96 PRINCIPLES OF BREEDING. 



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selves freely of its benefits. Bakewell, the Messrs. 

 Colling, Mr. Mason, Mr. Bates and others, all prac- 

 ticed it. Mr. Bates' rule was, " breed in-and-in from a 

 bad stock and you cause ruin and devastation, they 

 must always be changing- to keep even moderately in 

 caste ; but if a good stock be selected, you may breed 

 in-and-in as much as you please.''* Bakewell origina- 

 ted his famous sheep by crossing from the best he could 

 gather from far or near ; but when he had obtained such 

 as suited him, he bred exclusively from within his own. 

 As in all breeding from crosses, it was needful to throw 

 out as weeds, a large proportion of the progeny, but by 

 rigidly doing so, and saving none to breed from but 

 such as became more and more firmly possessed of the 

 forms and qualities desired, the weeds gradually became 

 fewer, until at length he fully established the breed ; 

 and he continued it, and sustained its high reputation 

 during his life by in-breeding connected ivith proper 

 selections for coupling. After his death, others, not 

 possessing his tact and judgment in making selections, 

 were less fortunate, and in some hands the breed degen- 

 erated seriously, insomuch that it was humorously re- 

 marked, "there was nothing but a little tallow left." 

 In others it has been maintained by the same method. 



* Mr. Bates, although eminent as a breeder, was not infallible in 

 making his selections, and after long continued close breeding, he was 

 compelled to go out of his own herd to procure breeding animals. 



