74 BREEDING OF SHEEP. 



ty than if they had come from rams of the same breed 

 with their dams. 



Q. Can the melioration of a breed of sheep be 

 sooner procured at a greater expanse ? 



A. If rams of the best breed in France, or foreign 

 countries, could be procured, the expense would be 

 greater, but the improvement more rapid. The rams 

 having better qualities, than those, which might be 

 had at less expense, nearer home, will sooner perfect 

 the breed, with which they may be coupled. 



Q. Are the lambs, which come from ewes of an in- 

 ferior quality to the rams, always superior to their 

 dams ? 



A. They are not equally so : there is much differ- 

 ence in the degree of improvement, and this differ- 

 ence depends on the health of the rams, ewes, and 

 even on that of the lambs, on the quantity and quality 

 of their food, on the season, from being more or less 

 cold or rainy, and on other circumstances, which may 

 cause the lambs to degenerate, instead of improving ; 

 but the improvement does not fail, unless impeded 

 by unfortunate events. 



.Q. What is proper to be done, to continue the 

 improvement of a breed of sheep, from one genera- 

 tion to another ? 



A* Select the best ewes from the first generation, 

 and couple them with the ram, which has produced 

 them ; if a more perfect ram can be had, he ought to 

 be preferred. Conduct in the same manner with ev- 

 ery successive generation. The same ram should 

 not be used for more than two or three generations, 



