105 



the head and face are smooth, and covered with white hair ; they 

 have no homs ; the tail is short, rather broad, and turaed up at the 

 tip ; the profile is very convex. 



My attention was first called to these sheep from the fact of their 

 great reproductive power. I find they breed twice in a year, and 

 produce four and sometimes five at a birth, the three ewes now 

 in the Society's Gardens having this spring produced thirteen 

 lambs. These lambs are very easily reared by hand, and are perfectly 

 hardy. Upon referring to Miss Corner's ' History of China,' pub- 

 hshed m 1847, it appears that since the introduction of the cotton 

 plant into China (which took place during the Ming dynasty, about 

 500 years ago), the breeding and rearing of sheep have been neg- 



lected, as the following extract will show : 



" The extended cultivation of cotton was one of the causes that 

 led to the almost entire disappearance of sheep from the southern 

 provinces, for it was found that it would take much more land to 

 supply a certain number of persons with mutton and wool, than with 

 rice and cotton. Then the pastures were gradually turned into rice 

 and cotton plantations, while sheep were banished to the mountains 

 and less fertile parts of the country. For the šame reason cattle, 

 horses, and other domestic animals are scarce ; the few that are kept 

 for the purposes of husbandry are poor and ill-fed ; for there is not 

 a common on which they can graze, so that they are tied up in stalls 

 when not employed in the field. Dairy farms are unknown in China, 

 where people use neither milk, butter, nor cheese." 



In a recent letter from China, the writer mentions, among other 

 matters, that in giving a good dinner to some distinguished friends, 

 one of the choicest dishes was a leg of mutton, the cost of which 

 was equal to 30*. 



Having submitted specimens of the wool of this animal to my 

 mend Dr. Price, who kindly forwarded the šame to Mr. Dariington, 

 the Secretary to the Chamber of Commerce at Bradford, for the 

 purpose of having it examined by the most competent judges, the 

 followmg report from these gentlemen was received. They say, 

 " That the sample of sheep's woolfrom China enclosed in Dr. Price's 

 letter, is a class of wool which would be extensively used by the 

 manufacturers of this district for goods of low quality ; that it ap- 

 pears to be wool suitable for combing pm-poses, and would now 

 command about one shilling per pound." 



That the wool doės not appear to offer any great inducement for 

 its introduction will be seen by the above report. I, however, think 

 it highly probable by cultivation and judicious crossing, a great im- 

 provement may be fairly looked for. It is, however, to us a matter 

 of the utmost importance that we should possess animals whose 

 power of reproducing is greatest, in order to supply the increased 

 demand for meat. 



The origin of our domestic animals has been a subject of much 

 discussion ; the remote period of their domestication involves us in 

 much doubt ; and this mystery and obscurity will probably never be 

 satisfactorily cleared up. It is, however, interesting to find in a 



