92 WISCONSIN AGEICULTUEE. 



cribs in tlie yard, sheltered from tlie prevailing winds ; drive, 

 or rather call them 20 rods to water at noon, and let them travel 

 back at leisure, which in severe weather they do in double 

 quick time, 



Next you ask " how many in proportion to your flock do 

 you lose in the winter ?" I have not lost a Sheep during the 

 winter for 2 years past; but the winter of 1851-52 was a very 

 disastrous one, my flock having recently been driven from the 

 south. The experience of that winter I consider very cheap at 

 the cost price, though purchased at the expense of 4 or 5 Sheep 

 per week part of the time, out of a flock of less than 300 ; 

 which brings me to the last question in your list. 



" What difierence do you find between fine and coarse wooled 

 Sheep in this respect?" (i. e., wintering.) The winter in 

 question, three-fourths of those lost were fine wooled, though 

 not more than one-third ©f the flock were of that description ; 

 consequently, in proportion to the number kept, the mortality 

 of fine wooled Sheep was six times greater than of the coarse. I 

 had contemplated keeping an equal number of fine and coarse 

 Sheep, to test the profit of the different breeds for my own sat- 

 isfaction, but the experience before stated led me to discard the 

 idea of any further experiments upon fine wooled Sheep. I 

 was perfectly satisfied that they would not suit me, however 

 profitable they might be to others. The common coarse wooled 

 native Sheep I liked no better, excepting that they proved 

 hardier, being more easily wintered, and I consider better 

 nurses, but they travel too fast to be very profitable. 



The Down I find the most hardy Sheep, eating almost any- 

 thing, always fat, generally preferring to lay out in the storm 

 rather than take shelter ; very prolific, good nurses, wool medi- 

 um, mutton unrivalled, and in the percentage of loose tallow to 

 the weight of carcass superior to any other breed. 



The Shropshire variety or North Down I prefer to any others, 

 being rather coarser (not in fleece) but possessed of more muscle, 

 a heavier carcass and heavier fleece. The Cotswold will raise 

 more mutton and more wool, and at less cost, than any other 

 Sheep I am acquainted with. I have known in England a hun- 



