149 
growth to maturity, and showing a gain by average from 120 pounds for jams and 
75 to 80 pounds for ewes in 1800, to 200 to 250 pounds for rams and 120 to L50 pounds 
for ewea in 1880; that tin' weight of fleece of rams has increased from 10 pounds in 
1800 to 16 to 20 pounds in 1881), and ewes from 5.] pounds in L800 to 10 pounds in 1880, 
with length of staple increased from 2 inches in 1800 to 'A and .'!.] inches in 1880; that 
the fineness of fiber and crimp of the wool have reached the highest degree of per- 
fection, and that for length, strength, and elasticity it has no equal; that a density 
of hulk and fleece has been attained which does not exist in any other race of sheep; 
that the wethers and lambs are noted for their rapid and steady growth to maturity, 
their aptitude to fatten, and the excellent quality of mutton, and that other merinos 
are not of the same value and title as those of Rambouillet, either regarding the 
production or the qualities of wool and meat." 
This work at Rambouillet represents, in the main, the application of the principle 
of selection to secure a result desired by the experimenters. It is a good example of 
a persistent application of the motto of the Royal Agricultural Society to "Practice 
with science." Baron von Homeyer, of Pomerania, Prussia, took up this same breed 
and improved it by selection to develop a somewhat larger and still heavier-fleeced 
sheep than did the French. Von Homeyer was one thoroughly imbued with the 
scientific spirit, and on his great estate he kept very thorough records and bred with 
much intelligence. He gave much careful attention to the breeding of his sheep, and 
occupied the entire time of one of his employees in studying and working on pedi- 
grees. Certainly the Rambouillet represents a breed that has come to its present 
high development through a more systematic and longer continued and more care- 
ful investigation relating to the known principles of breeding than is the case with 
any of our other breeds of farm stock. Probably more connected records of obser- 
vation are available at the Rambouillet fold than could possibly be obtained else- 
where in the world. 
Still another investigation in breeding sheep in France is worthy our attention in 
view of the character of the problem worked on. This relates to the method adopted 
by Malingie-Nouel, director of the agricultural school at Charmois, in producing a 
new breed, as given by Mr. Pusey." 
With the falling off in the price of wool in France came a demand for less Merino 
blood and better mutton. The French stock consisted of pure breds and mongrels, 
the latter with more or less Merino blood. It was thought that if pure-bred English 
rams were bred to French ewes, including Merino mongrels, that good results from 
the mutton point would ensue. It was found that the lambs from this cross resem- 
bled the mother more than the father, though a few resembled both parents. When 
the ewes of the latter type were bred to English rams the offspring resembled the 
sire more than the dam, both in shape and features, with a fleece of English char- 
acter. No sooner are the lambs of this mating weaned, however, than they begin 
to fail in vitality and become inferior and stunted with the heat of the French sum- 
mer. They appear like unacclimated foreigners, lacking the vigor of the native French 
breeds. Experiments carried over several generations seemed to demonstrate that 
English breeds of sheep required the peculiar conditions of Great Britain to maintain 
their character. Leicester, New Kent, and Southdown rams were used in this experi- 
ment. It was found that the foreign influence was most marked in those crosses from 
English sires of greatest purity of race, as Southdown. 
Where a Leicester ram, a mixed New Kent, or impure Southdown was used on pure 
French ewes, very little English character was seen in the offspring. Very little 
difference in fact, it is said, oftentimes happens between lambs that are Leicester- 
Merino, Kent-Merino, or Southdown-Merino, and another lamb of the same age that 
is pure Merino. Such lambs, however, have no trouble with climatic conditions. 
If now, these same ewes w T ere bred to very pure Southdown or New-Kent rams, the 
English character became more marked in the offspring. Where the offspring from 
each of these crosses is raised, the lambs in which the English blood does not exceed 
one-half seem to be raised as easily as French lambs. When these same Anglo-French 
ewes, however, are bred to English rams, disaster follows. Years were spent in 
experimenting after this manner, in endeavoring to create a new breed that should 
have good mutton character and be adapted to French climatic conditions. Finally, 
a different method was adopted, which worked out successfully. Four classes of 
ewes of French breeding, representing the four races of Berry, Sologne, Touraine, 
and Merino were bred together to form one mixed type without decided character, 
without fixity, and with little intrinsic merit, excepting that they were well adapted 
to French climatic conditions. These mixed blood ewes were then bred to a pure New- 
Kent ram. Thus was obtained offspring containing 50 per cent of the purest and 
rtJour. Roy. Agr. Soc. England, 1853, pp. 214-224. 
