subject; and for these reasons the system is regarded with decided disapprobation and repugnance by nine out of ten of the best practical farmers. The sheep-breeder can, however, avoid the effects of in-and-in breeding, and at the same time preserve the character of his flock, by seeking rams of the same breed, possessing, as nearly as possible, _the characteristics which he wishes to preserve in his own flock_. If this rule is neglected--if he draws indiscriminately from all the different varieties or families of a breed--some large, and some small--some long-woolled, and some short-woolled--some medium, and some superfine in quality--some tall, and some squatty--some crusted over with black gum, and some entirely free from it--breeding will become a mere matter of hap-hazard, and no certain or uniform results can be expected. So many varieties cannot be fused into one for a number of generations--as is evidenced by the want of uniformity in the Rambouillet flock, which was commenced by a promiscuous admixture of all the Spanish families; and it not merely happens, as between certain classes of Saxons, that particular families can never be successfully amalgamated. If, however, the breeder has reached no satisfactory standard--if his sheep are deficient in the requisites which he desires--he is still to adhere to the breed--_provided the desired requisites are characteristic of the breed he possesses_--and select better animals to improve his own inferior ones. If he has, for instance, an inferior flock of South-Downs, and wishes to obtain the qualities of the best Down dams, he should seek for the best rams of that breed. But if he wishes to obtain qualities _not characteristic of the breed he possesses_, he must cross with a breed which does possess them. If the possessor of South-Downs wishes to convert them into a fine-woolled sheep similar to the Merino, he should cross his flock steadily with Merino rams--constantly increasing the amount of Merino, and diminishing the amount of South-Down blood. To effect the same result, he would take the same course with the common sheep of the country, or with any other coarse race.