Addrefs to the Society for the Improvement of British Wool, confituted at Edinburgh, on Monday January 31, 1791, by Sir John Sinclair, Bart,

OUR readers have been already informed of the nature and defign of the patriotic fociety to which this address was delivered, and at whofe request it was printed. Other par ticulars will be beft learned from the address itself, which begins thus:

GENTLEMEN,

As it is propofed, on the anniversary of this day, that a regular account shall be drawn up of the progrefs made by the Society in the important object which it has undertaken, viz. that of improving, and it is to be hoped, of bringing to perfection, the most valuable production of which the country boasts, it may not be improper, on the first day in which we are affembled, to trouble you with fome obfervations, tending to point out the many public advantages which may be derived from this institution. It is a circumstance which ought more particularly to be dwelt on, that, though the commerce of wool is the moft ancient which history records, though in former times kings were fhepherds, and females of the highest rank were anxious to difplay their dexterity at the distaff; and above all, though it is well known, that no country ever acquired great commercial opulence without carrying the manufacture of wool to a very high degree of perfection; yet, strange to tell, there is not in this, nor I believe in any other country in Europe, a fingle individual (M. D'Aubenton in France alone excepted) who has paid that attention to this important fubject, to which it is fo well entitled, or at least who has ever acquired fuch an univerfal theoretical and practical knowledge of it, as would be defireable. Particular breeds of theep, if I may be allowed that expreffion, have been brought to great perfection in England, and indeed, in other countries, many individuals have fhewn great knowledge of the natural history of this valuable animal, and have collected information re

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March 9, specting the different kinds which exist in various parts of the world. Much practical knowledge has alfo been acquired by thepherds tending their flocks, at different times and various places. In Spain a very curious fyftem for the management of flocks, adapted to the peculiar nature of that country, has been formed: But as far as my information reaches, all the experiments which are neceffary for precifely afcertaining the effects of climate, food, or ma nagement, have never been made, nor is there any work published upon this fubject which can fufficiently guide the unfkilful fhepherd how to manage, and ftill more, how to improve the fleecy ftore with which he is intrufted.

This circumstance is perhaps owing to the prejudice, that in regard to sheep, climate is every thing, and that we are fighting against nature, when we attempt to bring the animals, or the productions of one country into another. This abfurd and dangerous tenet cannot be too loudly reprobated, Were Great Britain at this moment confined to thofe particular articles which its foil naturally produced, many of the most valuable productions of its fields, and almost all the productions of its gardens, would never have existed here, and this island could never have been able to have fed one half of its present inhabitants.

Indeed, fo far is climate from being an objection, that its effects on that particular production which we wish to bring to perfection in this country, to wit, fine wool, has never yet been ascertained. Some people imagine that hot climates are thofe in which we are to expect it in the great. eft perfection; and yet we cannot but acknowledge the great beauty and excellence of the wool produced on the cold and rugged hores of the Shetland lands, as appears from the fpecimens before us. Others imagine that the fineft wool is to be expected from theep which are perpetually kept wandering about in the open air, as is the cafe in Spain, and that confinement is ruinous; Whereas, on the other hand, it can be indifputably proved that the ancient Romans kept and fed their finest woolled sheep in houses; and even clothed them to make their wool more valuable. Thefe, and other circumftances which might be mentioned, feem to render climate, though of fome, yet undoubtedly of lefs effential confequence. For my own

part, I have no doubt, that if a good breed of fheep is procured, and if they are put under a proper fyftem of management, that we may grow in Scotland as much fine wool as the extent of the country will admit. I fhall therefore reftrict the obfervations with which I am now to trouble you, to the two heads of breed and management."

Sir John then proceeds to treat of breeds; but paffing rapidly over other diftinctions, he only dwells on the peculiarities respecting wool.

"Wool is confidered by a mosti ntelligent manufacturer *, as properly comprehended under two grand divifions, viz combing and clothing wool. A variety of forts may be classed under each divifion; but under the one or the other, every kind of wool may be comprehended. The combing wool is diftinguished by the length of its ftaple, and is peculiarly well calculated for ftockings, worsted stuffs, and the like. It is univerfally acknowledged that this kind of wool has been brought to the greatest perfection in England. It is however becoming of lefs value every day. Thofe worfted stuffs in which women of all ranks were formerly clothed, have given way to filk, to linen, and to cotton +. Some new uses have been difcovered for this fpecies of wool; but it is already produced in fuch abundance, that any addition to the quantity, (particularly were a war at the fame time to take place) would fo much reduce its price, as to render it fcarcely worth the attention of the fare

mer.

"The other species of wool known under the name of short, the carding or the clothing fort, is of a very different nature. Its ftaple is not fo long, but the pile is finer; and instead of terminating, like the combing fort, in a point, is exactly of the fame thickness from one end to the other. Hence

" Mr. Anftie of the Devifes.

"The combing wool is fometimes cut topieces, and used in the ma nufacture of cloth. Perhaps it would be better to cut the fleeces of the long wooled fheep for that purpose twice or thrice a year, and to keep them in houses in bad weather; the expence of which, their manare, and the great quantity of wool they would produce, might repay. This at leaft would be worth the trial.

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the hairs easily incorporate together, and the cloth acquires that firm texture fo defireable in that fpecies of goods. The fheep which produce this fort of wool are small, delight in an extenfive range of pafture, and do not thrive in thofe narrow bounds with which the long woolled and large fized fheep are content. They were formerly to be found in thofe extenfive commons in England, of which fo many have been inclosed by the authority of the legislature, fince the commencement of his prefent Majesty's reign. It is computed, that above a million of acres have been inclosed during that period; and if the fame progrefs continues for fome years to come, there will fcarcely be a veftige of an extenfive common in the fouthern parts of the island +. Unless therefore the clothing breed of fheep will thrive in the open and extensive pastures, which the northern parts of England, which Wales, and which Scotland furnish, Great Britain must every day become more and more dependent on foreign countries for the raw material of its important branch of manufacture. Now, therefore, is the time to try every necessary experiment for that purpofe, not only for

"A very intelligent and refpectable Gentleman has fent me the fol lowing account of the progrefs of this fyftem in the western parts of England. It is only within thefe 40 years, that inclofing of commons began to prevail there; and before that took place, every farmer in the dry lands thought it his interest to attend to the fineness of the wool, whence his chief profit arose, and not to the fize of the animal, the carcafe being of fo little value, that his fat fheep, even in the month of March, did not fetch above 3 d. a pound, instead of 44d. its price at prefent. Soon after this period, the turnip and clover husbandry began to flourish; and the best farmers, encouraged by the better price for meat, began to think that their land might be turned to a more productive ufe, by introducing larger fized and more bony animals. The fheep of 8 lib. per quarter, producing I lib. of wool worth 1 s. 3 d. were, by procuring Dorfetfhire rams, changed to 14 lib. per quarter, and gave 3 libs. of wool worth 2 s. 3 d.. The difference of value between the two animals amounted to about 9 s. per head. Such large fized animals could not thrive upon the fhort grafs which uncultivated commons produced. It became an object therefore to inclofe and improve the commons; by which fyftem of husbandry, the produce of the lands has been so exceedingly increased, that what was formerly common or fheep walks, is now generally let at 15 s. per acre, and the ancient inclosure of 7 s. value, is now let at 20 s. This accounts for the alteration in the quality of the wool; but the new fyftem, in a national view, has produced the happiest confequences, by increafing the general wealth and prodnce of the country.

the peculiar advantage of thofe diftricts of the united kingdoms above alluded to, but for the general interefts of the empire.

The

"It is the more neceffary to attend to this circumftance, efpecially in Scotland, because any improvement of wool that has been attempted here, has in general been by substituting the combing for the clothing fort, which, though well adapted for particular parts of the country, is far from being calculated for the whole kingdom. At this momeut also, fheep farming is beginning to extend itself to the most diftant corners of the kingdom; but on principles which feem to me to be of a very dangerous and noxious nature. value of that part of the country, and the rents of the lands, have been greatly increased by thefe means. It is well known, that in the space of 25 years, the income of an estate in the Highlands has been raised from about 400 1. to about 1800 1. a year, without any other improvement, than merely converting it from cattle, into fheep farms. The wool which it produces is nevertheless fold at the rate of only 4d. a pound. What an amazing addition would it be to the value of that property, and of other estates in the fame fituation, were the wool which they produced rendered four or five times more valuable. By attention and good management, there is not the least doubt of obtaining this defireable object."

He then takes notice of the most remarkable breeds of fheep in England, Scotland and Spain, giving short characteristical notices of each ; and thus concludes this branch of ; his fubject.

"But, befides the breeds of England, it would be proper for this Society to try what would be the effect of introducing into this island the sheep of foreign countries, for the purpose of afcertaining the poffibility of their thriving in this kingdom, or of meliorating our breed *. If Arabia is

t *The foreign breed, from which I entertain the highest expectations, are those which are to be found in the neighbourhood of Mount Atlas in Africa, which, there is reafon to believe, are in every respect greatly fuperior to the Spanish, and to a mixture with which, the Spanish breed itself in a great measure owes its excellence. That gallant veteran, Sir Robert Boyd, previous to his departure, a few months ago, to take poffeffion of the government of Gibraltar, was so obliging as to promise his best endeavours to procure fome of that breed for the use of the Society. E 2