240 
On the Feeding of Stock. 
market than the latter, because some never try to breed again 
from the half-bred progeny, and others are dissatisfied with the 
results of their attempts to do so. 
Whatever be the estimation in which these black-faced sheep 
are held as a distinct breed, their merits for cross-breeding are 
more widely recognised ; from their largeness of frame, hardiness 
of constitution, and ease in parturition (no slight consideration 
if Cotsvvold or Lincoln rams are to be employed), the Downs of 
the east probably surpass those of the west for crossing with 
long-woolled rams ; whilst the ram possesses in a very high 
degree those good qualities in which the east Down ewes are 
inferior, so that there is good reason to expect that the weak 
points in the dam will not reappear in the offspring. 
At all events, the demand for black-faced ewes is steady and 
increasing ; the ewe-lambs in a good flock are worth from 8*. 
to IO5. a-piece more than the wethers, whilst, if pure Southdown 
lambs are seen in our fairs, the wethers probably have the 
preference. 
These observations may in some degree explain why farmers 
of intelligence in the eastern counties, hoping to attain early 
maturity and a good fleece by an infusion of new blood, cling to 
their old race as best adapted to a poor soil and bleak position. 
The question of the flock to be kept having been decided in 
favour of the local breed, the next point was to recognize its 
existing defects, and try to remove them. These defects were 
in the wool, which was occasionally brown or hairy ; in the chest 
and neck, which were narrow and thin ; and in length of leg. 
Hampshire and Wiltshire afforded kindred races well suited to 
aid in effecting these improvements, but it was not easy to gain 
a deep chest and thick neck without the attendant broad and 
heavy head of some flocks, or to introduce the compact symmetry 
of others without losing our length of frame and superiority in 
size. 
The able Paper on Cross-breeding, by Mr. Spooner, printed in 
No. xliv. of the Journal, is doubly interesting to those who have 
been for some years buying rams from different quarters with 
definite objects in view. Mr. Spooner writes : — " The most pro- 
bable supposition is that each parent gives to the offspring the 
shaj)e of one half of the body. Thus, the back, loins, general 
shape, skin, and size follow one parent; and the fore-quarters, 
head, vital and nervous system the other ; and we may go so far 
as to add, that the former in the great majority of cases go with 
the male parent, the latter with the female." 
On the other hand, the object of cross-breeding was in my 
case to retain tlie head and vital system of the dam, but to 
change the fore-quarters and modify the nervous system, so as to 
