Freeborn County Jerseys. 91 



in part to learn why many breeds have originated in 

 the British Islands and few in continental Europe. The 

 Lincoln County Fair gave the key. Here were many 

 of the choicest ewes and rams of the famous Lincoln- 

 shire breed of sheep. Here the rival breeders met in 

 friendly intercourse. The county is not so large but 

 that the brightest breeders may visit any flock in which 

 a ram has shown wonderful powers in upbuilding the 

 quality of the flock. The sires with large transmitting 

 power or "projecting efficiency" are thus found and 

 their blood is secured for use. The production of a 

 large number of sheep and the interest manifested by 

 sheep experts in Lincolnshire result in the education of 

 the breeders. The situation is such that not merely 

 the best individuals but those animals which prove to 

 get the best progeny are selected out of the very large 

 numbers brecl in the county. The fact that the people 

 live in farmsteads on the farms with lanes leading out 

 to the health-giving pastures, favors English stock, but 

 the same conditions prevail here as in England. That 

 the British farmer and farm laborer get close to the 

 animal's every want is also a large factor. Having 

 once made a success of pedigreed stock and having 

 long reaped rich rewards from selling breeding animals 

 to America and to other countries and supplying choice 

 animal products to their own markets, the British have 

 had a lasting and substantial paying basis for their 

 pride and interest. 



In continental Europe where animal breeding has 

 not progressed, breeding by counties or other definite 

 districts is rarely ever found. Too often the farm- 

 stead is in the village, with only a hoof-worn paddock 

 for the animals to exercise in. The small and irregu- 

 larly-shaped fields of each farmer are often scattered 

 here and there in different directions from the village. 

 Lanes to pastures are an impossibility ; the animals do 

 not have pastures in the summer time, and the farm- 

 ers have not taken such interest and pride in their ani- 

 mals, and consequently they have not come in contact 



