388 PRINCIPLES OF STOCK-BREEDING. 



sheep, and they gradually dwindled away into less 

 and less bulk; each generation was inferior to the 

 preceding one ; and, when the spring was severe, sel- 

 dom more than two-thirds of the lambs could survive 

 the ravages of the storm." 1 



Another striking example of the same kind is 

 related by Mr. T. Ellman, who says : " A remarkable 

 case in point occurred in France some years ago, 

 when I sent some Leicester sheep to a French farmer. 

 The ewes, sixty in number, were purchased of Mr. 

 Golding, of Beddington; the rams, four yearlings, 

 from Sir C. Knightly. 



" The wool of these sheep was enormously heavy ; 

 the ewes cut ten pounds each, the rams fourteen 

 pounds each. These sheep being managed after the 

 fashion of the Normans, the wool grew less every 

 year, that of their progeny still lighter. In six years 

 they clipped only three pounds of very bad wool; 

 the fourth generation became long-legged, their 

 bodies differing from the original stock, but resem- 

 bling the native-bred Norman sheep, with which they 

 had no relationship. After this failure a South- 

 down ram was used, and the stock improved. Yet 

 they soon mingled with the common flocks of the 

 country, it being found impossible to maintain these 

 Leicester sheep upon poor soils with bad manage- 

 ment." 3 



"With reference to size, it will, without doubt, be 

 best to follow the advice of the author of the " Keport 



1 " On the Breeding of Cheviot and Black-faced Sheep, by a Lam- 

 mermuir Farmer," p. 66 ; quoted in Youatt on "Sheep," p. 325. 

 * Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, 1866, p. 406. 



