But here again he over-fed two of his best sheep, under the inexorable rule of fat, which exercises such despotic sway over these annual competitions, and was obliged to kill them before the show.

It will suffice to show the loss he incurred by this costly homage to Tallow, to give his own words on the subject:--"I had refused 180 guineas for the hire of the two sheep for the season.

I also quite destroyed the usefulness of two other aged sheep by over- feeding them last year.

Neither of them propogated [sic] through the season, and I have had each of them killed in consequence, which has so completely tired me of overfeeding that I never intend exhibiting another aged ram, unless I greatly alter my mind, or can find out some method of feeding them which will not destroy the animals, and which I have hitherto failed to accomplish." The conclusion which he adopted, in view of these liabilities, may be useful to agriculturists in America as well as in England.

He says, "What I intend exhibiting in future will be shearlings only, as I believe they are not so easily injured by extra feeding as aged sheep, partly by being more active, and partly by having more time to put on their extra condition, by which their constitutions are not likely to be so much impaired." At nearly every subsequent national exhibition, Mr.Webb carried off the best prizes for Southdowns.