398 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



MAEKETING. 



In tying up the fleece care should be taken to keep it clean as possible, 

 keeping all dark or colored locks inside; do not draw the strings too tight, 

 but leave the fleece soft and fluffy. Pack the wool in a clean place and 

 keep it covered with cotton cloth, as the light will change its color. I 

 have seen farmers on the market in the warmest days of June, with their 

 wool covered with woolen blankets, absorbing what little oil there was in the 

 fleeces. When ready to sell your wool, I would advise those who produce a 

 choice article to invite the buyer to your place, where a price can be agreed 

 upon before moving the clip. Those who produce an inferior grade I would 

 advise to sell on the street where, amid the hurry and bustle, they will be 

 likely to get all it is worth, and perhaps more. 



There are many ups and downs in the business of sheep breeding and the 

 farmer who sells his flock whenever the business is depressed, or changes 

 every few years from coarse to fine or vice versa, or puts coarse rams at the 

 head of tine flocks in order to build up size of carcass, will not be likely to 

 be satisfied with the profits of sheep husbandry. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. : How heavy should a fleece be for profit? 



Mr. Tarbell: For fine wools it is not always the heaviest shearer that is 

 the best, and I would not advise trying to exceed an average of over 10 

 pounds. My flock last year averaged 10 pounds 13 ounces, but I would not 

 try to increase it. 



Mr. : Would you advise tying heavy fleeces in two parts? 



Mr. Tarbell: I think a choice fleece would sell on its merits no matter- 

 how large. 



Mr. : Does Mr. Tarbell think it costs more to keep a 150 pound 



Downs sheep than a 75 pound fine wool? I keep both and feed no grain and 

 can't see that it costs any more if as much, to raise a 125 to 150 pound Shrop- 

 shire, than a fine wool of 75 pounds. 



Mr. Tarbell: I tried coarse wools and think the Downs cost far more than 

 Merinos. Fifty Merinos cost me no more to keep than fifty Plymouth Kock 

 chickens. 



Mr. : Do you not think that soil affects the question? 



Mr. Tarbell: Upland is best for any stock. 



Mr. : Would you not cross coarse wool and fine wool sheep to raise 



lambs for market? 



Mr. Tarbell: Some farmers keep sheep to eat weeds and it makes no 

 difference what cross they are. I would not advise pure Merinos for every 

 one. 



Mr. : How would you increase the size of your sheep if not by 



crossing? 



Mr. Tarbell : I can keep pure Merinos up to an average of 100 pounds. 



Mr. Sherman: I was advised to put a thoroughbred ram into my flock of 

 common ewes. This I did twice and gained a finer and much heavier wool 

 but nearly ran my flock out. I lost nearly one-half of my lambs. They 

 were very small and lacking in vitality. Last summer we secured a pure 

 Cotsvvold ram for 20 ewes and got 24 lambs. There is no trouble with them 

 at all. They took care of themselves. This fall, November 1, they averaged. 



