18605.] Mr. Bartley on the Breed of Sheep. 153

months old, to suchf a degree indeed, tbat, if 1 know any thing of the babitades and appetites of tho3e most useful members of the community, ploughmen and colliers, X Should have been extremely gratüfied in an opportunity of re- ferring to tbeir decizion the general question between us, as to the comparative value of Merino and Leicester mutton, for 1 am not willing to allow that this humble description of Ppersons are greatly deficient in their discriminating powers.

In another part of your work, 1 think, it has been stated that Lord Somerville obtained upwards of fifteen Shillings, per fleece on the average of five hundred Merino sbeep of the half blood,with Ryeland and South-Down ewes; the price was“ three Shillings and twopence per pound, consequently the fleeces could not have much excecded five pounds; these data ought to have furnished Pastorius with a better con- clusion tban that a fleece of the full blood weighing ten pounds, would produce no more than fifteen Shillings; ittis evident by parity of reasoning, that the latter would be worttz upwards of thirty shillings; but in addition to. this[| may yenture to Say, that confining myself 40 my own Dock,€ could Select many individuals of the full blood that Should average fleeces ol eleven pounds each, and that would readily Produce in an unwashed state, three and Sixpence per pound, or thirty-eight and Sixpence, per feece. 1 Jately offered a gentleman tor a fleece of his, two yards of the best Superhine navy blue broad-cloth, and was refuzed. It is admitted by every attentive observer of the progress of Merino Sheep in this country, and nothing can be more evident, that they con- tinue to advance both in weight of fleece and fineness, and beauty of pile.

1 Cannot but advert to the confident terms in which Pas- torius repcats the expression of his opinion, that Sheep do not consume food in proportion to their weight, meaning thereby, as he afirms“that Sheep of twenty-fve pounds per quarter, do not consume a greater quantity of food, than Sheep of fif= teen to eighteen pounds per quarter. Provided I couid persuade myself to be of ihe Same opinion, it is probable I might g0 a Step further, and Say that cows and oxen do not consuine a greater quantity than Sheep; or in an inverse Way, that rab- bits consume as much as Leicester Sheep! But beiore 1 would venture to Stock a farm on Such a principle or opinion, or whatever it might be called,[rather think 1 Should be inelived to try the facts, by proceeding to Something ofuan experimental Nature,

1 think I have truly stated what Pastorius hath thought Proper to negative, that Merino wool might be produced nt one Shilling or one Shilling and Six-pence per pound, for th2

unwashed fleece, and why not? 15 not Leicester wool(wasbed