36 improveiTfent ofjbeep and wool. J^^y i8, 



fleece, and accidents, than another kind with which 

 it is compared. If this experiment fhould turn out 

 in favour of his own breed, let him reject the strange 

 breed with which it was compared ; but let him not 

 rest satisfied that it never can be improved. Let 

 him be ever on the search for a breed of fine woolled 

 fheep, that fatten very kindly. Let him watch for 

 the=e with the utmost care, and, wherever he can 

 find them, let no expence deter him from giving them 

 a fair experimental trial. But if he has been so lucky 

 as to come near to perfection with his own flock ; where 

 is he so likely to meet with that valuable kind as in that 

 flock? With a view to discover these valuable indivi- 

 duals let him observe them continually with the most 

 attentive eye. Let him handle them often, and carefully 

 discriminate those which have, in the highest degree, 

 the valuable qualities he wifhes to obtain. Let them 

 be selected from the others, the very best rams put 

 to the pijcked ewes, and so on, perpetually selecting 

 the best from the best. In this manner, by a con- 

 tinued attention, it is inconceiveable what im- 

 provements may be made in a continuance of years. 

 I myself once chanced to observe a little cow of my 

 own, that continued at all times fat, when treated in 

 the same way with my other cattle ; and though (lie 

 was scarcely ever in her life that {he might not have 

 bet.n slaughtered for beef, otTiers of my cows, equal- 

 ly fed with her, were sometimes very lean. 1 kept 

 her many years, but never was so lucky as to obtain a 

 bull calf trom her that lived ; yet I can, at this dav, easily 

 distinguifh that breed, by their good plight, from my 

 ether cattle, after Ihe has been dead more than twen- 



