Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-09-29
ORIGIN AND HISTORY.

" N''CiH al III oouiiltI, SIFlhS the history and characteristics of the Kentucky improved sheep, of which he is the originator
 ORIGIN AND HISTORY.
 The sheep which are called "common or na- tVe " ill the west are a hardy and pro ic va rlety, but they are deficient in size in thrift, and m fleece. Though their general diffusion shows ther adaptation to all the circumstances under which they ale placed, yet it Is we'll RI own that the tendency which all animals nave 10 adapt themselves to climate and sub siStance may be materially mo l.liel and con- t"Ie" oy Jullcious crosses, and that the i'm pfoNemeht made by these crosses becomes per mAnent, and thereby stamps distinct varieties "t the same class of animals. Chiefly by these three nituenccs, crosses, climate and suhss- tenfe, the BakcweI the Southdowu, the Saxo- ny, and other varieties were produceI and their distinctive features iu their respective localities are as Indehble as those of the present or native stocks. In the same manner no doubt. still new varieties may be produced, nor does there appear to be any nsuperlble ditiicultv in blend- , lIiS III the same animal any number of valuable quaiItIcS winch are not actually antayoulstic to each other. These principles extend even to points almost of fancy merely For example, some breeds are horueSS, while others have two. others three, and others still have four horns The syrian shepAerd delish in a breed whose tali' are So long and fat that pair of wheels are required on W hich to draw them over the pastures; but we prefer sheep with short tails, and we might breed variety which were as wholly destitute of them as dogs of some breeds are.
 Acting on these impressions, have perse- veun9Iy endeavored for about twenty wears. to 1 n "a al tba bo- I proIltlc quality of the native sheep-the size and thrift of the Bakewell or Cotswold, and the symmetry of form and delicacy of mutton of the Southdown, and also to combine in the same tleeces the weight and length of the Cots Woid, With the thickness and softness of the SaXony.
 In the beginning about thirty ewes were se- ected from flock of unimproved common sheep and were bred to very large and fine SaXony buck-the object being to give to the offspring more thickness to the fleece, more hneness to the fibre of the wool and more del lcacy to the mutton. This step was thought advisable before uniting the coarser and still more open heeces ot the large imported varie- | tles, and the effect was satisfactory. The eve \ lamoS oi thls cross were bred on the 1st of o. | tooer alter they We're one year old, to an i'm | ported Bakewel buck of large, full round car ! caSs, and heavy fleece of long wool-the otiect being to Increase, in the spring, the weight of the carcass, and the quantity of the wool The eve lambs of this latter cross were also in due tune bred to an imported Shutdown buck of < large size and high form--the object being to lniuse into the progeny that active, sprishtly and thrifty disposition, and highly favored and beautifully marbei mutton, for which the l Soutndown are so justly celebrated. This ob- Iect Was also successfully attained. The moth- CTS of this cross the delight of the epcure, while the value of the fleece was not diminish ed as much being gained in thickeuiny the ib- res ol the wool as was lost in their length.
 The next cross Was made by buck which possessed, Tn combinations, many of the good 1 qualities which 1t was desired to establish and perpetu"te Tn the flock. He was three ourths Cotswold and one-tourth Southdown-a large. active, hardy sheep, with d thick and heavy fleece, and hls progeny possessed the same qualities m an eminent degree. The two next crosses were made by full blood Cotswolds, and the next by very fine full blood Oxfordshre of remarkable softness and silkiness of fleece. These were all animals with short necks, round barrels, broad backs, and full briskets. They added to the flock still more weight of carcass 1 ana fleece, while the texture of the latter and | the delicate flavor of the former were not per ceptibly impaired.
 In the fail of 1853, part of the flock was bred to an imported Cotswold, directly descend ed from imported stock. Every one of these crosses or breeds is now percep,ible in the flock. blended, but yet manifest in the character and habits as we'll as in the carcass and in the fleece but in most of the older sheep some particular cross predominates in each individual as vet which is naturally to be expected from the re- centness of the improvement. In order to ob- llterae these discrepancies, and to produce more uniformity in the flock, the grown ewes were all bred in the fall of 1854 to five select bucks, of my own breeding The progeny, now two years old this spring, show reasona- ble accomplishment of the object, though there Is still more variation in their carcasses and tleeces, and some still show the motley faces of