218 Method of obtaining immediate Fixity of Type 



Southdown, that is not pure to a pure ewe of any French race, 

 very little English character is impressed on the offspring, never 

 less than w^hen the ev/e is a pure merino. In this last case it 

 often happens that you can see no difference between lambs that 

 are Leicester merinos, Kent merinos, or Southdown merinos, and 

 another lamb of the same age which is pure merino. In com- 

 pensation, however, for this feeble influence of the English sire, 

 the lambs of such first crosses have no more difficulty than 

 French lambs in getting over the first summer. 



If on the contrary the same ewes are put to very pure rams of 

 the Southdown or New Kent breed, the English character is 

 more marked than in the former cases. These facts agree with 

 the principles we have just referred to. 



In both cases the offspring is reared ; for lambs in which the 

 English blood does not exceed one-half seem to be reared as 

 easily as pure French lambs. But then, since little improve- 

 ment is obtained, one is tempted to give a new dose of English 

 blood — to put the Anglo-French ewes to English rams — where- 

 upon the disasters described are sure to follow. These are 

 truths which should be generally known, for they are purchased 

 at a great cost of time and money. In fact, if one wishes to 

 procure a breed of sheep such as is now wanted, good for the 

 butcher, of early maturity, with power of laying on fat, above all 

 hardy and economical, one is daunted by the length of time 

 required for such an operation, if it is to be effected by gradually- 

 improving one of our native races through selection, food, and 

 management. One turns from such an undertaking to what 

 seems the easier road of crossing. For this purpose one looks 

 naturally to the English breed because they alone in the world 

 possess the qualities sought for. We cross therefore our French 

 ewes, suppose, with the English race earliest known in France, 

 the Leicesters, and obtain lambs showing little improvement. 

 Disappointed we turn to a fresh breed, the New Kents, of recog- 

 nised excellence. We obtain a degree of improvement more 

 perceptible yet insufficient. Discouraged by these trials in which 

 years have been wasted, tempted almost to despair, one hears of 

 another breed, the Southdowns, as a race hardier and smaller 

 than the other two and therefore apparently better suited to 

 French farming. One makes this last effort, which answers worse 

 than the others ; for if the Southdown rams exert an influence in 

 the cross as strong as that of the New Kents, and rather stronger 

 than that of the Leicesters, the effects are less advantageous inas- 

 much as these rams are inferior in shape and in wool. 



I must here remark, that in France we are in error respecting 

 the Southdown breed. These animals are smaller than the 

 Leicesters and New Kents, and therefore more easily satisfied. 

 They are at home upon short pastures, and thrive where other 



