360 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



ful, for a mistake at the start may multiply a hundredfold, and 

 mean disaster in the end. 



First, we must consider from the mutton and wool standpoint, 

 for are not the woolen mill and the butcher's block the final test? 



Second, we must take up breed type and the several other 

 things that together compose the important points in a foundation 

 flock. As my experience has been with Shropshires — both a mut- 

 ton and a wool breed — I will use them to illustrate my discussion, 

 though the same ideas will apply to any mutton and wool breed 

 except the breed type. 



First, the mutton form — for I think this the most important 

 at the present day. For a good mutton form, we must have a very 

 wide sprung rib; a straight spine (no drop behind the shoulders) ; 

 the shoulders smooth on top and wide in proportion to the rest of 

 the body ; the chest deep and full, denoting a strong constitution ; 

 the loin wide; the hips broad, carrying the width well back to the 

 tailhead, and dropping much from a line with spine; the leg-of- 

 mutton full and well-fleshed down to hocks; the neck short and 

 smoothly fitted to shoulder; also, the body should be well covered 

 with natural flesh all over, especially the back and loin. The face 

 should be short and broad, the legs short and straight, setting on 

 each corner. These latter points denote quality. 



To illustrate what I mean by the legs setting on each corner, 

 I will relate an illustration made by "Uncle Dick" Stone to a city 

 man who didn't know very much about sheep. (This happened at 

 the Missouri State Fair year before last.) Dick was showing this 

 city chap the proper way a sheep's legs should set on. Said he : 

 "See this imported lamb's legs set on each corner supporting a 

 good leg-of-mutton, while this here Missouri lamb's legs all come 

 out of the same hole and his owner has trained him to stand with 

 them apart until they have grown crooked." I think quality 

 might also be mentioned along with good mutton form, since it 

 plays so important a part, both in the market and the show-ring. 



To have what we call "lots of quality," a sheep must be very 

 compact, symmetrical, features refined, but not delicate, the bone 

 short and strong, but not out of proportion with the rest of the 

 body. I have noticed that, except in rare instances, our American - 

 bred sheep tend to have a finer bone each succeeding generation, 

 unless very close care is given to the feeding, (then it is noticeable 

 but not so clearly) , while the sheep coming from Great Britain have 

 a much stronger bone, in some instances inclining to coarseness, 

 but their offspring show the same tendency as the American bred. 



