CHOICE OF A RAM. 85 



crosses often produce animals which deteriorate in breeding, the 

 progeny regaining more of the character of its inferior parentage, 

 and losing that of the superior one. Judgment and caution are 

 needed in selecting those results which have been successful, and in 

 rejecting those which are unfavorable, also in continuing the inter- 

 breeding for a sufficient length of time to eliminate all the defects 

 which may reappear at times in the progeny. It is only after 

 several generations that animals can be produced, which may be 

 permitted safely to perpetuate their kind without further careful 

 selection. During the intervening period, very close watchfulness 

 is necessary ; the form of the animal, the preponderance of the 

 desired points, as well as those that are not desirable, the charac- 

 ter of the fleece, and the soundness of the animal's constitution, 

 should all be patiently studied. Great contrasts between breeding 

 animals should be avoided, as being dangerous to uniformity, and 

 a gradual approach to a desired end by several steps will be found 

 more certainly effective than to endeavor to attain it by one or 

 two violent efforts. 



The selection of rams for breeding is a matter of the greatest 

 importance. Not only the character of the flock, but the number 

 of the lambs, to some extent, depend upon this. For general 

 purposes, the ram should be chosen for his perfection of shape 

 and fleece, rather than for his size or weight. For mutton sheep, 

 whether long wool or medium wool, a round barrel, broad loin, 

 fine bone, short legs, close wool, especially upon the back and 

 loins, small head, full fore arms and thighs, and a mellowness of 

 flesh within the fore legs upon the ribs, where a poor sheep 

 never carries any fat, and in general an evenness of excellence, 

 rather than any special single point of superiority, whether 

 of size of body, or length, or weight of fleece, should be 

 sought. A very heavy, large-bodied ram, will probably pro- 

 duce very irregular lambs, which will disappoint the breeder ; 

 while a well knit, more even, smoother but smaller ram, will pro- 

 duce lambs of great uniformity and resemblance to himself, and 

 very frequently, and especially so if out of well selected ewes, 

 greatly surpassing him in size of carcass at maturity. In breeding 

 from a large ram upon small bodied ewes, unless there is some 

 special reason against it, a ram with a small head should be chosen, 

 and the ewes selected should be wide across the loins, with a broad 

 rump and wide pelvis. From a disregard of this it is sometimes 

 the case that severe labor or death in parturition occurs amongst 

 the ewes. In the first coupling of the young ewes, the greatest 

 care should be exercised in selecting the ram, for its influence may 



