APPENDIX, No. IV. 51 



Experiments have clearly proved, that the permanetit 

 qualities of any breed of flieep can only be afFefted by a 

 change in the parent flock * ; and that of courfe, if a new 

 breed be introduced into any country, it will infallibly be 

 foon debafed by intermixing with the native breed of the 

 country, unlefs an entire feclufion of them fliall be made at 

 the rutting feafon. At the rutting feafon, however, it is 

 well known, that no fences a farmer can rear are fuffici- 

 ent to keep them feparate. They therefore intermix and 

 degenerate, in fpite of every effort that can be made to 

 prevent it. Though it be not therefore a phyfical im- 

 poilibility, to keep a few fheep of a particular breed, for 

 any length of time, entirely free from degenerating, in a 

 country where other fheep abound, yet it has been ever 

 found to be morally imprafticable f . Nature, however, 

 has provided a fet of fences perfedlly capable of anfwer- 

 ing this purpofe, at 710 expence to the owner, along the 

 coafts of Scotland, by having fcattered there innumerable 

 iflands of various fizes, on which any particular breed of 

 fheep may be kept, without trouble or expence, entirely 

 feciuded from all others, if it be required ; fo that if ever 

 fo few of the parent Hock were originally obtained, they 

 can be there kept till they fhall increafe to any number 

 wanted, without a pofnbility of being debafed in the 



G 2 fmalleft 



* Obfervatlons on the means of exciting a fpirit of national induftry, 

 Let. vii. 



f The patriotic efforts of Mr. D'Aubenton in Francej fliew the utmoft 

 that man can do in this refpedl ; and his fuccefs in improving the wool of 

 France has been what might be expelled, under the management of a per- 

 fon infpired with fuch an ardent zeal for promoting national improvements, 

 as that gentleman pofTefles : But were his guardian arm withdrawn, and 

 an attempt made to fpread the improvements in general among the flieep 

 owners of tliat country,- it requires no fpirit of prophecy to foretel the 

 event. The fame may be faid of Mr. Le Blanc's experiments, mentioned 

 ^pp. No. I, 



