The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1878-09-06
00l AGO Examiner
Which Breed.

"
dence that farmers are on the right
road TO self-cducation. We arc, there
fore, always pleased TO have our read
ers discuss all questions relating to
stock from their own practice. The
morppracticc, and the less theory, the
better The reason that agriculture
has made less progress In definitely
settling the best modes of practice, is
found in The fact, that although the
number of cxperimenters is larger
than IN any other business followed by
man, yet they lave had less confer
cnce and interchange of ideas with
each other than those in any other
important industry. There is large
amount of material out of which TO
elaborate sound conclusions. and TO
settle disputed points in practice, il
the facts were properly presented for
consideration, Our readers will thus
see that the most important Office ofa
live stock journal is TO become the
medium of communication between
experienced breeders, representing all
the various breeds of sheep and other
stock If we can aggregate and pre-
sent the experiences of breeders who
are experts in the management of
men may then make a sound applica-
tion of the facts. Our journal will
thus become the medium of vast
system of.eXperiments, confined 10 no
breeds, but representing, explaining.
and harmonizing the good qualities
of each and all breeds.
We have, therefore, been pleased at
all times when our readers have set
forth the good qualities Of the breeds
they keep, by giving the facts of per-
Torrance. 70 matter If some think,
and enthusiastically advocate. the
American Mcrino as the best and only
profitable sheep for this country,
showing on what they base this con-
clusion: or that Others eXalt and re-
hcarse the inimitablc qualities of the
Cotswold, Leicester, Lincoln,o or other
long-wool breed: or that another
thinks the gancy little Southdown
SURPRISES every other breed for quail
ity of flesh and profit; or that others
again, discard these, and eXtol the
virtues of the Shropshire Down,
Oxfordshire, or Hampshire Down.
The facts and figures showing what
it costs to make a pound of wool, or
pound of mutton, from each of
these breeds, is precisely what is
wanted. With the bottom facts be-
fore the reader, he can cipher out the
Case, and make his own application.
For ourself,w do not believe there
is any best breed of sheep, or best
breed Of cattle, or horses-or best
variety of wheat or potato-which
can be unorringly recommended for
all parts of our great country. Each
is best in its appropriate locality and
under It's appropriate management.
We think few general considera-
tions concerning the origin of breed
and its peculiar surroundings should
always precedc its adoption for any
locality or mode of feeding. The
error consists in adopting IA breed
from its general appearance, without
specially considering the system I'M
der which il has been produced.
If we examine the surroundings of
the Spanish Mcrino, and the treat
ment of those flocks from which the
American Merino is descended, we
shall find that they "were pasturcd
in winter ON the plains of Southern
Spain, and driven in the spring TO
the fresh, green heritage of the noun
tains of Northern Spain. They be-
gan their return early in October.
They Travelled each way. about 400
miles, and the journey occupied
about six weeks. They received
neither shelter nor artificial flood"
What would be thought of such
training as this applied to the mutton
breeds? The old and feeble of the
flock fell by the way; and, by the
law of the Survival of the ilttcst,"
they acquired capabilities of endur-
ing hnrdships TO Il remarkable degree.
From study of these peculiar
facts. we are prepared to expect the
Marine To find an agreeable hobfdf
on the high lands of NermOunt and
New England: and, as n result TO be
expected, when they are removed
from these high pasture lands To the
rich clover fields of Western New
York and Ohio, these Merinos in
creasa-in size and weight of wool.
They gradually change, become
heavier In body and fleece, and from
new typc--tlic American Merino.
But is certainly vcpy easy 20 see why
the Mcrino best suits the general
management of American farmers.
They seem u breed expressly created
for the situation-adapt themselves
To scanty fare and meagre attention
in nearly all the states, from the At
laniic to the Pacific-but also res
pond, with increased weight of car
ii,ss and wool, TO generous feeding
and intelligent care, wherever be-
slowed.
But the long woods, MS we now see
them, are an artificial crcation-a
work OF high Recommending our
admiration of tile breeders and feed
er's skill. Bakcwell--thatp hyslolog-
iral genus of the last generation,
who early discovered that animals
were plastic in the hands ofan intelli-
gent breeder and feeder-set himsclfto
work to remodel the old Leicester
sheep, to smooth down its rough
points, TO fill out its lank places, 10
spread and thicken the wool over the
blank places, to round out its form
into lines of grace and beauty. lie
modelled and moulded living forms
with the ease and art of an expert
sculptor lie had studicdthc laws OF
animal growth, and practiccd upon
synthetic, instead of analytic physi-
ology. lie commenced II new era in
stock fcedsng. His successors have
followed in his footsteps; and we
now find ready for our use several
splendid breeds oflong-woolod sheep,
But we see that the conditions UNI