& 10 
can always keep these objects in the front 
when breeding pedigree animals. 
The pedigree stockbreeder is a fastid- 
ious man, and in buying sires he will have 
to give away some points, and there is 
always a strong temptation to neglect 
that which is useful and essential, and to 
piace undue importance on the fads and 
fashions of the day. especially what is 
most taking in the showyard. It is not 
meant to throw cold water upon fashion ; 
on the other hand, one may say, be in the 
fashion as much as you can, and iry to 
take your part in leading it, but remem- 
ter that fashion changes even in the 
useful attributes of a sheep, therefore 
don’t be so much a slave to it as to 
sacrifice any of the essential qualities 
that in your better judgment may tend 
to the ultimate good and usefulness of 
the breed you have taken up. We all 
know how much fashion has changed in 
our animals, especially in character and 
general appearance, the last thirty or 
fifty years, Mr. Mansell mentions ‘‘bone” 
as an example in this respect. The fine 
pone which was the ideal of Bakewell was 
generally favored by the last generation 
of breeders of sheep and cattle as deno- 
nating lightness of offal, but fashion has 
gradually but surely changed in this 
respect. Bone is not named as an essen- 
tial, but still it has always been thought 
by practical men to be such an indication 
of the most practical and useful qualities 
that it has been in the past, and is at 
the present time viewed by a large pro- 
portion of breeders as of the utmost 
importance, the only difference being 
that the fine bone which was sought after 
in the past is now regarded as a fault. 
Mr. Mansell has no extreme views about 
bone, but likes to have plenty, and 
especially the right sort, but would not 
always discard an animal for breeding 
because of small bone. 
~ “T strongly believe, however,” he says, 
“that you must not breed so as to get fine 
bone all through your flock, or you will 
lose strength of constitution and lean 
flesh, and also strong bone is required to 
stand the forcing treatment of to-day. 
Breeder’s views in this respect, therefore, 
have been completely reversed, and this, 
in conjunction with many other examples 
that could be named, shows that every- 
thing that is not absolutely an essential, 
may be an open question.” 
Every inch of animal, from head to tail 
and from top to toe is an indication of its 
yalue, and it is those who, after closo 
inspection, and also at a distance, can 
read those signs most truly that are the 
best judges. Often quite small marks on 
animals are greatly prized, as showing a 
strain of blood going back forty or fifty 
years. 
In discussing the six objects to be kept 
in view by breeders, Mr Mansell began 
with ‘Constitution,’ because this is the 
foundation of everything. However per- 
fect in most respects an animal is, all is 
useless without a robust constitution. All 
$iat indicates a good constitution should 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
ee RS ESSE RT SEES AR EA A NEAR Bi ES ENA 
be sought after. Having this in view, 
capacity of chest is absolutely requisite. 
You must either have width or depth of 
chest, but to secure a robust and hardy 
animal you should have a combination of 
the two, with a deep shoulder, big girth, 
and good underline. You must have these 
points, so as to insure plenty of room for 
the heart and lungs and other internal 
organs. There are only to be added a 
wide loin, and a strong scrag in connect- 
ion with constitution. 
‘Form.’—The Leicester and other long- 
wools excel in their top form, but the 
shortwooi breeders, although aiming at 
the same perfection of top form, also re- 
quire more depth of carcase and underline. 
‘The ideal form must always vary to some 
extent in different breeds, because all 
have not the same standard of excellense, 
for this is governed by locality, climate, 
treatment, and the purpose for which they 
are principally bred, As an extreme ex- 
ample, obviously the wide-chested sheep 
that are forced to such early maturity in 
some districts would not be suitable to 
take the place of the deeper and narrower, 
but agile and hardy, sheep that are bred 
on the hills. The first thing to be con- 
sidered in regard to form is the legs. 
Have a leg at each corner, on aright, with 
the shoulders thrown back into the ribs ; 
if you can satisfy yourself so far as this, 
you have secured the foundation of a cor- 
rect form all through. Ifyou have the 
legs and shoulders as they should be, you 
can expect to see a straight spine, well- 
sprung ribs, with good chest, barrel, and 
underline, sufficent width behind, and a 
good carriage. There will always be 
differences of opinion in regard to form— 
for example, some are most decided that 
the neck cannot be too short ; others of 
which Mr Mansell is one, think that a 
moderately long neck is desirable, if it is 
strong enough. There is also a further 
difference of opinion in regard to the neck 
It is said that Jonas Webb was partial to 
the bottle neck, and no doubt he had good 
reasons. 
The flesh appeals to most of us very 
often, and all when they have their feet 
under the table think they aro excellent 
judges of mutton; butit is the business 
of the sheepbreeder to form his judgment . 
when the sheep is alive. With practice 
he will accomplish this with the hand, 
Speaking very briefly, the flesh must han- 
dle firm and springy, to denote quality 
and leanness; it must be laid over the 
framo in proper proportion, and here the 
form of the animal comes in again, for to 
have the flesh put on evenly you must 
have symmetry. ‘There should be good 
development where the joints are most 
valuable. The leg of mutton is especially 
important, as being the best joint, as well 
as denoting leanness of flesh all through 
the carcase. 
As regards wool, Mr Mansell, as a 
shortwool man, likes a dense, even flesce, 
which when opened shows a pink healthy 
skin, Such a fleece is always valuable, 
and also as good a sign as you can have of 
oroper 1, 19093 
4 
the right sort of flesh. The skin is valued 
as an indicator of the wool and the cat- 
case. 
The character is where the seeing oy? 
comes in, and judging this by points 8 
quite impossible. Character gives th? : 
pedigree, as it were, without seeing the” 
record, Its ims up the whole breeding” 
of the animal, as the same word does fol 
mankind, although with a long and good 
pedigree there are always plenty of flaws — 
As with mankind, however, a good pedi 
gree (by which is not meant an aristocra- 4 
tie one, buta worthy one of long main 
tenance) is by far the best guarantee of 
good character, so in animals you must 
not expect to have satisfactory characte! 
without there has been careful and correct | 
breeding maintained for a long time. 
In conclusion, Mr Mansell says : ‘Pel 
haps young breeders may think I hav? | 
made the difficulties of breeding appea | 
great; but don’t be disheartened. Th? 
greatest pleasure of farming is breeding, 
Besides, you may make the breeding % 
valuable pedigree animals a much simpler 
and safer undertaking if you aro not 10?” 
fond of experimenting on fresh lines’ 
Amber Cane Luberne | 
Essex Rape 
Globe and Long Red Mango 
And Paspalum Seed 
0000 
Bone Dust 
Bone Super Ammonia 
Ete. 
Sorghum 
Shell grit | Oyster spall 
Bone Meal and Chick Med; 
F. F. Clement, | 
SHEDSMAN : 
229 RUNDLE ST., Hast — 
Telephone 1360 ] 
ECONOMIC | 
P 
Dental Company 
LIMITED, 
74 Grenfell Street, Adelaidé 
Under the direct personal suporvisl | 
of our Surgeon, Mr T. Ambrose Mack”) 
who is duly qualified by registration. _ , | 
Every detail is overlooked by our SY) 
geon at each stage, with tho result the 
our patients are fully satisfied and ° 
practise grows. Per | 
We do not require to use Coca 
Gas, Ether, or Chloroform, for Extracti??. | 
however many, and they are quite painl®, 
Every branch of Dentistry is ut! 
taken by us. | 
Our fees are exceedingly moderate. 
S& 
