236 On the Breeding of Sheep.[April,

Lauderdale, and all other writers of celebrity, on political economy; that the prices of articles of trade, depend upon the proportion between the Supply and demand; and every attenüve merchant well knows that it is upheld by facts.

It was the application of this principle that led me to state, In a former letter to you, that, if we raised enough of the Ünest wool in Britain(instead of importing it from Spain) it would be right, in estimating the comparative mwerits of Spa- nish and new Leicester Sheep, to calculate on data very dif- ferent, from those assumed by. certain vew-fangled breeders. Such data would oblige, even these gentlemen, to acknow- jedge that the wool of their favourite breed, could not equal, in the value per Aeece, that of the new Leicesters and other large Sheep; and as they dare not compare"carcazes, ihat breed would ink greatly, even on their own estimation.

Your correspondent Says I have been led into a variety of errors, and that“ no favourers of Spanish Sheep, ever pre- tended to the idea of their Superseding long woolled Sheep." It would, however, have been more Satisfactory, if he bad Proved, instead of merely asSerting, these“ errors."

I Should be glad if be would coundescend to State what is more likely to induce mankind to entertain the Idea, that one breed will supersede another, than Such accounts as have been publizhed, ot the very great Superiority of profit derived from Ccroszing with Spanish Sheep, or using the pure breed? He will not deny that profit is the principal object of the breeder, and that if the farmers of this country could be induced 74o- roughly, to believe all the above accounts of enormous prokt from preſerring Merino blood, they would soon change their Sheep.

I Shall not, at present, trouble you with long extracts from publications, in praise of the Spanish Sheep; but if your cor- Tespondent will examine Lord Somerville's book on“ Sheep, wool, plougbs, and oxen," he will See that they have been represented as far more profitable than the new Leicesters, even on land“ proverbially known to be oue of. the most fer- tile Spots in the kingdom;" and that, iD the Same page, his Lordship exultingly esclaims,“ how many thousands, how many tens of thousands of acres are there in Great Britain,| which stand exactly in the game predicament!" Sentiments Nearly Similar, will likewise be found in Mr. Young's anpals; your magazine; and various other publications. On these Sentiments I Shall offer no comments,.but leave it to your readers to decide, whether the“ favourers of Spauish Sheep, have pretended to the idea of their Superseding long woolled Sheep."

A Course of proper and accurate experiments instituted to