SHEEP-FARMING. 61 



First, — The fii'st, and most important, by reason of the 

 circumstances and position of the sheep-farming interest, 

 is that which is and can be produced by the persistent use 

 of large vigorous rams of the French and Enghsh Merino 

 blood, which will give length, strength, and abundance of 

 wool of a high value — the highest value in the European 

 markets — with good carcass and fat value. 



Second, — A breed or type suited to certain localities 

 would result from the cross of the English, long, lustrous- 

 wooUed sheep with the Pampa, Creole, Cordova, and other 

 long and coarse-wooUed races of the country persistently 

 followed out, which would, in a few generations, produce 

 a most valuable and useful wool, and sheep that would be 

 very valuable in carcass and fat. 



Third, — Is a somewhat longer process, but would produce 

 a very desirable sort ; viz., the Creole or common Mes- 

 tizo crossed with the long or medium wools of England, 

 and then refined persistently with French or English 

 Merinos. Tliis wool would assume a special type, and in 

 the course of time, good length and considerable fineness 

 would be the characteristics, and the sheep would be an 

 excellent carcass and fat-producer. 



Fourth, — The German Mestizo type, on a more limited 

 scale — when great attention is paid, and the largest 

 animals only selected to breed from, as possessing the 

 longest and most elastic staple — is a desirable variety to 

 retain, having its special 'destination' or use. It is no- 

 torious that this variety, like the Spanish variety, its parent, 

 is declining in importance, and, as it were, going out of 

 date everywhere. It is, however, so valuable as the 

 prolific nursery of improved types, and for crossing with 

 certain inferior breeds, that it is desirable to retain it in 

 the higher grades, and under a system consistent with its 

 delicacy. 



