878 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [fee., 



Breeding of Sheep (Cambridge Univ., Dept. of Agric, Guide to 

 Expts., 1907). — The object of these preliminary experiments was to follow 

 out the inheritance of certain characters in sheep. The characters selected 

 were horns and face colour, since obvious characters, such as these, 

 are very much easier to follow than those of wool, carcase, or early 

 maturity. It appears that horns and face colour in sheep (Dorsets and 

 Suffolks were used) are inherited in accordance with Mendel's principles, 

 horns being dominant in males, recessive in females. In face colour 

 no dominance is shown, the two colours being mixed in the hybrids, 

 which, when bred together, give pure whites, pure blacks, and hybrids 

 again. The types produced are illustrated. These investigations are 

 being continued. 



Breeding of Sheep (Univ. Coll. of North Wales, Agric. Dept., 

 Bull. I. and II., 1906, and X., 1907).— Bull. I. refers to a breeding 

 experiment with Suffolk sheep, which, though introduced some years 

 ago, are not found in Wales in any great numbers. Professor Winter, 

 however, considers that they are among the best mutton sheep, and 

 observes that on the good land in the lowland districts of Wales 

 they would do well, though, under the system of farming adopted, they 

 cannot compete with native breeds on ordinary land in the low country. 

 In 1906 two lots of twelve Suffolk ewes each were bred with a South- 

 down and Border-Leicester ram respectively for the production of fat 

 lambs. The Border-Leicester ram was an uncertain stock-getter, and 

 the lambs were later than the others, which made the conditions 

 somewhat unequal. The Southdown-Suffolk cross lambs were con- 

 sidered superior on the whole, though the others were big and well 

 fleshed ; and Prof. Winter states that for those who still keep big 

 sheep, and who change their ewes annually, Suffolk ewes may prove 

 a good investment provided the land is sufficiently good. There is less 

 difficulty in disposing of Suffolk ewes when fat than is experienced with 

 many other breeds, as the Suffolk have so much lean flesh. 



The two other bulletins referred to contain reports of a series of 

 experiments which has been carried on from. 1900 to 1907 in the 

 breeding of cross-bred lambs from Welsh Mountain ewes. Rams of 

 eight different breeds have been tried at different times, but the only 

 rams that have been regularly used through the experiments are the 

 Wiltshire and the Southdown. In 1906 and 1907 Dorset Horned and 

 Welsh rams were used in addition. The Dorset Horned cross during 

 these two years gave good results. The pure Welsh lambs get fat 

 even on poor land, but they scarcely produce sufficient weight to 

 induce those who farm good land to breed them in preference to cross- 

 breds. 



Professor Winter observes that both the Wiltshire and the 

 Southdown make very satisfactory crosses with the Welsh ; the Wilt- 

 shire crosses have the appearance of being bigger than the Southdown, 

 but in these experiments the latter were in most years heavier when 

 weighed. The Southdowns are short-legged, almost invariably have 

 good backs and loins, and are not easily excelled for general quality. 

 The experience at the College farm has been that the Southdown 

 cross is less affected by seasons, and is more likely to get fat on 

 any class of land than the Wiltshire. Tables are given showing the 

 dates of sale and weights of the lambs for the years 1900-7. 



In 1905-6 three lots of two-year-old cross-bred mountain ewes were 



