PROFIT ON FIFTY SHEEP. 215 



Pifty lambs that are ready for market from the middle of April 

 to the first of June, and will average sixty pounds, will bring 

 in Boston market, according to last spring's prices, an aver- 

 age of f 9 per head, or $450 00 



Deduct from this $1 per head for transportation, and commis- 

 sions for butchering and selling, and you have the sum of $8 



per head, or 400 00 



Total value of sheep and lambs 650 00 



Total cost, including every thing 425 00 



Leaving for your care of fifty ewes and lambs, besides the ma- 

 nure, which is very valuable 225 00 



I have in this statement allowed for extra feed for the 

 ewes one dollar per head. I believe that this amount is not 

 enough, if we compare the manner in which many of our 

 farmers feed their ewes which are to lamb in April and May, 

 with the feed that should be given to the ewes that raise the 

 early lambs ; but, treating the two lots as they should be, I 

 think the amount not too much for the extra feed. 



The above figures are based upon the fact that the lambs 

 are dropped in December, January, and before the middle 

 of February, and that some of the lambs are ready for mar- 

 ket on " Easter " week, and perhaps some are ordered in the 

 month of March. I received for a lamb last March, that 

 dressed only twenty-three pounds in Boston, and was not as 

 fat as lambs should be, ten dollars; and I know of other 

 parties that received sixteen dollars for some fine lambs in 

 the same month ; yet the market for early lambs begins 

 about " Easter " week ; and fortunate is the farmer who has 

 so managed, that a portion of his lambs are ready to ship 

 at that time. I am informed by those butchers who handle 

 the early lambs in Boston market, that the prices have not 

 changed very much from one year to another for the past 

 fi v r e years ; that the consumers of this luxury are abundantly 

 able, willing, and expect to pay for it. 



I will now state briefly the manner in which our early 

 lambs have been marketed. I think I am right in stating 

 that a very large proportion of the early lambs raised and 

 fattened in this vicinity, and in fact all that have gone to the 

 Boston market, have been slaughtered and sold on commis- 

 sion. This has- seemed a necessity, for the reason that the 

 butchers would not purchase the lambs on foot, the market 

 not yet being fully established, and they cannot with any 



