different Breeds of SJieep. 



213 



(Note by Mr. Puseij.) 



I cannot but think that this statement, from so high a practical 

 -authority as 3Ir. Druce, will forcibly attract the attention of 

 flockmasters. According to his estimate, founded chiefly on 

 experience, the results in money, supposing the lambs to be sold 

 as mutton at the year's end, would be as follows : — 





Fleece. 



Carcase. 



Single 





Entire 



' Flock. 





s. d. 



s. d. 

 3S 4 



49 



d. 



8 



£. 



248 



s. d. 

 6 8 





9 10 



32 7 



42 



5 



222 



12 9 



Pure South Downs 

 Hampshire Downs. 



6 Hi 

 9 0 



33 9 



40 

 45 



cJL 



204 

 263 



2 6 

 10 10 



3G 10 



10 





9 Hi 



41 2 



51 



H 



292 



18 0 



The difierence in favour of the cross-breds is certainly very 

 ^eat ; it arises, of course, from the superior quality, and there- 

 fore higher price per pound, of the mutton as compared with long- 

 Tvoolled sheep, and the superior weight of wool and of mutton 

 as compared with short-woolled sheep. Mr. Druce would be 

 the last man to say that his own experience should decide 

 farmers who keep flocks on a different kind of land, where the 

 figiu-es doubtless might come out very differently, or to recom- 

 mend the abandonment of any of our improved breeds — Leicester 

 or Cotswold long-wools, Sussex or Hampshire short-wools. The 

 question is, not w^hether we should give up any of these, but 

 whether we do not recjuire, in addition, a fifth or middle-wool 

 breed beside them. I believe that we do, for half-bred sheep of 

 the first cross are yearly brought more and more to market. But 

 the evident disadvantage of the system of using only a first cross 

 is this, that as you do not breed your own ewes, you must pur- 

 chase some every year ; while, as farmers never sell the best of 

 their young ewes, those who thus depend upon purchase cannot 

 keep up a superior breeding flock. The difficulty of establishing 

 a new breed, as is well known, consists in the tendency of the 

 cross for many generations to revert to one or other of the original 

 races. Still, many farmers have now for some years bred this 

 sheep, intermediate between the long-wool and the down, and 

 have thereby laid a foundation on which, if it be thought fit, 

 others may build. Some light, too, I hope has been thrown on 

 this interesting subject by a French breeder, whose experience 

 forms the subject of the following paper — Ph. P. 



