CHAPTER III. 



BREEDS AND THEIR MODIFICATIONS. 



When Bakewell and Eilman commenced their work, it has 

 been previously said, that many breeds, with almost innumerable 

 offshoots, had formed, and were met with in their indigenous 

 homes in all districts. Many of the best of these came under 

 the influence of men of special skill in breed-making, and they, 

 with variations, are reproduced in the breeds of to-day ; but 

 there were others which lacked such men to guard their interests, 

 and they, to a great extent, disappeared before the march of 

 improvement in sheep-breeding. The partly improved sheep 

 were found more profitable, so the indigenous stock either dis- 

 appeared or was merged into some strong breed near by. When 

 the indigenous race was wiped out it could not be replaced ; 

 the consequence is that there are many areas in the country that 

 carry stock that is alien to it. It is these districts which, even 

 yet, often need an imported breed indigenous to conditions closely 

 resembling those which obtained before the old breed was wiped 

 out. It is obvious that sheep bred exclusively on light chalk 

 land for centuries would not have the same type, constitution, or 

 character of those bred not many miles away, but on totally 

 different land. Sheep got their features after many centuries 

 of life on certain soils ; but in the stocking of the country, it is only 

 in recent years that this has been recognised sufficiently to bring 

 about changes, and it is still not recognised as much as it should be. 



A list of the more important breeds is given here : 



