Ch. XXXIX.] ON BREEDING. 491 



BREEDING. 



The great object in the breeding of sheepy is to combine the production 

 of the best wool — whether it be of the combing or carding quality — and 

 the largest quantity of mutton upon the least weight of bone, at the least 

 possible expense. This can only be found in sheep of tlie most perfect 

 form, and it must be admitted that the skill and perseverance which have 

 been exerted to the attainment of the object have met with wonderful suc- 

 cess. Still, it should be borne in mind, that perfection of form consists in 

 that shape which is best adapted to the soil on which the animal is to be 

 reared ; and that which is considered beautiful in a lowland sheep, may be 

 a defect in one who has to seek his food upon a mountain. A judicious 

 breeder will, therefore, be extremely cautious how he crosses a breed 

 adapted to the land with any other, however apparently superior, that does 

 not possess similar qualifications ; for, in any particular district where a 

 peculiar breed has long existed, it may be presumed that their constitution 

 is by nature suited to the food and climate. This is, indeed, a point of the 

 greatest importance to those who have already got possession of a good 

 breed; for notwithstanding the improvements which have been generally 

 effected, yet injury has also been done, in particular instances, by ill-judged 

 crosses, and many a man has had reason to repent his attempts to improve 

 a stock that already answered his purpose. 



It being, however, desirable to avoid the too constant system of breeding 

 *' in-and-in," as being injurious to the size and constitution of sheep, and 

 therefore occasionally necessary to partially change the stock, the mode 

 adopted for that purpose by Mr. Ellman cannot be too strongly recom- 

 mended. He gets some neighbour to let him take out 50 of his best ewes, 

 and puts his best ram with them, from the produce of whicli he selects 

 ram-lambs ; by which practice, and drafting 30 or 40 refuse ewes every 

 year, he got his flock up to that degree of celebrity which it still maintains*. 



The plan of an eminent Scotch flock-master, who rears some of the 

 finest Cheviots in the north, is also well deserving of attention. He made 

 a careful selection from the best of his own stock, and purchased, without 

 regard to expense, a few from other esteemed flocks of the same breed. 

 These he kept apart under his own immediate inspection, to study the ten- 

 dency in each family towards a deficiency or excess in particular points ; 

 and thus, by judicious crosses between the various families, he succeeded in 

 producing stock more perfect than either sire or dam. " The experiment,'' 

 he says, *' wrought like a charm, and in a few years lifted up his stock to a 

 new position, both at the tup-shows, and, what is more to the jairpose, in 

 the markets where the stock and wool are usually sold." He finds, how- 

 ever, that the very fine wooUed varieties of Cheviot sheep are more liable 

 to casualty, and less valuable, at last, to the feeder ; and he prefers the 

 fleece that covers the hardiest and the best thriven sheep, although it should 

 not be praised by the stapler, t 



The character of both sire and dam are observed in different shades of 

 their offspring, but that of the male more frequently predominates. This 

 has frequently led breeders into a great mistake, by employing rams of 

 much larger size than the ewes by which they were tupped, the progeny of 

 which is generally of an imperfect form ; but if the ewe be proportionably 

 larger than the ram, their offspring will commonly be found improved. 



* Sussex Rep. p. 307. 



f See Mr. Sellar's account of his Farm of Strathnaver, iu the county of Sutherland, in 

 the " Farm Reports." 



