New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-01-25

prove any breed VI sheep or any other snima but an
ibdscrimnate system Of breeding from all kinds and
ages the way to degenerate the best Breed ever pro-
duced nor 10 necessary for farmer who has num-
Der Of ordinary ewes and desires an improved breed
to sell them of and buy great expense the breed be
desires Let him obtain good ram Of the breed ne de-
sres 10 produce and him till his stock are ready 10
breed om then obtain another Of the same Breed and
Of as perfect form he find, fattening and kung
on bis old ewes and selecting none but tho best iorned
and obtaining good rams to serve them. lie VIII o
Few years have q breed Of sheep In which tho BEST
judges will not be aoe to detect the slightest trace Of
an inferior breed. Bot as 1t 10 necessary for the
painter or the sculptor who would depict form upon
canvas or carve 10 marble first to have that form
depicted and engraven upon bis mind. so that farmer
who would produce form In animals, must first have
we-deAned notion Of the form he wants. Having MS
pattern. by o continuous working to that model be
will find that which. but few years before was but
well-defned figure Of his Imagination. now assume the
reality Of flesh and bones. and become Q beautuui
animal
Although. the Romney Marsh sheep possesses no
longer that very uncouth form which formerly belonged
to them they are yet far from being weformed AMI
mails; still the Improvement that has been made In sae
confirmation has had its effect upon their early maturity
ard aptitude to fatten; while their hardihood mas
found for them admirers outside Of that narrow tract d
land. and they are now scattered in many parts Of
Bent and in some other counties. though We beIieve
they have not found their way into this country ana
probably never will as there are many breeds whioh
ere much more profitable than this.
The Teeswater breed Ia another which illustrates IN
, remarkable degree the improvement which may De
made by proper and careful attention to breeding.
This Is named from the Valley OF the Tees q
river which divides the counties Of Durham and YORK
II Is an exceedingly fertile tract Of land, and the breed
originated In tho valley from which 1t takes us nae
II is one OF the largest Glass; producing wool % long
and AZ strong and of as good luster the Lncolns
but formerly they we're Of very uncouth FORM Iney
had coarse heads large round launches, and large
..out limbs. they were slow in fatteping; for their
the best OF pastures with good supply OF nay
and rrain. wero required. Mr.. Marshal. describing
ram Of this breed says He had large frame, remark
ab,y loose his bone heavy his legs long and thick ter
minatiug in great splsy feet lis chine as well as LIS
rnmn sharp as Ratchet and bis skin rafting on his
ribs" These were all points unfavorabe to early ma
thrifty and an,ude TO fatten on small amount OF food
But like all the other longwooed breeds It's form nus
been greatly improved and there are mono winch en-"
boast Of better shape than the improved Teeswater
II natures eary fitens easily and on comparatively
small amount of food is one of the most profits breeders
Of the class most excellent nurse shears
fleece Of magnificent WOOL and Is one OF the most
profitable breeds farmer can possess.
The hampton and Southam Motifs were formerly both
i.sbapen animals having crooked limbs. hat sides
and thick hides. end atted very slowly. Thor form ba'
also bean rrss.lr iranravad and they arc oonsid
cred among the largest and bestormed sheep in thu
United Kingdom 1t Is recorded that wether at fou
year old weighed 70 pounds per quarter. aud the iv
weight Of another 40 pounds. They shear feec
which weighs from to 10 pounds Of WOOL unsurpassed
by any, and Is Of the bright haired kind some benl
almost equal TO mohai and well adapted for producing
limitations of Alpaca and the Angora. The Improve
ent In the breed of sheep commenced with the II
the improvement Of the machinery for the spinning
the WOOL and the Of its consumption. But th
in tho form Of the sheep and the increas
in the production in mutton and wool were not con
fined to England but extended N Ireland. Mr. Guile,
describes long wooded breeds Of Ireland at the clos
of the last century, as follows; II sorry to say tina
never saw such ugly, ill-formed sheep these. The
are supported by long, thick crooked and gray legs
their heads long and ugly with large tagging ears graz
tsces and eyes SUNK necks long and set on below tn
shoulders fat sides, with high narrow herring backs
breasts narrow and short hollow before and behind tn
shoulders hind quarters dropping and tail set low; II
short they are In almost every respect contrary to wha
apprehend well.formed sheep should be. But abou
this time some OF the improved Leicester rams vert
imported into this country and from their importation
we moy date the improvement Of these old breeds
new era in sheep husbandry, the farmers having be
fore them specimens Of wellformed animals began t
cross with them. and by paying proper attention t.
breeding the old, ugyformed breeds soon gave way e
wenformed sheep and ireland began 10 export sheer
and WOOL and sheep husbandry became one oftse most
profitable branches Of agriculture In ireland and onl
Of its greatest sources Of wealth."
Sometimes great evil is a Of much good. Sc
in England and Ireland while the land Is owned by the
srtocraey and the farmers ore not the but the
essees OF the land FOR which they have to pey enormous
rents should the farmers not be successful then the
landowner must have less rent Just In proportion as
agriculture successful or unsuccessful his income Is
large or small 1t becomes therefore his interest to DO
all that he can to improve agriculture. so that he Is
deeply interested In the improvement Of domestic ami
mails the best formed being the most profitable 70 the
farmer Hence the landlord purchases the best bred
male animals and allows his tenantry the benefit, know
ing that as they improve the breeds OF their animas
they increase the product Of their lands, and conse
queny their yearly velue. Bat in this country every
one owns bis own land and many do not care so long
the land yields them bare subsstence others would
improve their stock but 1t takes money to purchase
we'll formed pure bred animals and their farms are not
paid for so the improvement Of breeds Is confined TO
few. and they are not interested in improving their
nechbors except to the extent Of what they may re-
ceye for the sale Of their improved stock Through the
interest Of the landowner the Improvement In the
breeds Of sheep was rapid in Ireland and the Custom
House returns show that with the improvement Of
breeds there was On increased production Of mutton
and also Of wool.