178 THE STUDY OF BREEDS. 



(1) He began this work about 1760, and originated what 

 is now known as the New or Improved Leicester breed. 



(2) The material chosen by him was taken from the 

 Dishley or old Leicester breed. 



VI. The improvements he sought were more 

 perfect symmetry, aptitude to fatten, early maturity, 

 smaller bone and improved in quality, an increased 

 quantity of improved flesh and a diminution in the 

 quantity of offal. 



(1) In accomplishing these objects he also incidentally 

 secured a larger quantity of more valuable wool. 



(2) He effected improvement through the selection of 

 the most perfect specimens of the medium types, judiciously 

 crossed and intercrossed for a long term of years. 



VII. The aim at the present time in the United 

 States is to improve the mutton qualities of the sheep 

 now in the country, and the means more commonly 

 resorted to in effecting this improvement include the 

 following : 



(1) Crossing successively upon these, rams of one or 

 other of the improved mutton breeds. 



(2) Selecting with much care breeding stocks from the 

 progeny, and 



(3) Giving better ood and providing better shelter. 



VIII. Nearly all the improved breeds now in 

 the United States, except the Merino, were imported 

 from Great Britain, the country in which they 

 originated. 



(1) They are sometimes classified as the heavy breeds, 

 the down breeds and the mountain breeds, but 



(2) This classification is not sufficiently concise or 

 complete. 



(3) A more common classification is based upon the 

 character of the wool. 



IX. The principal breeds imported into North 

 America may be classified as fine wooled, medium 

 wooled and coarse wooled. 



