to promote the views expressed in their observations.

A few samples of different varieties of the Combing Wools required will be transmitted to the Consuls in Foreign parts, and to the Governors of her Britannic Majesty’s Colonies, and wherever Wools suitable for the Worsted Trade are cultivated.

Address the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, as above.

Remarks concerning Wool; chiefly pointing out the faults attached to each description named.

Oporto.

The Wool usually imported from thence is long stapled and bright, but troubled with a sprinkling of grey and reddish hairs, which depreciate the value and limit the competition. The sheep also, for want of attention, are apt to produce cotted and yellow-tinged fleeces, which only realize in the English market about two-thirds the value of free open stapled white Wools. The receipts from Oporto have increased considerably, but a good portion of the increase consists of Wool from a lower breed, and is called here “Mountain Oporto.” This description is part long, very course stapled, and the other part of the fleece is short and dull looking Wool, unsuitable for some purposes as real Oporto, and realising twenty-five per cent. less price. By attention this mountain Wool might be raised to same character as the usually good description received from Oporto.

Iceland.

We don’t know the exact quantity produced annually, but think it is 8,000 to 16,000 packs. The effect of a cold climate acting upon sheep left to nature has been to produce a Wool consisting of a long spiry coarse top, with a fine downy bottom, which for English consumers is very objectionable, and reduces the value.

Russian.

The Donskoi Wool does not seem to meet with the same care as the flocks of merino that have attained such perfection in Southern Russia. The Donskoi sheep is probably in a state of nature, or at least partially so, and the Crimean entirely so. Both these admit of great improvement, and by care for a few years a long stapled good combing Wool of finer quality might be produced, upwards of thirty per cent. more valuable.

The Russian government has the power, and probably the inclination, to initiate improvement, and will probably do so at its own expense, if the future advantage be made manifest.

We see splendid flocks of merino have been created in Southern Russia during the last thirty years; we don’t know whether this was done by the rich noblemen or the government, but it proves what improvement may be effected on a large scale.

Turkish, Asiatic and European, including Servia, Bosnia, Nissa, Scutari, Scopia, Salonica, Angora, Smyrna, Syria, Persia.

These Wools are usually very scurfy and kempy,* both of which are serious faults, but may be eradicated by attention. It seems as if most of these Wools got no care at all, and in evidence of this we point to the large proportion of scurfy and mangy fleeces. There is the basis for capital combing Wool, even if the growers cross with their own selected rams, without the introduction of English sheep.

East India and Persian Wool imported from Bombay.

Improvement has already commenced here, and a large field awaits full development. Each year our imports are collected from a wider range, and as we penetrate into a more temperate region, we find Wool of a longer and sounder staple, assimilating more closely to our English descriptions than the short hairy Wool that is usually grown nearer the tropics. East India Wool has a tendency to be burry and scurfy, with a slight mixture of grey hairs. The staple is generally too short.

China.

This Wool is usually soft short stapled Wool; looks like neither fleece nor lamb; it is usually very cotted, kempy,* and yellow. No attention seems to be bestowed upon it by the growers, but when a regular demand arises, the Chinese will, no doubt, turn their attention to the article, and effect desirable changes; and from the extraordinary fecundity of the sheep, large quantities might be produced.

Egyptian.

Here is a Wool with many of the properties so wished for by our consumers. The staple might be long enough if the native collectors and growers did not induce the practice of twice shearing. The Wool is bright, sound, and silky, but is sometimes spoiled by a sprinkling of grey hairs, also by the admixture of ill-bred, rough, fuzzy wool, known in the trade as Syrian.

The Cape.

The chief remark to be made upon the Wool from this district is to protest against the pernicious practice of shearing the sheep twice in the year, which altogether disqualifies it for combing purposes, and depreciates its value greatly; and it is strongly recommended to discontinue the practice of shearing until the entire length of the staple of which the Wool is capable is attained.

Natal.

Considerable attention is being paid to the growth of Wool in this Colony, and it possesses great natural advantages.

• By kempy Wool is meant the presence of short white hairs at the roots of the staple, which never take the dye, and disfigure all goods into which they are introduced.