BREEDING, AND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE SAME. 309 



order to benefit the agricultural community, sent half of them to 

 Rambouillet, and the other half to Croissy. The climate hap- 

 pened to suit them, and they were considered superior to the ev- 

 isting breeds in France. In the year 1800, Victor Gir,BER7 

 bought at Croissy a four year old ram and eiglit ewes. He bred 

 from those animals during a period of ten years, occasionally, how- 

 ever, " renewing the stock," as he termed it, by purchasing annu- 

 ally from two to four sheep. In 1821 lie })urchascd some of tlie 

 Rambouillet stock, and asserts that, " from a union of the same, 

 he obtained great advantages." Now, the reader will perceive 

 that there was an alliance of blood. The two flocks were of the 

 game lineal descent, belonged to the same " family," and of course 

 the system of breeding was on the in-and-in principle. 



Now, as regards French Merinos obtained from the above 

 source, and imported into this country, we have only to refer the 

 reader to Taintor, of Hartford ; DeForrest, of New York ; 

 Sanford, of Vermont; Parker and Howard, of Ohio, and 

 many others, who are ready and willing, we presume, to testify as 

 regards the prosperity of the above breed in this country, the result 

 of in-and-in breeding. S. W. Jewett. of Vermont, has pur- 

 chased, up to the present time, over three hundred bucks and 

 ewes, the offspring of the Croissv and Rambouillet breed, and this 

 is proof positive of the correctness of our thf^ory. 



Now, as regards the advantages of in-and-in breeding, what are 

 they? When Victor Gilbert purchased the first ram, he car- 

 ried but 9 pounds of wool ; he finally realized 24 pounds from the 

 rams, and from the ewes 18 pounds, a tangible illustration of the 

 advantages. A very fine French Merino, originating from the 

 above source, was very recently exhibited at a sheep-shearing in 

 "Wisconsin ; the animal >veighed 325 pounds, and carried 40 ])ound£ 

 of wool. Now, the originals, as I have already shown, carried 

 but 9 pounds; so that the standard, as regards a particular vjuality, 

 has been raised, and that is what we understand by " improve- 

 nirnt." 



Mr. V. Barford, of England, has demonstrated the propriety 

 of in-and-in breeding. He is a man, however, of superior judg 

 ment, and he culls and casts out from his flocks and herds all ani 

 Baals showing the least predisposition to any defect. A writer in 

 the "Mark Lane Express" considers Mr. Valentine Barford 

 " one of the most successful in-and-in breeders of sheep in the king- 



