immenfe advantage, is become incontrovertible.* Your's, &c. BENJAMIN THOMPSON. Hill Lodge, near Nottinghum, To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. |