98 MASSACHUSli:TTS AGRICULTURE. 



Your committee have always been in favor of fine wools, 

 and are still : there is more money in them than in coarse 

 ones. "VVe know you can get more pounds of lamb from 

 larger, but not one-half as much wool ; for it takes a good 

 flock of Southdowns to shear three pounds and a half, while 

 a good flock of Merinos will clip eight. It costs as much to 

 keep six Southdowns as ten Merinos, and, as for Cotswolds 

 and other coarse breeds, they are, in our opinion, too tender 

 for our climate ; and we have tried it. Now, we think it is 

 just as easy to see that there is more profit in fine wools, 

 if we reckon all things, as it is to figure two times two are 

 four. 



Now, about selecting ramg for stock sheep. It may be of 

 some benefit to the breeder to have the experience of those 

 who have made it a study for je&rs ; and we do not mean to 

 say yet that we know it all or half. But never select a ram of 

 a good breeder, unless he is in good condition, for you cannot 

 improve him by any fair means ; that is, to feed him more 

 grain than he ought to have : the stock of such a sheep will 

 almost invariably be tender. But choose one short-legged, with 

 a round body, heavy breast with large folds about the neck, 

 not much wrinkled behind the fore-legs, wide tail, and well 

 woolled down the legs and in the face, and be sure to see that 

 the fleece runs evenly, with no falling off under the belly. 



We have shorn four pounds from the belly of a sheep, 

 while other sheep as good looking in every respect would 

 not shear six ounces. The fleece should be dense, with a 

 sufficient quantity of white oil, not yellow gum ; and we 

 should, avoid very greasy sheep, as they almost always lack a 

 strong constitution, which is very desirable in a stock sheep. 

 In the coarse and middle wools get a compact, heavy-breasted 

 sheep, with short legs, as long-legged sheep are almost always 

 tender. Select one in good condition : it is the best sign of 

 a good constitution. We would say to our farmers. Stick to 

 your sheep. There is a good time coming, when our flocks 

 will pay us the best of any stock we can keep, if they do not 

 do it now, which we believe they do. Improve your flocks 

 when you can do it as cheaply as you can now, and we shall 

 yet see the hillsides of old Berkshire covered with flocks as 

 of yore. 



J. H. GoODEiCH, Chairman. 



