24n nOART) 01-' AGHICTTLTttRK. 



iiiituit's own l)cs( j;irt, so ('((iwlucivc to Indiana's soil and (-liniate as ft 

 forago plant liluc iriass: siibstitutin.y as becomes necessary, a mixture 

 of other j^rasscs. fodder, plants and .urain food: believing in that way 

 the hijrliest possible ;rain can he made at the least ])ossible expense— 

 prineijial sirowtli and profit tidin {jrass. 



In this way tlie farmer is enabled to keep sheep from year to year, 

 ami liy selectin.i; tlie best for ]terpetuatiii^' the flock to the amount neces- 

 sary to maintain his keei) free from disease, as more liable to incur 

 throuf^h buying from pronnscuous markets, would he attain to the ideal 

 of both raisiim and feeding lambs to be disi)osed as muttons. 



.Mr. Harslibarger. Sr.: I do not wish to criticise Mr. Millei''s paper, 

 but 1 do wisli to criticise what one of the gentlemen Avho discussed the 

 fornun- pajx'r said. I have been ci-ossing for forty-five years. I imported 

 one of the Hi-st Canadian sheep that was brought into this country. I 

 crossed him on ewes that cost me $l.r>0. The ewe lambs sold for eight 

 dollars apiece. From that time on I crossed, always with thoroughbred 

 bucks. I say cross eveiw time, and ci-oss with better blood. 



Mr. Mills: 1 agree Avith you about crossing. I say cross, but cross 

 with pure blood rams every time. I agree with you on that point. What 

 I meant was that 1 never used the cross rams for breeding. 



Mr. Cotton: I think you are using the word "cross" improperly. If 

 I buy a graded Shi'o])shire flock and then buy a registered Shroiishire 

 buck and breed them, it is not a cross, it is a grading up; but if I cross that 

 buck on a Cotswold, that is a cross. I do not believe much in crossing, 

 but I do in grading ui». I have advised a number of farmers on this 

 (juestion. Many farmers have asked for advice in starting a flock. They 

 asked what to buy. 1 always advise them to buy pure-bred bucks. Then 

 1 advise them to save the ewe lambs. l)nt to get another pui'e-lired buck 

 of the same kind and breed up. 



If we use the term "bleeding up" we will express what we mean 

 much better than to use the term "cross." I have l)red hogs on the same 

 pliin. I invariably save the grade sows, and then pick out the best 

 breeders I can find. I would not think of keeping a sow that would not 

 bring eight oi- ten pigs. When you get a good ewe or a good sow, hold 

 to them until they fail. 



The discussion on "What can be done for the Bettei'ment of the 

 Sheep Interests in our State," was led by Mortimer Levering. 



Mr. Levering: We all want to know the rea.son why so ni.iny men 

 have gone into the sheep business and have dropped out. For the past 

 few years sheep have been menaced by a very great danger in the matter 

 of twisted stomach worms, but. like every other disease, a race or breed 

 of animals becomes immime, and 1 believe the sheep are becoming 



