114 IMPROVEMENT OF THE BREEDS. 



imagine, that when, by dint of crossing, we have ob- 

 tained the variety wanted, that it will remain in the 

 condition to which we have brought it, without the 

 slightest liability to alter. Many farmers believe they 

 have done all that is required, if they subject their 

 stock to three or four crossings with a breed of acknow- 

 ledged excellence. They think that the improved ani- 

 mals they have obtained will support their acquired 

 characters, uninfluenced by extraneous agency. Now 

 nothing can be more faulty than this mode of manage- 

 ment, as is proved by a comparison of stock so treated, 

 with flocks which have uninterruptedly received that 

 undeviating attention, which can alone ensure a 

 continuance of the properties desired. Such men 

 forgot, that the climate is operating with as great 

 certainty on the animals as on the rocks around ; and 

 that as the herbage is determined by the nature of the 

 adjacent rocks, so are the peculiarities of the sheep in- 

 fluenced by the herbage ; and that if they manage to 

 change the characters of the breed, it can, in a majority 

 of cases, be only for a time, unless the tendencies of 

 the surrounding elements are counteracted, by a con- 

 stant recurrence to the originators of the flock. '* 1 

 am sorry," says Little, in his valuable practical observa- 

 tions, " to say, that there are too many examples of 

 those, who thought themselves at the head of improve- 

 ment in stock, relaxing their exertions, and keeping by 

 their own stock ; and the consequence has been, that 

 such stocks have degenerated, become delicate, tender, 

 and diminutive in size ; and from no other cause but 

 that the same pains have not been taken to preserve 

 the improvement, that was taken to effect it. I could 



