On Cross Breeding. 
307 
part of the county, and of late years have, in many instances, 
been crossed by the Hampshire ram. 
The Dorset horned sheep is, however, a much superior animal 
to the old Wiltshire and Hampshire. Shorter on the legs, with 
a more compact frame and a rounder barrel, this sheep, besides 
its peculiar value for the production of early lamb and its 
remarkable prolific qualities, is by no means to be despised 
for its feeding properties. It is not unusual for these sheep 
— as well as the kindred though somewhat larger Somer- 
setshire — to be brought into the market in March and April 
together with their lambs and sometimes pairs of lambs, 
all fit for the butcher at the same time. The Dorsetshire 
and Somersetshire sheep are raised on tolerably good land, 
where they have been preserved pure and improved by selec- 
tion.* It is usual, however, to put the ewes that are intended to 
be sold to the Southdown ram, which improves the quality and 
fatting predisposition of the lamb, and the ewes are usually sold 
at the Plampshire October fairs, by which time they are very 
forward in lamb. The buyers of the ewes, although the usual 
custom is to sell oflF the ewe and lamb the following spring, 
sometimes keep a portion of the ewes another year, putting them 
again to a black-faced ram. It is remarkable that these ewes 
are not only exceedingly prolific and rarely have any mishap 
in yeaning their lambs, but will carry on all the functions of 
maternity whilst almost fat themselves. In South Hampshire, 
which is celebrated for the excellent quality of its early lamb, 
this system is carried out to perfection, particularly with the 
Somersetshire ewe. The drawback to this breed of sheep, as 
compared with the Hampshire and Southdown, is the longer 
period required for their maturity, the richer food required, and 
the somewhat inferior character both of the mutton and the wool. 
To return, however, to our proper subject, we may observe 
that various attempts were made some years since to introduce 
the merino blood, with the idea that great benefit would be 
derived from the increased quantity and the superior fineness of 
the wool ; and undoubtedly, if the carcase of the Southdown and 
the wool of the merino could be united in the same animal, 
the acme of sheep-breeding would be attained. It was found, 
however, that the quality of the wool was not a sufficient recom- 
pense for the want of early maturity and feeding properties ; and 
at length, after many trials, the merinos disappeared by the con- 
tinued use of other rams. It is very possible, however, that they 
* The Doi-setshire flocks have of late years been crossed and improved by the 
larger Somersets, so that pure flocks of the former are now rare, and the distinc- 
tion of the two breeds by the colour of the nose has almost disappeared. 
X 2 
