SELECTION OF BREED. 83 



indigenous to the rich low-lying marsh land of a small tract in the 

 comparatively dry climate of Kent. The proximity of the sea, 

 and the low-lying position of the land, however, counteract other 

 influences, and a long-wool breed is found. Dryness of the climate 

 has an effect on the herbage beyond that which is caused by the 

 nature of the soil. Down land naturally carries short herbage, 

 but the herbage of the Downs differs from that of the thin soils 

 of the limestone situated in more northern and wetter parts, where 

 a different type of sheep is carried. 



A great effect of moisture on land is that sheep which are in- 

 digenous to it, or have been carried on it for a long period, open 

 their claws or digits when they tread on it. This is necessary to 

 prevent them from sinking deeply, whereas on dry soils the feet 

 open very little. Thus, on the Downs, where the ground is rarely 

 sufficiently moistened to allow the sheep to tread through the 

 turf, the feet are small and the digits close, as compared with 

 those of sheep carried on loose soils supporting rich pastures. 



However, the Suffolk breed, bred in the driest climate of Great 

 Britain, has a comparatively open foot, in spite of the dry land 

 on which it runs, but it originated in coarse heath, and the claws 

 took a spreading habit accounting for their comparative freedom 

 from footrot. 



The formation of the feet has an important bearing on their 

 liability to foot-rot. Sheep which for generations have had to 

 expand their feet have developed a hard skin between the digits, 

 and this is not easily abraded when it becomes moistened, as 

 when brought into contact with long wet herbage, or when the 

 sheep are penned on wet, gritty, arable land ; whereas under similar 

 circumstances the close -toed sheep are very susceptible to fracture 

 of the skin. When once the skin is broken, the germs of the foot-rot 

 disease easily establish themselves, and the foot becomes diseased. 

 A difficulty is, therefore, experienced in placing Down sheep on 

 soils carrying rich pasturage, or on arable soils which produce 

 friction about the feet. The suitability of the sheep for the purpose 

 which is likely to prove most remunerative is an important matter. 

 Generally, in these days of foreign competition, meat is the first 

 object, as wool is imported at such a low price ; still, the value 

 of a fleece which weighs 10 Ib. or more is not to be ignored. The 

 type of sheep must be decided to no small extent by the char- 

 acteristics of the farm and the kind of cropping it will carry with 

 most success. It is fortunate that while mutton from white -faced 

 sheep is not so valuable per pound, the sheep produce large carcasses 

 and abundant fleeces of wool, which together are of great value ; 

 so the sheep-grazier is not altogether outplaced by the arable 

 land farmer, who, owing to the greater expenses to which he is put 

 in obtaining crops, requires some advantages to make matters equal. 



