The Crossing and Improving of Seep.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1424, 15 June 1899, Page 4

The Crossing and Improving of Seep.

What the Southdown did cm4he shortwools (said Mr W. J. Malden in a recent lecture) the new Leicester did on the long wools. All the long wool breeds which survive to-day were influenced by the new Leicester, although the' breeds have genrally kept a straight line of breeding for a great number of years; The value of the long wool breeds to-day is to a considerable extent in accordance with the thoroughness with whicli; the original breeds were crossed with' Hie Leicester at the time that the improvement of the several breeds was first taken in hand. By the value of breeds, I do not confine myself to their profitableness in the particular district in which they were indigenous, but to the wider area over which their usefulnes was extended. As an instance, the Lincoln is now a sheep of_world-wide repute, while the Romney Marsh, which as a sheep of the low-lying land was closely allied, has not secured the same popularity nor does it realise such high prices. The Leicester was used on it, but only to a limited extent, a strong prejudice being shown against the introduction of outside blood in the first instance, and the period of its adoption was also limited. This does not necessarily imply the Romney men were altogether wrong, for they were dealing with it as its local value was affected, not foreseeing what great possibilities there would be of evportation in the future.

its a matter of fact almost all the more important breeds are crossbreeds, having been crossed within the present century. When we say we have improved a breed, what do we mean? We mean that we have developed features that it was desirable to bring into prominence, and have submerged those which are indicative of slow maturity and profitlessness. We must not think because for a few generations objectionable features have been suppressed that they have been eradicated, for that is very erroneous. If we take those breeds which in their unimproved state were horned, or were bi'echy or hairy, we find that neglect to mate them with due care tends to bring out their horns and to cause mere hair to come. If those sheep were returned to the conditions under which they existed before the hand of the breed-maker was put on them, they would fast degenerate towards the old unimproved animal, with its many objectionable features. The breeder has, in fact, to wage perpetual war against this endeavour to revert. By long continued breeding on systematic lines he prevents sudden change for the worse; in fact, he finds the advantage of a lengthy nedigree —in other words, breeding on the same lines—like does not produce like! Without pedigree he gets cross-breeding, or if carried far mongrel breeding. NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION. DUNEDIN, Wednesday. The annual meeting of the National Dairy Association was held to-day, when Messrs Angus, Milne and Stevenson, the retiring committee, were re-elected. Messrs Sprat, Angus and Stevenson were appointed a sub-committee to deal with shipping and other matters.