Breeding In and In, 245 



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But I wish to rescue it from mistaken and groundless 

 objections, and to establish it as a most valuable house- 

 hold material ; as well as for general purposes required 

 in a woollen manufactory. 



Breeding in and in 



Mr. Dupont believes (as do others) that he can, for 

 any length of time, continue the race, in size and pu- 

 rity, by breeding in and hu As my experience, on the 

 scale with which I have been acquainted, both in my 

 own attempts to preserve the blood and breed of sheep, 

 and other domestic animals, as well as in the practice 

 I have observed in other farmers, has been otherwise ; 

 I requested him to continue crossing and bringing up 

 the blood in that way — as a branch — in combination 

 with his plan of breeding from the same family. But 

 he seems to prefer the latter exclusively ; though he is 

 now, from necessity, obliged to cross. I never enforce 

 for the sake of mere argument and persistence, any 

 opinion of mine. I am free to grant, that if selections 

 of breeders of the same race, are made from several 

 extensive flocks ; and the better if locality be distant (as 

 was done in collecting, ameliorating and continuing the 

 Rambouillet flock) much more certainty would exist. 

 Perhaps permanency in blood and qualities, as well as 

 size, would be ensured. The next best step, where the 

 flock is small and fixed to a spot, would be to kill off', 

 or sell to butchers, as I have often done, all inferior 

 sheep and lambs, (and a good mutton sheep is on this 

 account preferable) and keep none but the most promis- 

 ing for breeders. Probably selecting in a very large Jlock 



