Live Sit+ek&amp;gt;~-Skevp Setting Lamb-Stock~-~What uccejfitry in* 



project, &c. &c. And where the produce is annually fold lean, there is reafon in 

 all this ; for cuftomers who have been ufed to, and prefer certain breeds, as having 

 paid them well, are apt to be faftidious when they purchafe. Some farmers in this 

 fclection look chiefly at fize, always keeping the largeft frames ; but this is proba 

 bly erroneous, unlefs they keep very high. It connects with a queftion by no means 

 afcertained, whether fheep, do or do not eat a quantity of food proportioned tn 

 their weight? In general, it is a fafer rule to choofe a well-formed lamb, or that 

 indicates the probability of making a well- formed ewe, rather than to feledl for 

 fize. The attention that is to be paid to wool, in the breeds that produce the card 

 ing fort, will depend on the price to be received : if the farmer lives in a diftricl: 

 where the price of the year is given equally to all flocks, there is little encourage 

 ment to leflen quantity for the fake of quality ; retaining however in idea the 

 fact, that both are attainable, that it is very common to fee coarfe breeched fheep 

 with light fleeces, and thofe of a fine quality heavy in weight. The Spanifli fleeces, 

 which are finer than any other, are heavier than thofe of our fineft-woolled 

 fheep. With combing wool the importance of the fleece depends ftill more on, 

 price ; we have feen it at 8s. a tod ; and it has lately been 365. Quality is of very- 

 little confequence indeed, compared with quantity ; and when wool fells high, no 

 prudent breeder will fet his flock without being governed confiderably by this ob 

 ject. 



&quot; The high prices at which new Leicefler and new South Down rams let and fell 

 has opened a field of fpeculation in Iheep-breeding. It is fufficient to remark, 

 that this fpirit of breeding, whether it mail prove durable or not, whether much 

 money mail or (hail not be made in it in future, is not what any prudent man be 

 ginning bufinefs will adventure in but with great caution : men of fuch immenfe 

 fortune are now taking a lead in it, and are in many refpects doing it on fuch liberal 

 principles, that the wifeft conduct of fuch farmers as he may be fuppofed to addrefs, 

 is to take proper opportunities of converting their experiments to their own (the 

 farmers ) profit. Leave the expenfe to them ; but, when you can,convert the pro 

 fit to your own advantage. In fettinga flock of lambs, therefore, you may mark 

 a fcorc of thebefl, for a future ram to be picked up when opportunity offers ; or 

 better flill to fend to the tup of fome ram-letter that takes them in at a reafonable 

 price per head. By every year felecting five or fix per cent, and by every year 

 covering that number by a ram better than any of your own, the flock mufl be on 

 the improving hand ; and this may be done at a very fmall expence.&quot; 



VOL. ii. 4 T 



