General View of the Agriculture of the Orkney Islands - John Shirreff

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1814 edition. Excerpt: ... pure Merino rams, when the progeny would be equal to the Merino in quality of fleece, and also in quantity in proportion to the surface of body; while the carcase, shape, and probably constitution, would be similar to that of the original native female race. The breed being then unmixed with any other, will continue to retain the qualities of skin, fleece, carcase, and constitution, it possessed at the fifth cross ever after. These will all indeed still improve by selection, as in any other breed of sheep. There would be an advantage in regard to frugality in importing a few females of the full blood, as well as males, to produce pure Merino males, for the purpose of perfecting the cross breed with the native Shetland ewes and their crosses. At the same time, by bringing pure Merino rams, annually or frequently from England, a greater choice would be had* and little consanguinity existing in the parents, theo stck would possess more energy of constitution. A race of sheep might thus be introduced into the Shetland islands, with the fleece of the Merino, and carcase and constitution of the native short-tailed sheep, whose fleeces, supposing them worth only 10s. each, would, even in the raw state, amount to more value than the whole present exports of the islands, salted fish, and every other article included. If a breeder should conceive it safer to stop at the first cross, still he will gain a mighty advantage, and much 'greater than those who have not attended to the effects of crossing with Merinos can well imagine. The wool of the produce of the first cross will be three times the value at least per pound of that of the Shetland dams; and, as the quantity is found to be as much increased as the quality is improved, the value of a...