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THE GENESEE FARMER. 



SOUTH DOWN SnEEP. 



It is a fact well worthy of our serious consideration, that while our agricultural 

 implements and labor-saving machines, and, indeed, everything connected with the 

 mechanical objects of agriculture, for lightness, simplicity, efficacy, and adaptedness for 

 the purposes intended, are very far superior to the most advanced nations of the old 

 world ; our domestic animals, as a general thing, are very inferior, and will not bear 

 comparison with those of nations less advanced in other matters than ourselves. The 

 reason of this is probably to be found in the peculiar circumstances in which we are, or 

 at least have been placed. Ours is a new country. We have had primeval forests to 

 subjugate, crops to raise, cities to build, canals to dig, railroads to construct, and all the 

 appurtenances of civilized life, to be raised from crude elements, in just no time. It was 

 to be expected that ingenuity thus taxed would enable our mechanics — in devising and 

 constructing machines that should accomplish the various objects in the most economic 

 and expeditious manner — to excel all others ; but the reverse of this is true in regard to 

 the rearing and management of domestic animals. Our restless, enterprising, unfixed, 

 and changing habits, are ill-calculated to enable us to excel in this important branch of 

 agriculture, in which time and long continued persevering attention to the principles of 

 breeding can alone accomplish any great improvement, and we cjnnot but think it is 

 wise in our agricultural societies (although considerable objection has been raised against 

 the custom) to appropriate a larger sum for prizes to be awarded to improved animals 

 than for agricultural implements and machines, and to do all in their power to advance 

 this too much neglected branch of domestic economy. 



We hope none of our readers will suspect us of thinking that the only valuable and 

 profitable breeds are the so called improved imported animals, for we do not. Those 

 who have read our article on " the improvement of our common sheep," in the October 

 number of the last volume, will see that we place our principal hope on the increased care 

 and attention which our farmers will bestow on their common native acclimated flocks and 

 herds, in accordance with correct principles of breeding, and not to the importation of im- 

 proved foreign breeds. But though this is our opinion, we believe it cannot but interest 

 our readers to have an occasional chapter on the various improved breeds, accompanied 

 with engravings of such as are considered the best specimens of their respective kind. 



The cut on the following page represents three beautiful specimens of South Down 

 sheep, and affords a good illustration of what man can accomplish by judicious manage- 

 ment and long continued attention in moulding the plastic elements of animal nature 

 into a form more agreeable to his object, and to the artificial requirements of society. 

 It may be owing to the fact that we have had more to do with this breed than any 

 other breed of mutton sheep, that we hold it in such high estimation ; thinking that for 

 this climate, and in situations where fine, high flavored' mutton meets with that appre- 

 ciation which it undoubtedly deserves, the South Down is, of all the various breeds of 

 sheep, the best. We are aware that it is not so large as the Lincoln, Cotswold, Leicester, 

 &c., &c., and that it will not, in all probability, increase so rapidly, and lay on as much 

 fat for a given amount of food, as these large breeds ; yet the mutton is so decidedly 

 superior, the wool is shorter, more compact, and heavier, enabling the sheep to stand 

 cold and wet weather, and an occasional scarcity of food, that for this climate, at least, 

 they are preferable to the large breeds, which require rich alluvial meadows, and an 

 abundant supply of food without having to walk much in search of it. In such situa- 

 tions, and where long wool and tallow, rather than superior mutton, is in demand, the 

 Cotswold and Leicester are doubtless the best breeds for the farmer to keep. Again, 

 where fine wool is required, and mutton and tallow is of little value, the Spanish and 

 French Merinos will be found the most profitable. ' 



