258 STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTUKE. 



other some being modified in their characteristics by both parents, are an 

 improvement o" their dams, but not equal to the first, and the remainder par- 

 taking more still of the qualities of their dams or grand-dams, are scarcely any 

 improvement over their mothers : but, on the whole, you have maiJe an advance. 

 The majority of your lambs are superior to the old ones. 



Herein you have the fulfillment of the principle that "like produces like," 

 not in peculiar characteristics, perhaps, invariably, but in general results, in 

 the ever progressing onward toward the end aimed at, with an ever increasing 

 tendency toward that end. Your old ewes averaged five pounls; you have 

 done Avell if the lambs average six. No doubt many of you have done even bet- 

 ter than that. There are two or three more elements of success, quite as impor- 

 tant to be taken into the account as the foregoing. 



The first is that of selection. There is no one better test of a breeder's skill 

 than that of uniformity or family likeness, and there is no one thing upon 

 which this likeness depends so much as the selection of the male which he uses. 

 Here he can only depend on the skill which he has gained by observation and 

 experience. Even suppose he has been tried, the test amounts to but little in 

 his case, inasmuch as he has not been tried on his flock or herd. There he 

 must be guided by his knowledge of how the animal was bred quite as much as 

 by the characteristics of the animal himself. Of course there are certain points 

 which must be so j^rominent and strong that to lack any one of which would be 

 a serious objection. And the first and most prominent among these is the con- 

 stitution. The next is size, — not oversize, — but full medium, or a trifle over, a 

 general masculine appearance, even to a little coarseness is not objectionable ; 

 but the most foolish thing in the whole business in my opinion is for men to 

 seek after, and pay for, wliat we call fancy points to use on grade animals. 

 Neglecting the weightier matters of the law, they are fooled with this mint, 

 anice, and cummin business to their own hurt. You will understand me as 

 talking of grade sheep. One thing more, which I consider worse than useless 

 on a mutton and wool sheep is wrinkles. They are of no earthly use on such 

 sheep, and are right in the way. Now we come to selection by the weeding out 

 l^rocess. We are all aware of the improved appearance of fruit or grain by this 

 process, — no less of flocks and herds. It is an old and trite saying that there 

 is a "black sheep in every flock." If that is not the case in fact, it is never- 

 theless true that there is some in every flock that don't add to its credit; there- 

 fore weed them out with an unsparing hand, but please remember that it is not 

 the worst looking sheep that is always the poorest. There are some that will 

 not produce a good lamb under any circumstances ; sell her for mutton or to- 

 some breeder that is not so particular as you are and should be. If you shoitld 

 follow the foregoing rules for 20 or 25 years, my word for it, you will have the 

 satisfaction of hearing your neighbors tell you that you have really a fine look- 

 ing flock of sheep (a fact that you probably would never have found out), which 

 ought to be ample compensation for all your labor and care, provided you have 

 connected with your breeding the science of feeding, which we will now con- 

 sider under the following heads : 



Ilotv to Feed, when to Feed, luliat to Feed. — First, Hoiv to Feed. 



If feeding with your flock around you, do it deliberately and quietly. If it 

 be hay or straw be careful not to carry it over their backs, for in so doing you 

 will avoid getting dirt and chafl in their wool, and frightening thcni, let them 

 learn not to be afraid of you, cause them to know that you are their friend. I 



