ssing
"Hampshire and in some instances Southdown ewes with Cotswold rams:" now
the Hampshire ram was itself produced by repeated crosses between the
native {96} Hampshire sheep and Southdowns; and the long-woolled Cotswold
were improved by crosses with the Leicester, which latter again is believed
to have been a cross between several long-woolled sheep. Mr. Spooner, after
considering the various cases which have been carefully recorded, concludes
"that from a judicious pairing of cross-bred animals it is practicable to
establish a new breed." On the Continent the history of several crossed
races of cattle and of other animals has been well ascertained. To give one
instance: the King of Wurtemberg, after twenty-five years' careful
breeding, that is after six or seven generations, made a new breed of
cattle from a cross between a Dutch and Swiss breed, combined with other
breeds.[203] The Sebright bantam, which breeds as true as any other kind of
fowl, was formed about sixty years ago by a complicated cross.[204] Dark
Brahmas, which are believed by some fanciers to constitute a distinct
species, were undoubtedly formed[205] in the United States, within a recent
period, by a cross between Chittagongs and Cochins. With plants I believe
there is little doubt that some kinds of turnips, now extensively
cultivated, are crossed races; and the history of a variety of wheat which
was raised from two very distinct varieties, and which after six years'
culture presented an even sample, has been recorded on good authority.[206]

Until quite lately, cautious and experienced breeders, though not averse to
a single infusion of foreign blood, were almost universally convinced that
the attempt to establish a new race, intermediate between two widely
distinct races, was hopeless: "they clung with superstitious tenacity to
the doctrine of purity of blood, believing it to be the ark in which alone
true safety could be found."[207] Nor was this conviction unreasonable:
when two distinct races are crossed, the offspring of the first generation
are generally nearly uniform in character; but even this sometimes fails to
be the case, especially with crossed dogs and fowls, the young of which
from the first are sometimes much {97} diversified. As cross-bred animals
are generally of large size and vigorous, they have been raised in great
numbers for immediate consumption. But for breeding they are found to be
utterly useless; for though they may be