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ABSTRACT REPORT OF AGRICULTURAL 

 DISCUSSIONS. 



3Ieet!n{j of Weelchj Council, March 22nd, 1865. The President, 

 Siu E. Keuuison, Bart., M.P., in the Chair. 



The Breeding and Management op Sheep. 

 Mr. T. Ellman said : Allow mc in the first place to express my 

 regret that I luive not before been an attendant at these meetings. 

 The best proof I can give of the interest which I liave taken in them 

 is my willingness to introduce this subject for discussion when invited 

 to do so. I ^vill not attemjit to treat of other breeds of sheep than the 

 Southdown, because the range of a farmer's exi)erieuce hardly allows 

 him oi)portimity for becoming familiar with the habits of all, and even 

 many kinds of sheep. I hojie that other members present will tako 

 up the subject where I leave it. The training, the cliaraeter, and 

 history of any race of animals, the influence that situation, climate, 

 and soil, as well as management, exert on the appearance, constitu- 

 tion, and disposition must not bo overlooked. So treacherous are 

 these agencies, that experience gained in one comity may be of 

 little avail in another ; the Norfolk man, when transferred to the 

 Southdown hills, becoming, as it were, a child again ; and the 

 Southdown man being equally at sea if removed to Leicestershire. 

 Such diftcrences would soon have become apparent if the flock of the 

 late Mr. Jonas Webb had travelled to the Southdown, or my flock to 

 Babraham. And here let me pause to express my high respect for the 

 late Mr. Jonas Webb, between whom and myself no spark of jealousy 

 ever arose, but the best of feeling ever subsisted. So great, indeed, 

 is the eflect of climate and soil, that tlie fine flavoiu' of the Southdown 

 mutton may be changed in time to the coarse, tallo^^y meat of the 

 Leicester or other long-woollcd sheep. Nor will the flesh alone be 

 interfered with, but the wool and every other feature will become assi- 

 milated to those of the natives of the dificrent localities. Whatever 

 advantages may accrue to Southdowns from their removal to inland 

 counties, the increase of size will be accompanied by some falling oif 

 in the quality of the meat, and if theii- fattening projierties are brought 

 into greater activity, their appetites, perhaps, are also awakened by 

 just looking over the hedge and seeing how their neighbours, the 

 Leiccsters, feed in the adjoining field. It should not be inferred, 

 however, that Southdown sheep when fed on rich pastm-es cannot 

 retain the properties which recommend them for general purposes, 

 but unless fresh blood from the Sussex Downs is frequently introduced 

 into those breeding flocks which are removed into other districts, both 

 the shape and the quality of mutton and wool will be changed, and the 

 hardiness of the animal interfered with. 



A remai'kable case in j^oint occurred in France some years ago, 

 when I sent some Leicester sheep to a French farmer. The ewes, 



