BREEDS AND THEIR MODIFICATIONS. 23 



stitutional vigour its harder life has evolved, make it suitable to 

 come from the highlands on to the lowlands, as it is doing with such 

 great success in many parts of England. Had it been of the older 

 type of mountain sheep there is little evidence to suggest it would 

 have been nearly so successful as it has proved. For although 

 there are a few instances where breeds ascribed to the old mountain 

 races have become useful on some low lands, this has not been 

 brought about except where much other blood has been brought 

 in, whereas the Blackfaced sheep is singularly free from alien 

 blood. 



However, it is seen that blackfaced heath breeds of common 

 origin change greatly under different conditions. The gradations 

 in colouring to white are simple, the blackfaced Scotch is not 

 an all-black, and in our pure breeds whether of cattle, sheep, 

 or pigs colour is very much a matter of selection during the past 

 century and a-half ; on some soils colour disappears until a white- 

 faced breed is found ; but the great family of heath or forest breeds 

 came from an original stock. This accounts for much of the success 

 which comes in crossing to produce new breeds, or for crossing 

 with pure breeds to make desirable crosses to stock land which 

 may have had the indigenous breed pushed out by imported 

 blood when the first great move in sheep improvement prevailed, 

 but is not really well suited with a breed, although the breed 

 holding the land may have been accepted as the correct one 

 to keep for fifty or more years. This gives an explanation why 

 the dictum that a man should stand by the breed he finds on 

 the land does not always hold good. Generally where a modern 

 breed is kept where the original stock was indigenous to it, reason- 

 ably good, and sometimes excellent, results are obtained ; but 

 where the modern type is an imported one that is, has no relation- 

 ship to the truly original stock it is highly probable that the modern 

 stock does not give such satisfactory results. It is in these districts 

 that trials should be made with other breeds to find something 

 more suitable. It is why so much change in breeds is taking place 

 in certain districts. But all changes need to be made with due 

 regard to the systems of farming, and the food available, as well 

 as to the suitability of the mutton for the available markets, 

 whilst many other minor considerations must be regarded. 



What has been said suggests the value of indigenous breed 

 characteristics, though when sheep go to other conditions the 

 sheep will at once try to adapt itself to its new surroundings ; 

 where the new conditions are widely different to those to which 

 the sheep have been accustomed, they will break down and become 

 unprofitable before they can adapt themselves. For the good of 

 breeds it is of first importance that the flocks kept on the indigenous 

 ground should retain the indigenous features ; if not, there is the risk 



