[ io8 ] 



16 thai of improving bis breed by a judicious selection of his best 

 females, and by procuring such males as are eminently distin- 

 guished for perfection in those points wherein his may be found 

 deficient. A total change of stock is frequently accompanied with 

 loss and disappointment, and if the attempt succeed you are for a 

 considerable time driven to the necessity of fatting-all you breed ; 

 for the rooted prejudice of graziers in favor of the prevailing sort 

 of the county, whatever they may be, cannot easily be overcome ; 

 and you may in vain expect at market a price adequate to your 

 care and exertion. 



Notwithstanding what has been said, there are certain well- 

 founded axioms in the grazing system relating to the shape of the 

 animal, which cannot justly be disputed. Delicacy in the horn, 

 head, and neck ; deepness and roundness of the carcase, wideness 

 of the loins, small bones accompanied with a thin (kin : these, 

 with many other points which might be enumerated, are consi- 

 dered as essentials, and are seldom unaccompanied with an aptU 

 lude to fat. 



The same partiality which I have here stated to exist among the 

 Marsh farmery in favor of the red oxen, was a few years since as 

 ctrongly manifested in favor of the Dorsetshire sheep; but of late 

 the polled breed of the lower part of the county gain ground, and 

 are in high esteem. 



These sheep are bred in the neighbourhood of Dulverton, Bamp- 

 ton, Wiveliscombe, &c. they are well made, yield a large shear 

 of wool, and fat quickly; but they might in my opinion bo 

 greatly improved by a cross with the new Leicester, to which they 

 have in size and shape some degree of affinity. The objeclicii 

 made by the breeders in that district to a cross with Leicester Is, 

 that what they might gain externally, they should lose internally ; 

 and that the deficiency in the fat of the inside would so disgrace 

 their sheep in the eye of the butcher, that they would lose their old 

 customers. Surely this reasoning is fallacious ; for on a supposi- 

 tion that the inoide fat of a sheep were by this intermixture to be 

 reduced 61b. per sheep, (and I think this as much as it possibly 

 could be) rhe deficiency at 4d. per pound would amount to only 

 two shillings ; five pounds extra weight of the carcase would pay 

 jrhis. and if the buyer were to allow the butcher for this defect, 

 4 , all 



