foreign ram to raise the improved cross-bred animals for fatting
either as lambs or sheep. This plan is adopted by many breeders
of Leicester sheep, who thus employ South Down rams to improve
the quality of the mutton. One inconvenience attending this
plan, is the necessity of fatting the maiden ewes as well as the
wethers; they may however be disposed of as fat lambs, or the
practice of spaying might be adopted, so as to increase the
fatting disposition of the animal. Crossing, therefore, should
be adopted with the greatest caution and skill where the object
is to improve the breed of animals; it should never be practiced
carelessly or capriciously, but it may be advantageously pursued
with a view to raising superior and profitable animals for the
butcher."

In another paper on this subject, after presenting many interesting
details regarding British breeds of sheep and the results of crossing,
Mr. Spooner says:

"We cannot do better, in concluding our paper, than gather up
and arrange in a collected form, the various points of our
subject, which appear to be of sufficient importance to be again
presented to the attention of our readers. We think, therefore,
we are justified in coming to the conclusions:

1st. That there is a direct pecuniary advantage in judicious
cross-breeding; that increased size, disposition to fatten, and
early maturity, are thereby induced.

2d. That while this may be caused for the most part, by the very
fact of crossing, yet it is principally due to the superior
influence of the male over the size and external appearance of
the offspring; so that it is desirable, for the purpose of the
butcher, that the male should be of a larger frame than the
female, and should excel in those peculiarities we are desirous
of reproducing. Let it be here however, repeated, as an
exceptional truth, that though as a rule the male parent
influences mostly the size and external form, and the female
parent the constitution, general health and vital powers, yet
that the opposite result sometimes takes place.

3d. Certain peculiarities may be imparted to a breed by a single
cross. Thus, the ponies of the New Forest exhibit
characteristics of blood, although it is many years since that a
thorough-bred horse was turned into the forest for the purpose.
So, likewise,