THE CULTURE OF WOOL. 257 



for as we have seen iu a previous chapter, it is a natural 

 law that "like should produce like," and at the best we caii- 

 not gain anything more than the mere likeness of the original 

 animals we are breeding, and we shall do well if we gain 

 only this, and nothing more. 



This palpable fallacy is mischievous and misleading; and 

 tends, not to the advancement of any object in view, but the 

 distinct contrary. In all the instances which have been 

 given in the preceding pages, we have seen that every im- 

 proved breed has been made through the selection of the 

 best animals to be procured, and that the methods by which 

 these have been made superior to the common stock, even of 

 the same breed, has been by the most generous and skillful 

 culture. So that we may fully accept the fundamental law 

 laid down for use by all the scientific breeders and philo- 

 sophical students in this line, and make it the rule for the 

 management of our flocks for the purpose of getting the full 

 profit from them, that the feeding must be a special accom- 

 paniment to the breeding and an indispensable part of the 

 culture of improved animals. 



Experience all through the history of the sheep goes to 

 show, that to sustain excellence in them the feeding must be 

 fully maintained. The English breeders from whom we 

 have procured our best animals have had a certain system 

 through which they gained the high position held by their 

 flocks, and if this is so, as cannot be gainsaid, we must fol- 

 low in their steps, if we would hold our own, not to say 

 make any advance on their high position. 



It is alleged that the English shepherds depend mostly on 

 the mutton for their profit, and that the wool is a mere inci- 

 dent in their business, and not any serious object of pursuit. 

 We must not be misled by this fallacy which is contradicted 

 by all the past history of English agriculture, and the main 

 part of it as is accepted by all concerned. For the sheep has 

 been, and still is, considered as the very basis of successful 

 agriculture in Great Britain, and indeed in every leading 

 agricultural nation of Europe. The very foundation of the 

 successful agriculture on the high priced lands of Europe 

 is the feeding of sheep, just a,s it was alleged to be in ancient 

 times. It is true the mutton is an important incident in 

 the shepherd's pursuit, but this is the growth of flesh. And it 



