The Shepherds'* Guide. S3 



a greater degree of perfection than any man in 

 England, isof opinion, that when a person has at- 

 tained to such a degree of excellence in wool 

 and shape, in his mixed breed of the 4th or 5th 

 cross, as to equal or exceed the sire, it will not 

 only be perfectly safe, but in the latter case, it is 

 best to breed from such rams : and he quotes in 

 support of his opinion the practice of the present 

 breeders of horses, who prefer the English race 

 horse to the best Arabian,, from which he is 

 descended; because they find him possessed of 

 more beauty, strength and agility than his ances- 

 tors. 



But we know the influence of the dam to be 

 very considerable ; and in gen<:ral, it is allowed to 

 be such in the first cross, as to prevent the im- 

 provement of the wool to more than double the 

 value of her own ; and where this ceases, it is im- 

 possible to say. Dr. Parry himself, acknow- 

 ledges, that rams of the second and third crosses, 

 although their wool may be equally fine with that 

 of Merinos, are notto be reliedon : and if this is the 

 case, the same argument must surely apply to 

 the 4th and 5th crosses, though in a less degree. 

 However justifiable, therefore it may be, in breed- 

 ing in, and in, to make use of mixed rams of the 

 same grade, or of a superior grade to the ewes, 

 with a view to preserve the excellence already 

 required : yet unquestionably for the purpose of 

 ^meliorationj and forming a flock from the com- 



