158 THE SHEEP. 



the weight of the animals, and in the hope of maintaining 

 the fineness of the wool. The experiments failed, as might 

 have been anticipated, with respect to the preservation of 

 the quality of the wool, but succeeded in increasing the size 

 of the progeny. But the system of crossing, which excited 

 the greatest attention, and from which the most favourable 

 results were anticipated, was with the Spanish Merino, soon 

 after the introduction of that celebrated breed into England. 

 Strenuous exertions were used by individuals and public 

 associations to introduce the Spanish blood, and sanguine 

 calculations were made of the benefits likely to result to the 

 woollen manufactures of the country. Time and experience 

 have proved the fallacy of all these hopes, and left to agri- 

 culturists an instructive lesson on the principles of breeding. 

 The first crosses promised well ; but, in breeding from the 

 mixed progeny, it was found that, while the wool had become 

 inferior to that of the Spanish stock, the hardy qualities, the 

 goodness of form, and the aptitute to fatten, of the English 

 breed, were impaired. The crosses became remarkably di- 

 minutive ; and the whole labour of the experiments was found 

 to have been thrown away. It was assumed that the Spanish 

 Merino and the English Ryeland were the same race. A 

 better knowledge of either would have shown that the two 

 races were remarkably distinct in their characters ; and that, 

 if any of the English breeds were suited to this kind of 

 crossing, it was the Dorset and Pink-nosed Somerset, and 

 not the diminutive Ryeland. This species of crossing has 

 been long in disuse, but numbers of the flocks in Hereford- 

 shire and the adjoining counties still exhibit traces of the 

 Spanish mixture. 



Some breeders endeavoured to improve the native race by 

 selection of individuals and superior feeding. The breed, 

 however, was naturally diminutive, and numerous genera- 

 tions of Sheep must have passed away before this radical 

 character of the race could have been changed. The system, 

 therefore, was resorted to, of effecting the end by crossing 



