Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, and Rutlandshire, part of Hunts, Beds, Bucks, Cambridgeshire, and Romney Marshes, with some parts of Norfolk, have been accounted the longest and finest combing wool. But of late (by the improvement in the breed of sheep and different kind of feeding) there is some large fine combing wool to be found in most of the counties of England." He then speaks of the wool of certain districts in Ireland-Tipperary, Limerick, Kilkenny, Kerry, Waterford, Connaught, and Cork-as no way inferior to the long wool of England, except a small quantity of wool that grew in some parts of Leicester and the south marshes of Lincolnshire, which was longer than any wool grown in any part of England besides, and was of a beautiful shining colour, although long, yet very fine and soft, and bearing an exceeding good gloss, superior to that of any of the wool of Ireland. In the year 1749, the woollen trade was prosperous, and artizans in this manufacture were fully employed. I find, from a table of the average price of Lincolnshire wool from 1700 to 1749, that the highest price was 23s., in 1717, per tod of 28lbs., and the lowest 13s. In 1749 the price was 19s. 6d. At this period a great change was taking place in the quality of wool grown in England. Long-woolled sheep were more general throughout the kingdom; they were to be found in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Devonshire, Durham, Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire, Notts, Warwickshire, and other counties. Except in the marsh lands, long wool had ceased to be a peculiar growth of Norfolk, which now, by a strange metamorphosis, supplied excellent materials for cloth. I think I have shown clearly that wool has ever been a most important article of commerce, both in its raw state and when manufactured; nay, I may say the fact is established that wool may be considered the only national staple we possess. Italy has its staple-silk; Portugal and Spain wine (the vine), as also France and the Rhenish provinces; whilst to Spain we may point at an early period of our history as a country competing with us in wool, and also woollen manufactures. In the slight historical sketch I have given, you will recollect I pointed out to you that Spain had greatly benefited by the introduction of our breed of sheep in the reigns of Edward III. and IV. These facts being established, the importance to agriculturists of the question, how we can supply a rising demand for a particular kind of wool-" the lustre wool"-is apparent. To the agriculturists I dare not offer a word of advice touching the encouragement to be given to this or that breed of sheep. I can only convey to them, as a worsted-spinner and manufacturer, a knowledge of the want of this particular kind of wool at the present day. To them I also point out the fact, that our woollen trade has greatly increased; and would still more largely increase had we sufficient of the raw material. To establish this, I draw attention to a circular issued by the Chamber of Commerce of Bradford and the woollen districts, on March 25th, 1859. It commences thus: "The very high price of combing wool has led to the consideration, whether it is not possible to encourage its growth, the high price being attributable to the consumption of this kind of wool gaining upon its growth." It further states that the Chamber of Commerce is of opinion, that no large additional supply can be expected from the home growers-[this I hope our home growers will prove is an erroneous opinion]-points out from whence supplies might be obtained, and invites the organization of societies, to disseminate amongst the inhabitants of such countries the information on management already at commaud. In the appendix to this circular is the following declaration: "This Chamber is conscious that the peculiar excellences of our long-wools are dependent upon our tempe. rate and humid climate and succulent grasses." In February, 1861, another circular was issued, entitled "Address of the Wool-supply Association of the Bradford and Halifax Chambsr of Commerce, to all Parties interested in the growth of Colonial and other Foreign Wools." In this document they again speak of an inadequate supply of long-wool. The wool required should, they say, have a staple from four to seven inches in length, of uniform quality throughout its whole length, and bright and lustrous in appearance. In addressing foreign growers they point to the fact-(not to be overlooked is this account)-that "the flocks" should be pastured as much as possible upon succulent grasses, similar to those grown in Great Britain; the object being to get a bright lustrous wool. Your attention having been drawn to the demand for this particular kind of wool, the home supply of

which you have been informed is outgrown by the demand for home consumption, besides our having customers from France and Germany, the question arises, Does this demand for a national staple assume a character and dimensions sufficiently interesting to farmers to justify them in considering whether wool may not be a product more and more worthy of attention as the means to the end of rendering their operations more profitable? I have been much impressed by some remarks made by Mr. Cobden, upon the occasion of a trial of steam ploughs which recently took place in the Lothians. "What is it," he says, "that constitutes the prosperity of agriculture, or any other pursuit? It is to have a flourishing and increasing number of customers;" and he points to the fact that your largest consumers are the manufacturing, mining, and industrial population of this country. Further, he remarks, addressing as he was a large and influential number of agriculturists, "I need not tell you, who are so far advanced in the science of agriculture, that that which lies at the very foundation of all scientific agriculture is the large and constantly increasing production of the manureproducing animals-the cattle and sheep which you rear on your land: hence it becomes a question whether, with the present increased consumption of wool in England, and also the increased consumption of mutton and beef in some districts [and I emphasize some districts], it would not be more profitable to the farmers to turn their attention more to the growth of wool, mutton, and beef, which under certain conditions of soil, &c., might be more profitable than wheat, particularly as the foreign markets for wheat are extensively open to us; and may I not here remark, that wheat, possessing a character (by a merciful dispensation of Providence) adapting it for culti vation in all climes where civilized man becomes resident, and can therefore be almost universally grown, is as a product of land, contrasted with wool, less under the influence of climate, and therefore open to more general growth. I think we have no fear of any want of cereal produce; but unless the English agriculturist bestirs himself, we may justly apprehend the scarcity of English long-wools; and as they have not yet been grown in any other country to the same perfection, arising, as we have evidence, partly from the pasturage, partly from the breed, and also (generally) from the care taken of long-wools, I do think the agriculturist will not think me intrusive in urging the consideration of this question upon him." An intelligent farmer resident in Yorkshire kindly furnished me with the following: The lustrous condition of wool depends much on cleanliness, and here attention is required from the shepherd. Such attention would be highly remunerative." Another writes: "This wool, the lustre, is grown both from Lincolns and Leicesters, and also a cross between the two from hoggets, and a great deal depends upon the cleanness of the sheep and the land they are grazed and fed upon, more than upon the breed of long-woolled sheep. When it is bright-haired and glossy, we can always sell it for more money. The best class of hogg's wool about Ripon generally commands the best price in this district, but I think it is chiefly owing to the land they feed upon." This statement is confirmed by many others. Leicester rams have been sent out to Iudia, China, &c. ; but from my own knowledge the wool deteriorates in length after the first cross, and can only be kept up in anything like length by great care and attention. A gentleman from Leicestershire, whose operations are devoted exclusively to sheep, has given me some interesting particulars bearing upon the subject. Being totally unacquainted with the causes which lead to the demand for the particular kind of wool now in great request, he spoke of the increased value of wool generally, and said that his profits were incident alone and dependent entirely upon the production of mutton and wool. Beef was a simple addendum, not particularly note-worthy in a mercantile point of view, inasmuch as on his farm the fleece alone paid his rent. Taxing him with his estimate of profits, I asked him whether there was not an indirect element overlooked? and he ultimately admitted that, apart from the mutton and wool, there was an indirect profit incident to the fact that the manure-producing animal gave back to the soil as much as, if not more than, was taken from it. I think the landlords will notice this assertion. statement, to my mind, as a mere man of commerce, appeared anomalous; but he fortified his declaration by saying that a soil but slightly prolific became abundantly fertile through the droppings of sheep; in other words,

This

'that which gave but poor pasturage to the sheep this year became, when disintegrated in the stomach of the sheep, a source of fertilization, which made the pasturage of the next year infinitely more abundant, He gave me other facts well worthy of notice. These were, that a Leicester flock taken by him to Ireland degenerated rapidly; and in answer to the inquiry whether this might not be attributed to crosses, he assured me that both the ewes and tups of this degenerated flock were pure Leicesters. Emphatically he said their wool became no longer the covering as it were of sheep, but like that of the goat-I use his own language-not forgetting the physiological fact that the goat's covering is hair, whilst that of the sheep is wool. All this shows that climate and soil are the causes which enable the agriculturist of England to grow lustre wool. The large quantity of wool which is imported from India is a very useful wool for blanket and carpet manufacture, but it does not compete with our long English wools. The same may be said of our Australian colonies, the whole coming from there being adapted for clothing, except the longer staples which compete with our Down wools and German wools. There are hopes that at some time we may get from New Zealand a long staple wool; but at present the wool of that colony lacks the lustre which is a distinguishing feature of our long wools. To show the character of the present competition our long wools have to sustain, I have collected a few samples of the wools, produced in the countries from whence we obtain our largest supplies, and also samples of our long wools. [Mr. Anderton here alluded to a variety of samples which lay on the table.] These will show, even to the uninitiated, the difference between the wools of the several countries represented, and the really small competition our long wools have to fear. From Canada we have received 8 amali supply, at uncertain intervals, of a wool very much resembling our Leicester wool; but this wool is very much depreciated in value, from the want of cleared enclosures for the sheep to graze in. This want causes the wool to have a good deal of burr or seed, gathered by the wanderers, which burr or seed is very troublesome to the manufacturers; and it will be a long time before Canada will be able to supply us with such wool. I am, moreover, of opinion that Canada can never compete with our long wools, the climate differing so greatly from our own, which is manifestly well adapted for its produc tion. The wool or hair which shows the most brilliant lustre is the mohair, the produce of the Angola goat. I find that the imports of this most desirable wool have not increased much; but that the price this year, notwithstanding the disorganization, to some extent, of trade, in consequence of the American war, is higher than it ever was before, showing the increased demand for lustre wools, and the appreciation the products manufactured from lustre wools are held in by our customers throughout the world. I find, further, that English lustre wool during the seven years, inclusive of July 1, 1849, to July 1, 1855, averaged 124d. per lb.; whilst during the next seven years terminating July 1, 1862, the price averaged 17d., and that taking the last three years only, the price averaged 18 d. per lb., showing the regularly increasing value of this wool, and therefore proving the desirability of increasing its growth. The present price of Leicester and Lincoln, and indeed all the home-grown lustre wools, is about 1s. 10d. per lb. Not being practically acquainted with the best means of increasing the growth I shall not presume to offer any advice on the subject, but shall be well satisfied if I have awakened an interest on this important subject in the mind of the grower of wool. Of course the chief questions for the farmer to consider are, firstWill it pay me better to grow lustre wool than what I am now growing? Is my farm adapted for feeding the breed of sheep which grow this wool? And, lastly-Am I likely to have a continued demand from the manufacturers for this wool? To the last question I fearlessly answer, that you are likely to have a continuously increasing demand for this wool, and you have less competition to fear from other countries in supplying this sort of wool than you have to fear with respect to any other description, so that there is a better prospect of obtaining a high price. I exhibit [referring to them] small samples of Lincoln, Leicester, and Northumberland wool, all more or less lustre wools. I also show samples from various countries, some of which show a little lustre, but lack that soft

silky appearance which belongs to our long-grown wools. In the China wool we find some lustre, but it is short and kempy. In the Egyptian wool we find a nice lustre, but, from the climate and breed of the sheep it is of a harsh description. In some of the wool grown in Turkey we find lustre, but, from climate, feed, and want of care, it is very scurfy, and tender in the staple. From South America we get the alpaca wool; this, with the mohair, being the only wool imported which combines all the required qualifications of lustre wool. Thus, I think, in conclusion, I have shown that the price of lustre wool is very high; the fleece is known to be heavy, and the fear of competition from abroad is very small. These three elements combined may, I hope, induce gentlemen here present to act as if they felt "the desirability of increasing the growth of lustre wool" (cheers).

Mr. W. FISHER HOBBS (Boxted Lodge, Colchester) said there was a very wholesome rule of the club, that onethird of the members might be non-agricultural. Their experience that evening proved that that rule was a good one. A gentleman had come before them to state the views of manufacturers and wool staplers; he was in no way connected with agriculture, and he had brought forward the subject in a national point of view, and he had the good fortune of meeting his friend Mr. Anderton occasionally as a member of that Club for some time past; and with his friend Mr. Bell, who, he was sorry to say, was not present that evening, and other manufacturers of the North of England, they had had frequent discussions on this subject. Although the question of the growth of the lustre wool bad been recently mooted elsewhere, he had nevertheless thought it desirable that it should be discussed this year in the club. When he asked Mr. Anderton to introduce the subject he readily consented to do so, and they would all be sensible how ably he had handled it, (cheers). They had now heard what were the views of the manufacturers, and, as practical men, they must now see how far they could carry them out. In April, 1861, he met Mr. Caird in the rooms of the Royal Agricultural Society. On that occasion Mr. Caird observed, speaking on behalf of the manufacturers of this country, now that the importations of short wools were so large, there was no necessity for the English producers to grow short wools, and they should in fact grow lustre wool. Now he (Mr. Hobbs) thought that as practical men, who, in various parts of England, paid much attention to the breeding of sheep, they would agree with him that, however desirous they might be to aid the manufacturers, and also to assist their own breeches-pocket, by producing a larger fleece, in the larger portion of this country it was utterly im possible to produce at a profit wool with a lustrous cha racter (Hear, hear). If they looked at nature, they found that throughout all the southern counties of England the sheep had a short, close texture of wool, to protect it from the atmosphere and from the influence of the various seasons peculiar to the district where it resided. Looking at the Southdowns, they found on the chalky soils a peculiar feature in the wool; and if the sheep were removed to the midland districts, or to Cambridgeshire, where Mr. Jonas Webb produced sheep in such perfection as regarded the carcase, they found that the character of this wool, instead of being improved, was ordinarily rather injured. On the gravels of Cambridgeshire, by means of high feeding, the length of the Southdown wool had been increased; but he hesitated not to say that the quality was not maintained. He did not deny that oil and feeding exercised considerable influence; but nevertheless he maintained that climate would control the cha racter of the fleece given by nature to protect the sheep against the elements (Hear, hear). Man could, he knew, do much; but with all his efforts he could not overcome the works of nature, which, by a beautiful arrangement, clothed the animal, and at the same time produced food for the sustenance of man. Now he wished particularly to go into some points involved in this question. He had himself lived in one of the midland counties, and had watched very closely the growth of wool, as well as the form of the animal and the quality of the mutton; and he hesitated not to say that, in his humble opinion, wool of s lustrous character could not be produced generally, even in the midland parts of England, without a great deterioration of the carcase, and upon an animal of a different kind from those required in the present day to secure a good quality of mutton with early maturity (Hear, hear). He contended that the

sheep which produced lustrous wool was an animal that was peculiarly adapted to the lowlands of Lincolnshire. On that point he would presently read to them the opinion of a very able writer about 50 years ago, who was also a very excellent breeder of stock. The Lincoln sheep which then produced this lustrous wool was, he believed, a sheep of narrow form, flat sides, very large bones, and thick skin; an animal which required a longer period to fit it for the butcher than the sheep which had a correct form, good fore-quarters, a broad back, and a good quality of skin, at the same time that it produced a good quality of wool. The same principle might still be observed and carried out in cattle and swine, and also in the horse. In the pig, a coarse thick skin invariably covered a coarse fibrous flesh. So, also, with regard to the Lincoln sheep, that was especially adapted to produce lustrous wool; that, he contended, was not the kind of sheep which was required in the present day (Hear, hear). Those who bred such sheep produced wool at the sacrifice of mutton. It required a larger amount of mutton to produce a pound of wool than would be required if they were not producing this lustrous wool. Mr. Robert Smith, who was present, knew the Lincoln sheep better than he (Mr. Hobbs) knew them; but there were other gentlemen present, who lived in Lincolnshire; and though Lincoln flocks had been improved of late years, he believed that to produce a pound of lustre wool in the spring of the year would require 4lbs. of mutton. He thought Mr. Smith would agree with him that a hogget of Leicester form, with early maturity, was ready for the butcher in the month of May; whereas, a sheep producing this lustre wool would not be ready for the butcher till the month of July. In that case there would be eight weeks' additional keep to supply. He believed the Lincoln graziers fed their sheep with from 1lb. to 14lb. of cake per day. At all events it might be assumed that there was an outlay of 9d. per week for oilcake, and they might set down the rest at 3d. (A voice: "Sixpence.") Well, he would say 6d., making 1s. 3d., which in eight weeks would amount to 10s. Now, in those two months how many pounds of wool did the lustrous old-fashioned Lincoln sheep produce? It certainly did not produce more than 4lbs. of wool; nor did he believe it would produce so much. He contended that the sheep possessing the Leicester character would come to maturity better, and fetch a better price of mutton in the month of May, than the old Lincoln, with lustre fleece, would in the month of July, and that they were losing 4s. in mutton for the sake of gaining an extra quantity of wool. But, independently of that, let them look at the loss sustained in the quality of mutton by having a lustrous fleece. When he first acted as a judge at an agricultural meeting, being then very young. he happened to act with an old judge, whose words he well remembered. It was in the county of Bedford, and they had before them a pen of old lustrous Lincoln sheep. His friend requested him to put his hand on the back of one of these Lincoln sheep, and said to him, "If you made a hole there, and put a quill in it, you might suck it as you would an orange' (laughter). When they got these Lincolns, with their lustrous fleeces, they usually had an inferior quality of mutton (Hear, hear). Bell's Weekly Messenger of that-day told them that the difference between the price of Lincoln sheep and that of Southdowns was ld, per lb.; and although the farmers of England were very desirous of assisting the manufacturers as far as they could, and if possible, of obtaining a better return for their wool, they must take care not to sacrifice the quantity and quality of mutton in endeavouring to increase the production of wool. He thought he was not saying too much with regard to the quality of the mutton of Lincoln sheep. His old friend on his left (Mr. Skelton) gave him just now a very humorous description of the quality of the mutton of the Lincoln sheep. He said it was some of the best mutton in the world; that if killed at Christmas, and hung up for twelve weeks, and then interlarded with five score of oysters, it would be found wonderfully good stuff (laughter). In relation to quality, he would now read what was said by an able writer 50 years ago. At that period Mr. George Culley said :

"The rich fatting marshes in Lincolnshire are, beyond any other county I know of in the island, best adapted to the growing and forcing of long heavy wool. This, with the high price that kind of wool had given, previous to the American war, very probably induced the sheep breeders of that county to pursue it so ardently in preference to every other requisite,

that they neglected the form of the carcase and inclination to make readily fat; essentials, that the other sheep-breeding counties were under a necessity of attending to, otherwise they could not have got them made fat in proper time, from their land not being in general near so rich as the Lincolnshire marshes. In short, the Lincolnshire breeders, by running 80 much upon wool and large bones, had got their sheep like their black horses-two great ends, a long thin weak middle; and lost the thick firm barrel-like carcase, broad flat back, fine clean small bone, and inclination to make fat." There was also the following note, in reference to the writer's travels:

"On asking a butcher's wife, at Bury, in Suffolk, how she sold mutton? smartly.-Aad pray, replied I (rather surprised at the high Five-pence a pound, Sir! answered she, price), have you no mutton below five-pence? O yes, Sir! rejoins the honest woman, plenty of Lincolnshires, at fourpence; but we do not account it mutton, when compared with our Norfolk or Suffolk mutton."

(Laughter.) That was in former days. Their friend Mr. Skelton would, no doubt, tell them that since that period there had been a great improvement in the Lincoln sheep ("Hear, hear," from Mr. Skelton); an improvement which was effected by crossing with the Leicesters. It might be objected that the book from which he had just quoted was an old one. He would refer to a prize essay, written a few years ago for the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, by a gentleman that was well known to all present (Mr. Robert Smith), an essay which was highly appreciated, at the time, by agriculturists throughout the country. Mr. Smith there said :

"The Long-Wools are principally classed under the head of Lincolns, New Oxfords, Cotswolds, Teeswaters, and Kents. The long-woolled Lincolns were formerly the chief or only variety produced in the county; they seemed formed for the then rich marshy soils or cold situations (there being little or no heath-land under cultivation), and their principal property was their long, strong wool to protect them against the vicissitudes of the eastern winds upon their bleak open pastures during the winter-months. They were further known by their large white heads and ears, long thin carcase, with exceed. ingly large bone; and from their wool-bearing propensity, they were scarcely ever fattened previously to the third year. In consequence of the rapid advances of our manufactures in the production of finer woollens, and the altered tastes of the people, this breed of animals has happily gone nearly out of fashion; some few are yet to be found in the neighbourhood of Louth, Caistor, and Boston, and are sought after by some breeders, who sell their lamb-hogs in the spring to the marsh graziers, to be by them fattened-if possible."

Now, there had been a good deal of discussion on this subject privately in that Club. One day he asked Mr. Bell, who was one of the oldest members of the wool trade, as well as a member of the Club, whether if he were to show him a map of England, he could not trace out with a pencil the districts where lustrous wool could be grown to greatest advantage? The reply was in the affirmative, and that in no other parts of England could such wool be produced profitably. He (Mr. Hobbs) bred Leicester sheep for many years in the county of Essex, and he did all he could to maintain the natural character of the wool. The lustrous character of the fleece gradually disappeared, and be at length became convinced that it was useless to contend against the course of nature. He trusted that the farmers of England would pay due attention to this point. They might be very willing to listen to any suggestions with regard to the increased production of wool, but to ask them to sacrifice the mutton was a very different matter. He was very glad that he had requested his friend Mr. Anderton to introduce this subject; but he thought it would be found that neither the Lincolns, Leicesters, nor the Cotswolds, however they might be treated, would enable farmers generally, with the peculiarities of climate and situation, to supersede the short-wools of the south of England (cheers).

Mr. WARD (Drayton, Rockingham) said, as farmers they must all feel indebted to Mr. Auderton for having come forward to point out to them the kind of wool which in his opinion might be grown most advantageously; but the difficulty which they had to deal with was in obtaining a proper soil for growing lustre wool (Hear, hear.) It seemed very extra

. ordinary, but it was a fact, that long-wool might be produced | from a district extending for 70 miles, and that after that it unavoidably became short (Hear, hear.) He could not quite agree with Mr. Hobbs in what he said about the Lincoln sheep. The Leicester and Lincoln sheep were almost the only sheep that could produce the kind of wool that Mr. Anderton thought they ought all to endeavour to produce. They were told by Mr. Hobbs that these sheep were all of very bad quality.

Mr. HOBBS said he spoke of the old Lincolns, not of the improved ones.

Mr. WARD continued: For his own part he must say that being in the habit of going into Lincolnshire in the spring, he found better sheep at the Lincoln fairs than any where else. Within the last three or four years he had seen three or four hundred tega pitched in a pen and sold at three guineas apiece. Lincoln sheep could not, therefore, be so bad as Mr. Hobbs seemed to suppose (laughter.) Many tegs in Lincola. shire weighed 14 stones, and some as much as 17 stones in April, when they were a year old. From the paper which had been read they learnt that the wool which fetched the highest price was goat's wool. According to that they ought to keep goats instead of sheep (laughter).

The CHAIRMAN: What breed of sheep do you patronize ?

Mr. WARD replied that he had no particular breed; his sheep were Leicesters, and he touched them up slightly with the best Lincolns (laughter).

Mr. UNWIN (Colchester) observed that there was no branch of trade or manufactures in this country which had commanded in past times so much attention as the worsted and woollen trade. The growth and cultivation of wool also had occupied the leisure of the affluent, and the skill and sagacity of the agriculturist from time immemorial. Notwithstanding the fiscal reforms which had of late years been carried out, thereby securing free ingress into this country for the produce of every part of the world, the British farmer enjoyed at the present moment what amounted to a monopoly of the growth of long wool. This is simply owing to the fact that no other country possesses such skilful agriculturists, and no other climate or soil in the world has been found so suitable for producing long wool in perfection as Great Britain. There was now no royal woolstapler, as in the reign of some of our earlier monarchs, to dictate the price at which wool should be sold. There was therefore a wider scope for the extension of the growth of wool and the breeding of sheep than there was in any other department of agricultural enterprise and production; and he thought it both the interest aud duty of the British farmer to increase the production of these articles to the largest possible extent. The augmented value of lustrous wool was owing to the introduction of an entirely new branch of manufactures; he referred to the manufacture of alpaca. Mr. Salt, the owner of Saltaire, was the first purchaser of alpaca in this country, and the first to convert it into beautiful fabrics. The extensive use of alpaca gradually led to an increased demand for Lincoln wool, for the purpose of mixing with alpaca, and the manufacturing of fabrics of a lustrous appearance. The result of this great demand for Lincoln wool has been to change the relative positions which fine and coarse long wool formerly occupied, and enhance the price of heavy Lincoln wool far above the fine Southdown, so that at the present moment Southdown wool is selling in Bradford at 1s. 8d., and Lincoln fleece is selling at 1s. lld. Fashion was, as they all knew, very capricious and uncertain, and it would be very unwise in farmers to change their system altogether, because a particular kind of manufactured article happened to be for the time most in favour. He would advise them to use their own judgment and discrimination in the matter, and select that class of sheep which was most adapted to their diversified localities, and which would produce the most mutton and the best wool. Having had thirty-five years' experience in the wool trade, he had never known Down ewe fleeces fetching a higher price than they did at this moment, evidencing that all classes of wool participated in the preseut brisk demand. Such was the extension of the demand for worsted and woollen manufactures that there seemed to be no limit to the consumption of sheep's wool, while obtainable at a fair price. Last year, whilst the home growth was estimated at 157,000,000lbs., the importations amounted to 147,000,000 lbs. The estimate of the amount of wool

They

produced in Great Britain was based on a supposed average yield of 4 lbs. per fleece from 35,000,000 sheep. He thought the average was not less than 5lbs.; and if that were the case, there would be produced annually in this country 175,000,000 lbs., of the value of £10,000,000 to £12,000,000 sterling. It was almost impossible to magnify or exaggerate the national importance of this branch of our industrial enterprise. It was equally important to the interest and success of the grazier and breeder of sheep to endeavour to ascertain what description of sheep was meg adapted to produce, in the locality in which he might be situate, the most delicate flesh, combined with the greatest weight of carcase and fleece. Those were the points to which they should direct their attention. No doubt the county of Lincoln was best adapted for the growth of heavy lustrous wool, in consequence of its rich pastures and greasy soil. The Lincoln sheep had a preference for a sci of that nature, and it suited and stimulated the growth of wool, and assisted to impart to it its gloss or lustre. There were, perhaps, other parts of the kingdom where Lincoln sheep might flourish, but it was limited in extent. might perhaps be kept to advantage in the lower lands of Essex or Romney marshes in Kent; but it is a questi whether the Kentish grazier would be benefited by substi tuting the Lincoln breed for his own native one, the Kert. He would say to the Lincolnshire gentlemen, so long us they can obtain from £3 to £4 for the carcase, and che guinea for the fleece, stick to the Lincoln sheep. He would say to the Sussex, Wiltshire, and part of Norfolk and Su folk graziers and breeders, till you can find a class of sleep more suitable to your close herbage and dry soils than the close-coated brown-face sheep, and one that would be more profitable, adhere to your Southdowns. Mr. Hobbs has referred to his own experience in the matter. He had at the period mentioned one of the finest parks in the county of Essex for the growth of Down wool. Mr. Hobbs introduced the Leicester breed, and in spite of his superior management and acknowledged skill and judgment as a grazier, they soon began to degenerate, and every year they became worse. Both sheep and wool lost in weight and quality, because the grasses were not sufficiently rich to sustain the growth of wool, and permanently to produce long wool sheep and wool. This would be the case wherever the experiment might be tried, if the animals were not kept fully up to the mark by rich pasturage, or very high feeding on heavy soils.

Mr. R. SMITH (Emmett's Grange, South Molton) said, the description quoted by Mr. Hobbs from his prize essay, written fifteen or sixteen years ago, was applied to an animal which was fast going out of repute and out of use, the old Lincoln sheep. (Hear, hear). These sheep had like other animals, lost their roughness with the improvei and improving character of the age. He would just read to them another part of his essay, which applied to the subject under discussion. He first spoke of the different breeds of sheep in England, their capabilities, their uses, and the effects of climate. He said, that if any one were to take a map of this island and begin in the north, he would soon find a cold region, and sheep adapted to the peculiarities of the climate; that in the midland counties he would find another kind of sheep; and that on the chalky soils, where southern winds and sun prevailed, there was again another variety: the whole product being thus dependent on soil and climate. The mountain range, where he now resided, was found to be suitable for a particular breed of sheep. They knew, he might remark, by observation, that if a farmer removed from east to west or from west to east, in nine cases out of ten there was failure. The dry husbandry of youth practised in the East did not answer in the West, and vice versa. The Scotchman who came South from a much moister climate, did not succeed for that reason, and therefore not unfrequently went back again (laughter). These were practical truths, and they must not be overlooked. Now, in relation to this subject, he wrote at page 25 of the Journal for 1847:

"From close observation I have found the quality and quantity of wool to be governed by the quality or description of flesh upon the animal; hence certain wool and certain mutton go together: further, so often as the wool is observed to change upon the back or otherwise of the sheep, so does the

quality of flesh change, commencing at the exact division of the varieties of wool-thus showing the importance of selecting those animals that possess the best description of wool and mutton. Now these carry but one sort of wool upon their frames, and that of a mellow, moderately long, thick, bunchy character, under which is found the mellow flesh peculiar to first-rate animals, which flesh is found to spread or expand itself more rapidly than any other, but with a sufficient degree of firmuess. Under short fine wool is found extra firm or hard flesh, which does not expand or grow in proportion. With thin-set, strong wool, we find the animal to have a white objectionable head, with loose or coarse-grained flesh, wanting in quality in due proportion to the wool it bears; and the animal is never, in consequence, known to spread wide, but represents its degree of fatness along the back." As a confirmation of this, he might name that the "woolstapler" found ten sorts of wool upon a single fleece. They would find that long-woolled sheep varied in their fleeces, and that as their fleeces varied, so also did the flesh underneath. The influence of warmth was a law of nature. Warmth produced the fine wools; cold, the coarse wools. He was much obliged to Mr. Auderton for having introduced this subject. Having been a breeder of sheep from his youth, he had never deviated from that branch of agriculture. They might depend upon it that if mutton and wool would not pay the farmer's rent, nothing would. Mr. Anderton had very properly alluded to the use of sheep in treading or manuring purposes. The fact was that the sheep was in that respect the main vehicle of improvement, and he believed that animal returned more money for what it received than any other (Hear, hear). As regarded lustre wool, it was quite true that it could only be grown on certain animals, or rather on certain soils. It had been observed that the sheep which produced such wools liked to be on greasy pastures. Now, what were greasy pastures? They were fat pastures. He would go further, and ask with regard to artificials, whether it were not possible to supply another element which would produce lustre? Perhaps the nearest approach to the natural element was oilcake. They all knew that when wool became greasy, quired a certain amount of curl and a lustre which was peculiar to high feeding. He believed they might very much increase the tendency to lustre by giving the animals corn. He would suppose that having given some Lincoln sheep corn he afterwards sold them at a fair. He had then done with them, and it did not matter to him who had them the next morning. But he would now suppose that they fell into the hands of a man who let them remain in grass without oilcake or corn. What happened? The woolstapler said, "This is capital wool; but there is a little check which I don't understandthe wool is jointy, poverty stricken at a certain place." If he had fed them with oilcake or beans the result would have been different, and the wool would have realized the highest price. Here, then, was the practical question which appeared to him deserving of consideration. It appears in practice that lustre wool is peculiar to a certain district, arising from soil, climate, and management; if so, what is the nearest representative? High feeding of that class of animal when introduced in other parts.

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Mr. DRING (Claxby, Spilsby) considered the subject which had been brought forward well worthy of attention. If they could grow 12lbs. of lustre wool and make 50s. a tod, that was one of the best things that they could do as farmers (laughter). As regarded the increased growth of lustre wool, he believed the increase could not be carried to the extent that some persons seemed to imagine. If they attempted to grow such wool on barren soils, or in climates which were not specially adapted for it, they would find that it did not pay (Hear, hear.) In any county like Lincoln, where there was a soil that would feed five or six sheep or a bullock to the acre, the farmers might grow lustre wool; but in districts where the soil was weak and thirsty, unless artificials were used it was very questionable that this kind of production would yield a proper return. In going over different counties in the south, he had often thought how ignorant the farmers must be to do so and so; but when he came to sift the matter he found that there was a reason why (Hear, hear.) If a person began to deviate much from the system prevalent in the county where he resided, he would generally find that he was mistaken (Hear, hear.) In some counties long-wool sheep was very valuable: he now referred especially to districts in

which there were heavy soils. Two ore three years ago a friend of his took a farm in the neighbourhood of Newmarket, where the sheep were principally short-woolled sheep, and as the farm was a deep heavy soil, where good turnips and seeds could be grown, he recommended the long-wool sheep, which has answered exceedingly well; and the last twelve months he has had many applications for his long-wool ram lambs and ewes by his neighbours. He had not the slightest doubt that wherever the soil was heavy, long wool might be grown to some extent; but they should beware of going too far. The price of wool was now very high, and it had been so for some time; but if they all aimed at producing the utmost, they would perhaps make a mistake. It was all very well to produce pretty liberally, especially as the sheep was such a great improver of the soil; but he could remember a time when the price of long wool was something like 60s. a tod. This case was something like that of corn. When wheat was at 80s. a quarter they were all for growing it, and the result was, that they were afterwards glad to sell it for whatever they could get (laughter); there, as in other cases, truth, safety, and profit lay between the two extremes (Hear, hear.)

The CHAIRMAN said before the subject was brought to a close he wished to make one or two observations. They were all highly indebted to Mr. Anderton for his pleasing paper, which had led to one of the most interesting discussions that had taken place in that room for some time past (Hear, hear). The result of the discussion seemed to be this, that it was best for them as farmers to cultivate that breed of sheep for which their several localities were best suited. (Hear, hear.) So far as he was personally concerned, if he were to make that club an advertising medium, as it had been made, he was sorry to say, on many occasions, he should tell them that there was a breed of sheep which he knew something about and which was the best for all farmers to cultivate (laughter). During the remarks of their friend Mr. Hobbs he was particularly anxious for the welfare of their friend Mr. Ward (laughter); he even feared that that gentleman might require a little restraint (renewed laughter.) However, Mr. Ward got out of his difficulty, as well as possible, without telling them that he was most interested in that breed of sheep which Mr. Hobbs had loudly decried (laughter.) Mr. Hobbs advocated the short wools, Mr. Ward advocated the long wools; he (Mr. C. Howard) went between them. He knew a breed of sheep which yielded mutton of the finest quality and also provided first-rate wool, and if they would come to him on some private occasion he would tell them all about it (great laughter).

Mr. F. HOBBS wished to repeat, in reference to his remarks on Lincoln sheep, that he did not intend them to apply to the improved Lincoln sheep, but to the old Lincoln. He believed that nearly all the Lincoln flocks had been im. proved of late years by crossing with the Leicesters.

Mr. ANDERTON then replied. He said his proposition was simply that it was desirable to increase the growth of lustre wool. He had shown them that from time immemorial long wool had, in England, always had the pre-eminence. They now obtained ample supplies of short wool from their own colonies, from the Cape of Good Hope, Australia and New Zealand; but from no country in the world could we get long wools which would compete with those in England, unless it were the regions which produced alpaca, now worth 28. 10d. per lb. Long wool had always been the staple wool of England, had made some excellent remarks with regard to the effect of and he hoped it would maintain its superiority. Mr. Smith soil and climate. The question which he raised, whether wool might not be improved by artificial means, was a very important one. He did not presume to give any advice, as to the manner in which they should conduct their operations; all he had done was to present facts for their consideration.

On the motion of Mr. John Thomas, seconded by Mr. Congreve, thanks were voted to Mr. Anderton for his introduction; and on the motion of Mr. Skelton, seconded by Mr. Butcher, a similar acknowledgment was made to the Chairman.

At the Monthly Meeting of the Committee, Mr. JOHN BRADSHAW, of Knole, Guildford, was elected chairman of the Club for 1863,