the cause. Although their influence upon the method of breeding reaches far, yet nowhere has it been more effectual and intense than among the Negretti flocks of Mechlenburg to whom it gave such a conformity as is seldom found in different flocks, even if they are descendants from the same blood.

This tendency of the KUNITZ school (as I will briefly name them, and whose doctrines I cordially approve,) kept aloof that one-sidedness which, in respect to the one or the other point, has proved so injurious to the breeding of Merino sheep. An animal is deemed excellent only, if the valuable properties of its body is harmoniously combined with those of its wool. The best and most faultless wool, even in satisfactory quantity, does not make a sheep a desirable animal for breeding, if the proportions of the body are not also normal, if the stature is unsatisfactory. It would seem, and formerly this opinion was often defended, as if in breeding sheep chiefly for the purpose of producing wool, the structure of the body were a point of secondary importance. But then it was overlooked that an overgrowth of certain parts of the body is the greatest danger to which the breeding of any cultivated race is exposed, and which, like the sword of Damocles, is threatening the fate of all thoroughbred flocks. In breeding Merino sheep, it may be noticed first either in the formation of the wool or the shape of the body, but being caused by a disorder of the entire organism of the animal, both the body and the cover of the skin, by and by, will be affected by this process of decomposition. Therefore, if a breed shall be perpetuated, and not, like a splendid meteor, shine for a short time and then disappear from the horizon, the body as well as the Wool must receive the undivided and most careful attention of the breeder. The head of any animal expresscs most decidedly its entire character; to the attentive observer the head of the Merino sheep will show either power and energy, or inertness, disposition to overgrowth, or even overgrowth itself, in various degrees. A head completely covered, a broad, arched forehead, a short and slightly bent bridge of the nose, and an obtuse angle of the face, are valuable points. A short, thick ear, covered, like the lips, eyelids and bridge of the nose, with short, stubby, glossy hair, so that the thin, reddish skin at those places is not transparent; a distinct line of demarcation between the stubby hair of the face and the adjoining wool-field, and no gradual transition by an interspersion of locks of wool or down, are points essential to the formation of a vigorous, noble head, not liable to overgrowth. The portraits will give a better illustration of the gradations from a vigorous, noble head, down to a fully developed overgrowth of the same, than any lengthy description.

Attentive breeders have always acknowledged the merits resulting from a harmonious structure of the body of the animal for breeding; but a short, muscular neck, a broad breast, a deep chest, arched ribs, a broad back, forming nearly a straight line with the cross and the root of the tail, are points which never have been demanded so peremptorily as in breeding the modern Negretti sheep; strong upper arms (shoulders), broad shanks and full loins, strong shin-bones, and a perpendicular posture of the legs, were exacted with no less rigor; belly and extremities imperfectly covered were points considered of less importance.

But it is evident that these demands characterizing the breeding of Negrettis were as many barriers against the ever impending overgrowth and its pernicious consequences, and that thereby a firmer foundation was secured to the entire organism of the animals, than could have been established, if the animals selected for breeding had been judged with less rigor, in respect to the above points, and if, as it then is likely to happen, essential defects in the structure of the body are overlooked and forgotten on account of the superiority of the wool.

It has been asserted that that famous affliction causing the heaviest losses to the breeders of Merino sheep-vertigo-was not hereditary in the Negretti race, and never had prevailed among them, or was likely to ever make its appearance. This is an untenable assertion, for the posibility of the appearance of an evil, inherent to sheep generally, and even affecting the kindred goat,* cannot be denied, even in the case of Negretti sheep. If there is any truth in the rumor that now and then the vertigo makes its appearance amongst one of the most renowned Negretti flocks of France, it would be an evidence for the possibility of its appearance among any other Negretti flock. But if the breeder adheres to the principle of paying the greatest attention to power and a harmonious development of the body and not sacrificing the energy of the organism to the properties of the wool, there is evidently very little danger of an appearance of the above named disease; and, therefore, as long as the breeders continue to be faithful to themselves, the Mechlenburg Negrettis give security for their lasting good health, not by the race in itself, but by the principles according to which they are bred.

I have tried to furnish a general characteristic of the flocks of Mechlenburg and Pomerania, descended from Hoschtitz blood, and now I shall consider the question so often put, namely, whether these or similar flocks, which, in the one way or the other, arrived at the same result, might contribute appropriate material for remedying the defects of the Merinos in many regions of our country, and improving them. This question cannot be properly answered before we have described, at least by general delineations, the state of Merino breeding beyond the above named district, and determined what defects are prevalent in this branch of producing domestic animals.

In order to obtain a survey of the condition of sheep breeding in general, and of the breeding of Merino sheep in our Prussian fatherland in par

In the Margraviate of Brandenburg it often happens that goats are affected by vertigo. Quite recently I have received, from a reliable source, the confirmed report that a flock in Northern Germany, which was fully entitled to the name of "Negretti," was destroyed by vertigo.

ticular, I ventured a few years ago to propose to the agricultural societies of the monarchy a series of questions in respect to this subject, soliciting replies. It affords me great pleasure to find here an opportunity of gratefully acknowledging the friendly courtesy with which the societies complied with my request. From all parts of the country I received reports most of which were very thorough-going, and these communications, sixty-nine in number, spoke with so rare a candor and frankness of the state of the breeding of Merino sheep at that time, that, aided by my own extensive acquaintance with the subject in Prussia, I considered myself sufficiently well informed to gain a survey of the present condition of this branch of breeding animals in general and in toto. Although this survey may be pleasing and bright in general, and give flattering evidence of the extraordinary progress made by the sheep breeders of Prussia in multiplying and improving Merinos and mongrel-Merinos, in a comparatively short space of time, yet, on the other hand, it shows also how much there remains yet to be done, and that an application of proper remedies against the defects and disorders of Merino breeding is urged if it is to continue profitable, in accordance with the prices of landed estates, and the revenues derived from other branches of breeding domestic animals.

Those reports, fully confirming my own observations, show the following facts:

1. In those countries where the breeding of Merino sheep forms an important branch of agriculture-in Prussia, Posen, Pomerania, Brandenburg, Silesia and Saxonia-the vertigo prevails to a greater or less extent. The efforts made to subdue this disease hitherto have not been successful, and if a decrease of the evil is noticed here or there, its violence seems to increase in other localities. Pomerania is least afflicted with it, while the complaints of it are almost general in Silesia.

2. With the exception of Pomerania, where, under the influence of her own Negretti stock-flocks and of those adjoining Mechlenburg, Negretti blood preponderates, and exists partly in its pure form, partly predominates in a mixture with Escurial blood; this latter is predominant to a considerable degree in the eastern provinces. There we find the purest type of this race spread over a large territory, originating from the tendency in breeding formerly pursued in Saxonia, the partial aim of which has exerted a regulating influence upon the breeding of Merino sheep in most districts to the present day. In localities where, by intermixture or crossing, the development of intermediate forms (N.E.-E.N.-E.E.N., &c.), was furthered, satisfactory forms of body were obtained; but seldom was the stature sufficient to prevent overgrowth, in cases where the Electoral type

was conserved unchanged. There we hear most frequently complaints of the shortness of the wool, and in consequence thereof, of twisting.

3. In all localities where the breeding of the Electoral sheep in its purest race, or only in the first stages of its tendency to the Negretti type, meets with the greatest favor, the weight of the fleece is very deficient Under such circumstances the flocks of whole districts average no more than one and a half to two pounds per head, and there are many flocks falling even short of that. This unfavorable result cannot be counter-balanced by the price of wool, for even there, where wool is very scarce, its price, on an average, rarely exceeds 65 or 75 thaler (Prussian) per hundred weight, (112 lbs.), in any one year, while the meat-market, being seldom remunerative, precludes the means of increasing the fallen profits of Merino sheep breeding, by fattening; that in any country where the production of wool constitutes the chief end of Merino breeding, there are individual flocks affected, but to a limited extent or not at all, by the above-named evils, is a fact too well known to need further comment; but it is also known to be a matter of fact that not only isolated Electoral flocks, but larger breeding districts, especially in the province of Silesia, possess the properties of fineness and nobility of wool in so high a degree that the average price of this product exceeds by far that above stated. Yet among the large mass of the total production, these form but individual instances which do not essentially change the survey of Electoral breeding yet spread so far.

I believe, therefore, that the above characteristic will prove correct in general, and now we may consider the question whether the application of Negretti blood is to be considered as an appropriate remedy for removing the defects named of Escurial breeding.

To 1. As to the vertigo, I can repeat only what I have said on another occasion, ("On the breeding of animals, p. 62, &c."), namely, that inter-breeding and incestuous breeding, carried on consistently through many generations, develop the disposition to vertigo the more decidedly and the faster, the more one-sided the breeder keeps his eye only on the condition of the wool, and disregards debility in the entire organism and approaching over-growth of certain parts of the body. In the abovenamed work I have also mentioned that yet other circumstances may co-operate and accelerate an outbreak of the disease, but always a long continued inter-breeding is to be considered the chief cause of an occasional outbreak of the evil.*

Mr. ELENER VON GRONOW, at Kalinowitz, states the following fact, which is worthy of notice, and confirms my view. (Annals of Agriculture, 1860, p. 250):

"Ewe No. 480, born in 1823, presented, in connection with a very high degree of fineness, a weight of fleece of 3 pounds and 13 ounces, which was extraordinary at that time. In the