Volume 33 Item 02: James Macarthur journal of a tour through Belgium and Germany, November 1828-January 1829

Left the Diligence & took a Voiture to Wiesbaden – Crossed the Rhine by a bridge of boats – great width Arrived at Wisbarden at seven oClock – Multitude of persons in the Coffee room smoking, gambling & jabbering – glorious confusion!!!

Monday 30th Deserted appearance of the place – large Hotel, Magnificient saloons Piazza of shops all deserted Walk to the Mill – pretty Country very like the Mt Hunter Ranges – Wies barden in a basin – The Spring so warm that I could scarcely bear to touch it with my fingers –

After dinner set out in a Voiture for Frankfort Very cold drive of five hours – Hotel of the Siran at Frankfort Excellent House – met an English gentleman who has been settled ten years in Prussian Poland – has a flock of 1000 Merinos not thorough bred – fleeces

average 2½ lbs washed price about 20d pr lb A neighbour of his has a thorough bred flock the fleece of wh sell for about 4s/- pr lb – but weigh not more than 1¼ lb – This gentleman sells many rams – £100 sometimes given for one ram –

That people in general are content now to breed with their own rams

They are afraid of reducing the weight too much by improving the quality –

Thinks the reduced price of wool not attributable to increase of quantity but to the unnaturally high prices everything bore during the war wool in particular 20d pr lb on the spot will pay better than any thing else they can