430 Comparative Fattening Qualities of Sheep. 



The selection of the animals so as satisfactorily to meet the 

 points, as above described, was somewhat difficulty but the plan 

 adopted was as given below. 



With respect to the first lot of 16 of each breed to be killed at 

 home, the object was to draw those animals for this purpose which 

 had shown the two extremes as to rate of increase, as well as 

 some which seemed to have the average qualities of the breed to 

 which they belonged in this respect. Those taken were there- 

 fore — 



The 4 of largest increase ; 



The 4 of smallest increase ; and, 



The 8 which had given an increase nearest the average of the 

 40. 



The 16 to be sold alive comprised the 8 of the next largest 

 and the 8 of the next smallest increase to those of the two extreme 

 lots, just mentioned. 



And the 8 to be fed on till Christmas* were the 4 of the next 

 larger and the 4 of the next smaller increase to those allotted as 

 last described, so that these sheep were intermediate in point of 

 rate of increase between the 16 to be sold alive and the 8 of 

 medium increase to be killed at home. 



The following summary will show to what extent this method 

 of selection gave a fair average of quality in each lot as to increase, 

 and produce of wool: — 



Table XI. 





Increase 

 per Head 

 including Wool. 



Wool 

 per Head 

 (Shorn March 27) 



Original Weight 

 JNovember 7. 



Final Weight 



May 8, 

 without Wool. 





Hants. 



Sussex. 



Hants. 



Sussex- 



Hants. 



Sussex. 



Hants. 



Sussex. 



Mean of the 16 killed at") 



lbs. 



71-5 



lbs. 



52-8 



lbs. oz. 



5 15i 



lbs, oz. 



5 10 



lbs. 

 113-3 



lbs. 

 88-5 



lbs. 

 178 9 



lbs. 

 136-2 



Mean of the 1 6 sold alive 



68-1 



52-5 



6 8 



5 10 



113-2 



89-S 



174*2 



137-0 



Mean of the 8 to be fed \ 

 ■ till Christmas . . . ]" 



68-5 



53-0 



6 6 



5 10 



114-2 



83-2 



176-4 



130-6 



Mean of the 40 Hants \ 

 and Sussex .... J 



69'5 



52-7 



6 4 



5 10 



113-4 



88-0 



176-5 



135-4 



It would be difficult to devise a method of selection which 

 should give, both within each lot, and between lot and lot of each 

 breed, the average qualities possessed by the whole ; but taking 



* At the time we are correcting for the press (October 1851) the trial in reference 

 to these animals is of course not yet completed, so that the results must be reserved 

 for some future occasion. 



