j.63] 



IN-AND-IN BREEDING. 



This subject has given rise to more discussion than prob- 

 ably any other question connected with sheep raising. 

 Many object to it from religious or moral considerations. 

 Others contend that this method tends to weaken the con- 

 stitution and debilitate the sheep, and the general appear- 

 ance of the Leicesters originated by Mr. Bakewell, of Eng- 

 land, by in-and-in breeding tends to confirm this objection. 

 The small head, prominent, glassy eye, small bones, we say 

 attenuated, their delicate skin, and general tendency to 

 scrofulous diseases, would seem to be the result of too close 

 and too long continued in-breeding. Still, close breeding is 

 absolutely requisite to originate a species. This evil effect 

 could be avoided to a great extent by adopting the rule to 

 breed from the same ram only for the second generation, 

 and by selecting another for the grandchildren with as 

 nearly as possible the same form and general character. It 

 is said to have less deleterious effects to breed a ram to his 

 own get than to breed brother and sister together. The 

 breeder could adopt a safer course, and one to attain the 

 same ultimate result, by putting together animals of the 

 same family, but less closely alied, as father or brother. I 

 am strongly of the opinion that the same degeneration 

 would take place in animals of a lower order, as is known 

 to be the case with the higher animal, man. The result of 

 in-and-in breeding in man is known to result in the highest 

 type of personal beauty, but it is at the expense of the con- 

 stitution and mental faculties. Besides, inter-marriages of 

 families, long continued, often result in physical deformities, 

 and this fact being so universally admitted in man, must 

 bear some relative proportion in brutes. To breed properly 

 have one well defined object, and keep that object always 

 before the mind. To do this well it is absolutely 

 necessary to know every ram and ewe in the flock, and their 



