26 



Management of Sheep. 



cross with a large sheep of inferior blood, as practice has shown 

 that the produce from a large inferior-looking sheep, selected 

 from a pure-bred flock, has been far better than those produced 

 from an apparently good sheep selected from a cross-bred flock. 

 In matching the animals I have found it desirable that the 

 female should possess the larger frame for supplying an increased 

 support to the improved progeny, particularly when the object is 

 to produce male animals : thus it is equally important to keep up 

 the strength of the ewes to afford this advantage, which can alone 

 be done by strict attention to that object, by mixing strong sheep 

 with those ewes that are not termed "ram-breeders," and the 

 well-formed sheep with the others, as the offspring invariably 

 partakes in the proportion of three-ffths after the male, again 

 showing the importance of procuring good males of pure descent : 

 hence the Leicesters will correct and assist what are termed the 

 larger breeds ; but in no instance have the larger males improved 

 the best Leicesters, and more particularly when the cross" has 

 been an extreme one, which is frequently shown in a twin produce, 

 as they often represent opposite qualities. Again, in reference to 

 the principle of breeding, although the Leicesters will improve the 

 larger breeds, we find that, when mixed with smaller breeds, the 

 produce require equal additional support to maintain the increased 

 size ; for instance, our mountain breeds may be enlarged by cross- 

 ing, but the progeny will not prosper on the hilly pastures of their 

 dams, and would be equally unprofitable on the pastures of their 

 sires, but succeed equally well on the intermediate situations, thus 

 clearly showing the importance of assisting nature, by suiting the 

 animal to the particular soil, situation, and climate, rather than 

 leaving it to climatize or adjust itself to the locality in which it is 

 placed. 



Such is the effect of soil and situation, that when animals have 

 been equally divided and kept apart for twelve months, upon op- 

 posite soils, they have scarcely resembled each other when placed 

 together again, beyond the family head. It is said by some 

 breeders that a good animal should approach the form of a soda- 

 water bottle but I prefer the upper and under lines to run 

 parallel with each other, and extend themselves to the very ex- 

 tremity of the animal's frame, but have no objection to the oval 

 sides. It is important that the sheep should display a degree of 

 grandeur in its movements, which can alone be accomplished by 

 a proper formation of the general frame : for instance, when the 

 " soda-water-bottle " form is adopted, the animal has a thin neck, 

 narrow hind quarters, wide sides, or hanging fore flanks, and 

 invariably stands upon short fore legs, consequently it walks with 

 difficulty, and carries its head in a low position; but, on the 

 other hand, when the chines or shoulders are well thrown into 



