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of his Life were ones of considerable experimentation in the introduction of various 
lines of blood and types of animals into his herd for study. Numerous stories are 
told of Ins crosses, and visitors to Dishley saw about his stahles several breeds and 
crosses <»f sheep. Young says that in his 1785 visit he saw "ten different sorts of 
rains, none of the Dishley breed, tied up in separate stalls, and each had his food 
weighed out to him in order to try which sort of sheep has the greatest stomach." 
That about Bakewell which makes it appropriate to give him so much attention 
lies in the fact that he was a true experimenter in the breeding of animals. He 
comprehended some principles, although he gave no definitions. There was a method 
in his investigation. He learned experimentally that, within reasonable limits, like 
produces like. He sought alien blood as a means of introducing desirable improve- 
ment in his herd, and he bred in-and-in to retain valuable qualities, until he learned 
of its dangers. I know of no other breeder in history who has preserved for study 
parts of the anatomy of animals of his own breeding to serve as a guide in making 
future improvement. Surely Bakewell was a wonderful man! 
Most of the improved breeds of to-day have been developed through a combination 
of two practices, viz, selection and crossbreeding. In the various counties or districts 
of England and Scotland men early came to recognize certain types of farm animals 
as having a peculiar value and adaptability to those localities. As a knowledge of 
methods of improvement became known men took up the work, and selection and 
crossbreeding became responsible for much of the now existing breeds. 
Following after Bakewell's time, I now wish to direct attention to a number of 
interesting lines of experimental investigation, relating to some phase and method of 
animal breeding. There is not a great deal of such work available to the student, 
and even then but comparatively little consideration is given to the methods used. 
These experiments, however, do give us something of an insight into the methods 
used and teach us in a measure how, through the persistent use of methods based on 
principles, we very naturally expect to secure certain results. 
In 1783 Louis XVI of France purchased at Rambouillet, about 25 miles from 
Paris, an estate of considerable size. As the Spaniards were at this time leading 
producers of fine wool, it was feared that they would increase their factories and pro- 
hibit wool exportation and would thus injure the wool interests of France. Conse- 
quently the French sought to improve the wool situation for France, and Trudaine, 
a French minister, studied this problem from 1766 to 1776. On the purchase of 
Rambouillet the King began to stock it with choice animals and, at the suggestion 
of the superintendent of the estate and others high in authority, the King of Spain 
was asked for permission to allow the purchase of a flock of sheep from Spain for 
Rambouillet. This was granted, and on June 15, 1786, a flock was selected by 
Professor Gilbert about Segovia and shipped to France in charge of Spanish shep- 
herds. This consisted of 383 head, of which 334 were ew r es, and were selected among 
various races. In 1801 another importation was made, but the first flock was 
regarded as composed of the best sheep. 
That which principally interests us in this matter is that this movement inaugu- 
rated by France led to a systematic line of experimental breeding at Rambouillet, 
which has continued without intermission up to the present day. The purity of the 
flock has always been maintained, we are told, as the administration especially 
desired to preserve this quality. The fold was kept under the supervision of a direc- 
tor, and careful records have always been made of the development from year to 
year. It was sought to produce sheep of greater size than the Spanish stock, to 
secure a heavier fleece of finer staple. Vigor of constitution was also sought for. 
In order to follow up this work intelligently, records have been kept almost from 
the beginning. These involve measurements of body and fleece, weights of sheep 
and wool, general descriptions, and records of fecundity. A smooth-bodied type of 
merino was adopted and the matings were conducted toward a certain end. Along 
in the latter part of the first half of the nineteenth century the Government experi- 
mented somewhat in the use of English races to improve the form and mutton. 
This movement to produce a sheep more for mutton than wool, it is said, was proba- 
bly not satisfactory. In a discussion of the Rambouillet sheep, M. L. Bernardin, 
director of the national sheep farm of France, in 1881 writes:'* "The fold of Ram- 
bouillet can show by record and statistics that t lie managers have produced a type 
of sheep which they sought to produce from the start; that the race of slice]) has 
been kept pure for a century, and everyone applauds at sight the incomparable 
perfection attained at Rambouillet; that the modes of feeding, different regimen, 
methods of breeding, improvement by selection, care, and good management by 
shepherds have produced a sheep of early development for consumption, rapid 
"American Rambouillet Record, Vol. I, 1891, p 
