SECRETAEY'S REPORT. 105 



tho property of producing iii the shortest tune, the largest 

 quantity of fat with tlie least consumption of food. 



That this was the main result at whicli his practice arrived 

 is evident, and his success corresponded with his skill and per- 

 severance ; not only did he regard the growth of wool as a 

 secondary object, but lie appears to have entertained the opinion 

 that the production of a large quantity of wool was inconsistent 

 with the property of yielding much fat, and this opinion would 

 necessarily conduct him to the choice of animals which pro- 

 duced a lighter fleece ; indeed he is reported to have said that 

 he didn't care whether his sheep bore any wool at all, or not. 



Of course as he was alone, and could not, and would not 

 improve his flock by crossing with others, he continued to 

 " breed in and in," as it is called, to an extent never before 

 practised, and the result was, that while he got very perfect 

 forms and very fine bone, he greatly reduced the value of the 

 wool and very seriously impaired the constitutions of his breed. 

 Although most, if not all of the Leicesters of this State are 

 from Canada, where they have been improved by crossing with 

 the Cotswold, Cheviot and other breeds, becoming hardier, 

 better woolled and more prolific, yet they have never proved 

 favorites with any large portion of our farmers. Our long, 

 cold winters, not less than our dry, scorching summers, when 

 it is often difficult to obtain the rich, green feed in which the 

 Leicester delights, and the general want of green food in the 

 winter, rob it of its early maturity and even of the ultimate 

 size which it attains in England. They are less hardy and 

 more subject to disease than most other breeds; they produce 

 fewer lambs, and these are more delicate and feeble, finding 

 but an indifferent supply of milk. 



Their mutton is too fat, and the fat and lean too little inter- 

 mixed to suit American tastes ; the fat lies mostly on the 

 outside with but comparatively little inside ; the South Downs? 

 whose meat commands a penny a pound more than the Leices- 

 ter in England, has heavy inside tallow. The London butchers 

 in exposing mutton, show the inside of the carcase of the Down 

 sheep, but hang the Leicesters with the back out. The desira- 

 ble characteristics of this breed are thus given by Mr. Youatt : 

 " The head should be hornless, long, small, tapering towards 

 the muzzle and projecting horizontally forward and jierfectly 



