[2751 



skill in breeding, and has taken infinite pains to give his 

 flock all the qualities to be desired in sheep for this lati- 

 tude: 



The sheep which are called "native," or "common," in the West, are a 

 hardy and prolific variety; but they are deficient in size, in thrift, and in 

 fleece. Though the general diffusion of them proves their adaptation to 

 the circumstances in which they are placed, yet it is well known that the 

 tendency which all animals have to adapt themselves to climate and sub- 

 sistence may be materially modified and controlled by judicious crossing, 

 and that the improvement made by these crosses becomes permanent, and 

 thereby stamps distinct varieties of the same class of animals. Chiefly 

 by these influences (crosses, climate, and subsistence) the Bakewell, Ox- 

 fordshire, Saxony, and other varieties of sheep, have been produced ; and 

 their distinctive features, in congenial localities, are as indelible as those 

 of the stocks from which they were produced. In the same manner, no 

 doubt, still other varieties may be produced ; nor does there appear to be 

 any insuperable difficulty in blending, in the same animal, any number 

 of valuable qualities which are not actually antagonistic to each other. 

 These principles extend even to points of fancy merely. For example, 

 some breeds of sheep are hornless, while others have two, others three, and 

 others still have four horns. The Syrian shepherd delights in a breed 

 whose tails are so long and fat that wheels are required on which to draw 

 them over the pastures; but we prefer sheep with short tails, and per- 

 haps a breed might be produced as destitute of them as are dogs of some 

 breeds. 



There are other valuable considerations which make the frequent cross- 

 ing of sheep desirable, if not indispensable. Dr. D. H. Dadd, in his Amer- 

 ican Cattle Doctor, page 248, says: "It is now a well-ascertained fact 

 that health and vigor can only be perpetuated by not running too long on 

 the same blood. The best variety of sheep I have ever known (putting 

 fineness of fleece aside) was the mixed Bakewell and Southdown." Sir 

 Robert Smith, in his prize essay for the English Royal Agricultural So- 

 ciety, says : " Having tried experiments in every possible way, I do not 

 hesitate to express my opinion that, by proper and judicious crossing 

 through several generations, a most valuable breed of sheep may be raised 

 and established." 



The tendency of all improved breeds of all domestic animals to relapse 

 to their original status when they are neglected or abused, is no proper 

 discouragement to this course of improvement; for such a policy would 

 condemn the adoption of all our best breeds of horses, cattle, sheep and 

 hogs; for all have been produced by careful and judicious crossing and 

 selection, and all improvements in stock can be fully maintained only by 

 a reasonable share of the same care and judgment by which the improve- 

 ment was originally effected. 



