120 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



secured by employing the cross-bred animals on both sides, than 

 by usinini: the first cross." He also gives a table of experiments 

 in feeding, showing that the Oxford Downs far surpassed the 

 Cotswolds, Leicesters, Hampshire Downs, and South Downs, in 

 the superior quality and higher price per pound of the mutton, 

 as compared with long-woolled sheep, and the superior weight 

 of wool and mutton as compared with the short-woolled. 



These principles of judicious cross-breeding are of immense 

 importance to us, applicable to cattle as well as sheep. Large 

 importations of splendid cattle, and sheep have been constantly 

 made by enterprising farmers and breeders, because it was 

 easier to buy, than to make such stock. But without unremit- 

 ting care in breeding, our stock will deteriorate, — or we shall 

 be obliged forever to have recourse to England to keep it good, 

 either of which courses would be discreditable to us. Skilful 

 cross-breeding also necessitates an improvement in the manage- 

 ment, as well as the breed, for it is a mistake to improve the 

 flock without changing the management, and an equal mistake 

 to improve the management without refining the breed ; both 

 should advance together, if profit be looked for. 



SUMMER TREATMENT. 



The management of coarse, or middle-woolled sheep, both in 

 summer and winter, differs somewhat from tliat of the fme- 

 woolled, and as for reasons before given, we regard the raising 

 of sheep for mutton and lamb, as of vastly more consequence 

 to the majority of the farmers of the Commonwealth, than 

 growing them solely for their wool, we shall in these remarks 

 refer mainly to the meat-producing sheep, such as every farmer 

 should own, in number according to his condition, from five to 

 fifty. Li such flocks, we gather from the returns, the ewes 

 usually drop their lambs before going to pasture, because they 

 are easier attended, can be better cared for, and the lambs are 

 much safer. As a Berkshire farmer says, he would ratlier see 

 his " lambs all safe in the yard, than to run round the pasture 

 and pick after the crows and foxes." 



With the majority of those whose principal sheep husbandry 

 consists of that most profitable branch of agric\iltural occupa- 

 tion, raising lambs for market ; the lambs having been dropj)cd 

 in February, March, and fore part of April, (of which we shall 



