176 AN AGRICULTURAL FAGGOT. 



widely prevalent, and naturally attracts the notice of the 

 English visitor. Frequently one sees a line of stock 

 along the edge of a piece of clover, or other fodder crop, 

 each animal tethered at a measured distance from the 

 next, and so that it can comfortably reach its allotted 

 stretch of provender. There is economy in the practice — 

 instead of cutting and carting the green food to the stock 

 they fetch it for themselves. 



The scarcity of sheep is very apparent, but to some 

 extent it is more apparent than real. One farmer, whose 

 farm I visited, had a flock of 500, which twenty years ago 

 was Merino, but by the constant use of Southdown rams 

 is now to all appearance Southdown. He explained that 

 the practice was to keep them all housed for the greater 

 part of the year. At that time (August) the ewes were 

 folded on a piece of clover, but all the lambs were in the 

 buildings as well as the rams. One interesting point was 

 mentioned. The ewes are divided into two lots, one 

 being served in August and the other in November, and 

 he attributed the possibility of this practice to the Merino 

 strain in the ewes. M. Thome possesses an excellent 

 flock of Southdowns, which has taken high honours at 

 the principal shows in France. At Le Boulleaume, part 

 of the sheep are Southdowns, and part a cross between the 

 Southdown and the Dishley-Merino. Rams had been 

 imported from Sandringham and Babraham. There is 

 no doubt that the Leicesters, to some extent, and the 

 Southdowns, very largely, as well as some other English 

 breeds, have been used in the improvement of the sheep 

 of France. The earliest amelioration of the native stock 

 came, as in so many other parts of the world, from the 

 Merino. I visited the famous State farm of Rambouillet, 

 over the stately portal of which is inscribed : — 



" Curat oves oviumque magistros." 



It was established at the time when there was a general 

 movement to introduce the Merinos, which Spain had so 



