Live Stock. 93 



of certain breeders directing their whole attention to the 

 rearing of males, and letting them for the season, at such 

 prices as would amply indemnify the breeder for all the 

 care and expense he had bestowed upon them, a practice, 

 which had originally taken place in Lincolnshire, but had 

 never been carried to any great extent till adopted by Bake- 

 well. 



The art of improved breeding consists, in making a care- 

 ful selection of males and females, for the purpose of produ- 

 cing a stock, with fewer defects, and with more valuable pro- 

 perties than their parents ; by which their mutual perfec- 

 tions shall be preserved, and their mutual faults correct- 

 ed ( Io6 ). Its objects, therefore, are, to obviate defects, and 

 to acquire and to perpetuate desirable properties ; hence, 

 when a race of animals have possessed, in a great degree, 

 through several generations, the properties which it is our 

 object to obtain, and when any tendency to produce un- 

 wished-for properties has been extirpated, their progeny are 

 said to be well-bred, they possess what is technically called 

 "blood" and their stock may be confidently relied on ( I0? ). 



It was upon this principle of selection, that Bakewell 

 formed his celebrated stock of sheep, having spared no 

 pains or expense, in obtaining the choicest individuals, from 

 all the best kinds of long or combing woolled sheep, where- 

 ever they were to be met with ( Io8 ). Nor did he depend 

 upon such selection alone, for he also spared neither pains 

 nor expense in giving his stock every advantage that could 

 be derived from attention to their food, protection from 

 any thing that could annoy them, and shelter from the in- 

 clemency of the seasons. After a superior breed, however, 

 has been obtained, and perfected, by putting the best males 

 to the finest females, it is a point that has been much dispu- 

 ted, whether it is proper to raise stock, 1. From the same 

 family ; or, 2. From the same race, but of different families ; 

 or, 3. From races entirely different. 



1. Breeding from the same family. This method is called 

 breeding in-and-in, or putting animals of the nearest rela- 

 tionship together ( I09 ). Though this plan was for some time 

 in fashion, under the sanction of Bakewell's authority, yet 

 experience has now proved, that it cannot be successfully per- 

 severed in, and that beyond a certain point of perfection, 

 nature cannot be forced. It may indeed prove beneficial, if 

 not carried too far, in fixing any variety that may be thought 

 valuable ( ll ) ; but on the whole, it is so only in appearance. 

 Under this system, the young animal comes into the world, 



