SECRETARY'S REPORT. 109 



and bad to disappear for one or two generations, and to reappear 

 in the second and third ; thus an animal often resembles the grand 

 dam more than the dam. This peculiarity is itself an objection to 

 the practice of crossing, as it tends to prevent uniformity and to 

 encourage contrarieties ; and thus we find in many flocks and herds 

 that the hopes of the breeders have been entirely baffled and a race 

 of mongrels established. 



The first cross is generally successful — a tolerable degree of 

 uniformity is produced, resembling in external conformation the 

 sire, which is usually of a superior breed ; and thus the offspring 

 are superior to the dams. These cross-bred animals are now paired 

 amongst each other, and what is the consequence ? Uniformity at 

 once disappears ; some of the offspring resemble the grandsire, and 

 others the grandams, and some possess the disposition and consti- 

 tution of the one and some of the other ; and consequently a race 

 of mongrels is perpetuated. If, however, the cross is really a good 

 and desirable one, then, by means of rigorous and continued selec- 

 tion, pursued for several generations, that is, by casting aside, as 

 regards breeding purposes,, every animal that does not exhibit 

 uniformity or possess the qualifications we are desirous of perpetu- 

 ating, a valuable breed of animals may in the course of time be 

 established. By this system many varieties of sheep have been 

 so far improved as to become almost new breeds ; as for instance 

 the New Oxfordshire which has frequently gained prizes at the 

 great Agricultural Meetings as being the best long wooled sheep. 



To cross, however, merely for crossing sake — to do so without 

 that care and vigilance which we have deemed so essential — is a 

 practice which cannot be too much condemned. It is in fact a 

 national evil and a sin against society, that is, if carried beyond 

 the first cross, or if the cross-bred animals are used for breeding. 

 A useful breed of animals may thus be lost, and a generation of 

 mongrels established in their place, a result which has followed in 

 numerous instances amongst every breed of animals. 



The principal use of crossing, however, is to raise animals for 

 the butcher. In this respect it has not (with sheep) been adapted 

 to the extent which it might to advantage. The male being gen- 

 erally an animal of a superior breed and of a vigorous nature, 

 almost invariably stamps his external form, size and muscular 

 development on the offspring, which thus bear a strong resem- 

 blance to him, whilst their internal nature derived from the dam, 



