SECRETARY'S REPORT. HI 



of the male over the size and external appearance of the offspring; 

 so that it is desirable, for the purpose of the butcher, that the male 

 should be of a larger frame than the female, and should excel in 

 those peculiarities we are desirous of reproducing. Let it be here, 

 however, repeated, as an exceptional truth, that though as a rule 

 the male parent influences mostly the size and external form, and 

 the female parent the constitution, general health and vital powers, 

 yet that the opposite result sometimes takes place. 



3d. Certain peculiarities may be imparted to a breed by a single 

 cross. Thus, the ponies of the New Forest exhibit characteristics 

 of blood, although it is many years since that a thorough-bred 

 horse was turned into the forest for the purpose. So, likewise, we 

 observe in the Hampshire sheep the Roman nose and large heads, 

 which formed so strong a feature in their maternal ancestors, al- 

 though successive crosses of the South Down were employed to 

 change the character of the breed. * * jk 



4th. Although in the crossing of sheep for the purpose of the 

 butcher, it is generally advisable to use males of a larger breed, 

 provided they possess a disposition to fatten ; yet, in such cases, it 

 is of importance that the pelvis of the female should be wide and 

 capacious, so that no injury should arise in lambing, in consequence 

 of the increased size of the heads of the lambs. The shaj^e of the 

 ram's head should be studied for the same reason. In crossing, 

 however, for the purpose of establishing a new breed, the size of 

 the male must give way to other more important considerations ; 

 although it will still be desirable to use a large female of the breed 

 which we seek to improve. Thus the South Downs have vastly 

 improved the larger Hampshires, and the Leicester the huge Lin- 

 colns and the Cotswolds. 



5th. Although the benefits are most evident in the first cross, 

 after which, from pairing the cross-bred animals, the defects of one 

 breed or the other, or the incongruities of both, are perpetually 

 breaking out — yet, uidess the characteristics and conformation of 

 the two breeds are altogether averse to each other, nature opposes 

 no barrier to their successful admixture ; so that in the course of 

 time, by the aid of selection and careful weeding, it is practicable 

 to establish a new breed altogether. This, in fact, has been the 

 history of our principal breeds. 



We confess that we cannot entirely admit either of the antago- 

 nistic doctrines held by the rival advocates of crossing and pure 

 breeding. The public have reason to be grateful to the exertions 



