338 



THE GENESEE FARmIiR. 



force, that when we have in breeding reached great 

 excellence, it is folly to risk the loss of such excel- 

 lence by means of crossing ; and the more so as the 

 defects of a parent may disappear in the first or 

 second, and reappear in the third or fourth genera- 

 tion ; "'■'breeding bacl^'''' as it is commonly termed. 



Again, it is nrged that great excellencies can only 

 be perpetuated by union with similar excellencies, 

 and beyond all this that there is a certain amount 

 of advantage from an unstained lineage — from the 

 very possession of breed, as it is designated. The 

 objectors to in-and-in breeding urge, that by so 

 doing we engender weakness of constitution, dimi- 

 nution of size, hereditary disease, and also a ten- 

 dency to barrenness ; but it is argued in reply to 

 such objections, that they occur from want of suf- 

 ficient care in weeding out defective animals, 

 whether as respects constitution or size. 



found in greater perfection in cattle than in sheep.' 

 The Devon and Hereford cattle have descende»i ; 

 through many generations in unbroken lines, and \ 

 owe the perfection which they have attained to 

 careful selection. The Short-horns, although con- 

 siderably more modern in their origin, and moulded 

 into their present foim by a series of successful 

 crosses, have yet been preserved pure with even 

 more rigorous care than the other breeds which we 

 have mentioned. The solid frame and great feeding 

 properties of the Herefords— the quality of beef and 

 richness of cream, as well as working properties 

 of the Devons, are Avell known and generally ap- 

 preciated ; and yet these qualities are insufiicient 

 to resist successfully the encroachments of the 

 Short- horns, whose early maturity and disposition 

 to lay on both flesh and flat, joined with fair milking 

 properties, are such that they outnumber both the 

 other breeds combined. 



History fails to supply us 



-^. with the oriL;in of our vnri- 



^~^ ens breeds of sheep ; but 



we doubt not that, for many 

 ~- centuries after the time of 



^ the Romans in this country', 



-_ certain distinct breeds were 



perpetuated, with little im- 

 provementand little change. 

 The progenitors of the pres- 

 ent Soiithdown or Sussex 

 breed, inferior as they were 

 to their descendants, ranged 

 probably, in the days of the 

 luanans, over the South 

 Down hill; whilst another 

 breed, now happily extinct, 

 occupied for the most part 

 the hills and downs ot Vv'ilt- 

 shire and Hampshire. A 

 large, bony, narrow, but ac- 

 tive sheep, with large heads, 

 Roman noses, and long curly 

 horns, high in the withers 

 and sharp in the spine, Imt 

 yet the largest short-wool- 

 led breed in existence, were 

 Examples of pure breeding are familiar to us in the denizens of these counties during the last cent- 

 ury. We annex a portrait of these sheep. 



In Wiltshire, although they remained as a pure 

 breed much longer than in Hampshire, yet, as far 

 as can be learnt, they were sup[)lanted by the South- 

 down, whose superior qualities displaced the old 

 Wiltshire altogether ; and we are not aware of any 

 instances in which they were crossed, except for 

 the purpose of crossing them out by using again and 

 again the Sussex ram. Mr. James Rawlenoe of 

 Bulbridge, near Wilton, whose large practical ex- 

 perience, both as sheep-breeder and land-agent, 

 stamps his authority with considerable weight, 

 observes in reply to the author's inquiry, "The last 

 flock of this breed (old Wiltshire) disappeared about 

 the year 1819, and the substitution of the South- 

 down commenced late in the last century. In many 

 cases Soutlidown ewes as well as rams were brought 

 out of Sussex to replace the horned flocks, but in 

 numerous instances the two breeds of sheep were 

 crossed, and by the continued use of the Southdown 

 ram the chief characteristics of the horned breed 

 were merged in the Downs. The cause of the very 



THE OLD WILTSHIRE SHEEP. 



the admired race-horse, the first-class short-horn, 

 find the Southdown sheep ; but, so far as purity of 

 breed alone is considered, the mountain sheep of 

 Wales, the Highland Scotch cattle, and the Shet- 

 land or Welch, are equally pure ; but whilst the 

 latter have been propagated without care or atten- 

 tion, the former have, by careful selection and 

 rigorous weeding, been considerably enhanced in 

 value. A striking example of long continued pure 

 breeding is afforded by the Leicester flock of Mr. 

 Valentine Barfokd, of Foscote near Towcester, 

 who has the pedigree of his slieep from the day of 

 Bakewell in 1783 to the , present time, and since 

 1810 he has bred entirely from liis own flock, sire 

 and dam, Avithout an interchange of male or female 

 from any other flock. He observes, " that his flock 

 being bred from the nearest affinities — commonly 

 called in-and-in breeding — has not experienced any 

 of the ill eftects ascribed to the practice." His 

 flock is remarkably healthy, and his rams success- 

 ful, but his sheep are small. 

 Examples of pure breeding are probably to be 



