308 
On Cross Breeding. 
may hav e left behind them some improvement of the fleece, for it is 
equally difficult in breeding to get rid of a virtue and to wash out a 
stain. We have confined our examples of cross breeding pretty 
much to the breeds of our own locality, but it must not be for- 
gotten that other counties have also some noble specimens of ci'oss- 
bred sheep. Shropshire is celebrated for its breed of sheep, 
and under the new regulations they compete very successfully 
at our annual shows. At the Chester meeting they beat the 
Hampshire Down as old sheep, but in their turn were con- 
quered by the latter in the younger classes. They present them- 
selves to our notice in a more compact form ; though shorter, they 
are wider, broader on the back and deeper through the heart. 
This breed was first brought into national repute at the Shrews- 
bury meeting in 1845, when it was wisely held that it was no 
longer desirable to confine the honours of the Society to a few 
particular breeds. The new class "Shortwools not Southdowns," 
brought into competition with each other, the Hampshire, the 
Shropshire, and the West Country Down or Wiltshire; and thus, 
although the labours of the judges were rendered somewhat 
onerous, yet much good was effected, and the public have greatly 
appi'eciated and promoted the various breeds so brought into 
notice. 
The Shropshire originally sprang from a breed called the 
Morfe Common sheep, and owe most of their great and im- 
proved qualities to careful selection. We imagine they would 
make a very good cross with the Hampshire Down, and might 
somewhat improve the carcase of the latter, as well as the 
quantity and quality of wool in the flocks of those breeders who 
do not attach too much importance to the colour of the face. 
The Shropshire speckled-faced sheep is undoubtedly across-bred 
animal, and indeed affords a striking example of the perfection 
that can be derived by a judicious mixture of various breeds. At 
a late meeting of a Farmers' Club in this county, Mr. J. Meire 
observed, "It is not attempted to be denied that the Shropshire 
is a cross-bred sheep : the original breed was horned, and the first 
attempt at improvement was to get rid of these incumbrances, 
and there is little doubt that this was effected by a cross of the 
Southdown. This sheep was well adapted for the downs, but for 
the enclosures of Shropshire something more docile was required, 
consequently, recourse was had to the Leicester." This crossing 
and recrossing at length gave place to the practice of careful 
selection, and thus uniformity was sought for and attained, and 
the present superior breed was established. It is now held that 
no further cross is required. 
The New Oxfordshire sheep is a very valuable breed, ori- 
ginating from a cross between the improved Cotswold and 
