170 SHEEP HUSBANORY IN THE SOUTH. 



ing, with such skill as it is ordinarily conducted, all know who have given 

 attention to the suhject ; and for these reasons the system is looked upon 

 with derided disapprobation and re2)ugnance, as among all kinds of domes- 

 tic animals, by nine out often of the best practical farmers of the Northern 

 States. 



How, then, shall the sheep-breeder avoid the effects of in-and-in breed- 

 ing, and at the same time preserve the character of his flock 1 He should 

 do so by seeking rams of the scafie breed, and possessing, as ncarh/ as pos- 

 tible, tlic. characteristics which he wishes to preserve in his own jloch. If the 

 latter rule is neglected — if he draws indiscriminately from all the different 

 families or varieties of a breed — some large and some small — some long 

 nnd some short-wooled — some medium and some superfine in quality — 

 Bome tall and some squabby — some crusted over with black gum, some 

 entirely free from it, &:c. &c. — breeding will become a mere hotch-potch, 

 and no certain or uniform results can be looked for. So many varieties 

 cannot be fused into one, for a number of generations ;* and it not unfre- 

 quently happens, as between the different classes of Saxons alluded to by 

 Mr. Spooner.t that certain families can never be successfully amalgamated. 



But suppose the breeder has reached no satisfactory standard — that his 

 sheep are deficient in the requisites he desires ] If the desired requisites 

 are characteristic of the breed he possesses, he is to adhere to the breed, and 

 select better animals to improve his own infeiior ones. If he has an infe- 

 rior flock of South-Downs, and wishes to obtain the qualities of the best 

 South Dams, he should seek for the best rams of that breed. lUit if he 

 wishes to obtain qualities ??o^ characteristic of the breed he pofsessis, he 

 must cross with a breed ivhich does possess tliem. If the possessor of South 

 Downs wishes to convert them into a fine-wooled sheep similar to the Me 

 rino, he should cross his flock steadily with Merino rams — constantly in- 

 creasing the amount of Merino and diminishing the amount of S'juth-Down 

 blood. To effect the same I'esult, he would take the same course with the 

 common sheep of the country, or any other coarse race. There are 

 those who, forgetful that some of the finest varieties now in existence, of 

 several kinds of domestic animals, are the result o£ crosses, bitterly inveigh 

 against the practice of crossing, under any and all circumrcances. As fre- 

 quently conducted, where objects incompatible with each other are sought 

 to be attained — '"as, fo.r example, an attempt to unite the fleece of a Merino 

 and the carcass of a Leicester, by crosses between those breeds — it is an 

 unqualified absurdity. But under the limitations already laid down, and 

 with the objects specified as legitimate ones, objection to crossing savors, 

 in my judgment, of prejudice the most profound, or quackery the most 

 unvarnished. Tiie cry, " buy full-bloods," with such men, generally means, 

 *' buy our full-bloods !" It is neither convenient, nor within the means of 

 every man wishing to start a flock of sheep, to start exclusively with full- 

 bloods. With a few full-bloods to breed rams from, and to begin a full- 

 blood flock, the Southern breeder will find it his best policy to purchase 

 the best common sheep of his country, and gradually grade them up with 

 Merino rams. In selecting the ewes, fair size, good shape, and a robust 

 constitution, are the main points — the little difference that exists between 

 the quality of the commoTi sheep's wool is of no consequence. For their 

 wool they are to look to the Merino; but good form and constitution ihey 

 can and ought to possess, so as not to entail deep-roottd and entirely un- 

 necessary evils on their progeny. 



* This orrnsions the want of uniromiity in the Rambouillet flock in France, which was hegun by • pr» 

 n'lRcuous nilmixture of all the !?piinish families. 



* U'oted in Letter X. 



