1907.] SHEEP BREEDING. 24I 



Breeders' Association. Following his address there will be a 

 discussion opened by Mr. Stadtmueller, President of the 

 Sheep Breeders' Association of Connecticut, and at the close 

 of this discussion there will be a business meeting of the Con- 

 necticut Sheep Breeders' Association, which will be held in the 

 hall of the convention. 



SHEEP BREEDING AS A FACTOR IN CONNECTICUT 



AGRICULTURE. 



By Mr. Frank D. Ward, President New York State 

 Sheep Breeders' Association, Batavia, N. Y. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: I was glad to 

 speak to you this morning on the subject of horse breeding, 

 and I am twice glad to come before you with a better message 

 at this time, — one on the industry of sheep breeding. I sin- 

 cerely believe that that is a key which will help to unlock the 

 way to success to many a farmer in this State of Connecticut. 

 One of the problems that is facing the farmer, not only in this 

 State, as I have seen it, but in my own State of New York, 

 and in some of the other eastern States, is how to secure help 

 to till the farms profitably. I want to say to you that if the 

 farms of Connecticut were covered with heads of livestock 

 that they are capable of carrying, and of supporting with 

 profit, the hired help problem would be solved right there. I 

 believe that the conditions in Connecticut are such as will 

 _ justify, not doubling, not quadrupling, but by increasing 

 twenty times over the number of sheep that are kept on the 

 farms of this State. You have hundreds and thousands of 

 acres, as I have seen the years past while traveling through 

 this State, that will pay a higher cash profit if stocked with 

 some of the improved varieties or breeds of sheep than you 

 can derive from those farms in any other way. Some sec- 

 tions of the country are particularly adapted to the growing of 

 grain. I say to you, in all sincerity, that you do not live in 

 such a section. You can never hope to succeed by continuing 

 the practice, or by depending to any great extent for a profit 

 on the growing of grain or cereals, or potatoes alone on any 

 Connecticut farm. I do not claim to be a prophet or the son 



Agr. — 16 



