140 THE SHEPHERD'S MANUAL. 



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It was found to maintain its original character perfectly, produc- 

 ing a sheep which yielded a fleece of wool closer and finer than 

 that of the Cotswold, but not so long, weighing from 11 to 13 Ibs., 

 and a much heavier carcass of mutton of a quality equal to that of 

 the Southdown which weighed, at three years old, 150 Ibs. The 

 ewes are prolific, the lambs strong, healthy, and maturing quickly, 

 reaching a live weight of 140 to 160 Ibs. at twelve mouths. They 

 are found to be equally suitable to the light pastures of Long 

 Island, with either the pure Southdown or the pure Cotswold, and 

 are perfectly at home beneath the hot summer suns of our climate. 

 It is a coincidence which is not at all remarkable, being founded 

 on common necessities, that in producing this and other crosses, 

 the Germans and ourselves have taken up the same materials to 

 work with. The climates of both the United States and southern 

 Germany are similar ; the summers are hot and dry, and the win- 

 ters compel the use of preserved and dry food for a considerable 

 length of time. The breeds which would be suitable to the mild, 

 moist, and even climate of England, are not exactly adapted to 

 Germany or the United States, and we must hesitate to follow, or 

 must follow with great caution, the lead of the English breeders. 

 But the example or success of the Germans may be made more 

 safely applicable to our circumstances, inasmuch as the conditions 

 in both cases are similar. This coincidence is a proof of the fact, 

 that in working out these changes, breeders and farmers are forced 

 to follow certain natural laws, and that as they work in conform- 

 ity thereto, they succeed, but when they oppose these laws, they 

 must necessarily fail. It is in exact accordance with this fact that 

 we find it difficult or impossible to preserve, for any length of time, 

 the condition of sheep imported from England, more especially 

 of the more highly refined breeds ; but that we can easily accli- 

 mate their produce, or build up cross breeds which will be more 

 profitable and convenient for us to keep. With our wonderful 

 diversity of climate, soil, and surface, and with the varied demand 

 for staples for manufactured fabrics, there is opened a field for 

 the exercise of the breeder's skill in producing new races to accom- 

 modate these conditions, and to meet these demands, which is 

 hitherto unexampled in the history of agriculture. This is no 

 mere matter of conjecture. It has been clearly demonstrated by 

 experience and practice. "Wool of the cross between the Cots- 

 wold or Leicester rams on Merino ewes has been imported into 

 New York from New Zealand and Australia, for some years past, 

 to meet the demands of the manufacturers of delaines and other 

 staple goods. Our wool-buyers have been in the habit of going to 



