PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF BREEDING. 115 



in crossing ewes with the rams of much larger breeds (to 

 obtain large lambs for the butcher) demonstrate, as has been 

 already seen, that the prevailing fears on this subject have 

 been somewhat exaggerated.* 



* The Down or New Leicester ram is coupled with almost any of the smaller 

 sized local varieties for the purpose of getting larger and earlier maturing lambs for 

 the market. The very small and hornless heads of the Down and New Leicester 

 lambs, it is true, peculiarly fit them for easy and safe parturition ; but in other 

 respects, they are exposed to all the disadvantages of disproportioned size before and 

 after birth, and these are not found sufficient, in practice, to prevent the crosses from 

 proving highly profitable for the objects in view. 



