Karakul Sheep. 639 



dams, we have very encouraging results. To make this investigation 

 complete the flocks used should have been double the size, so that 

 half the ewes of each breed could liave been put to karakul rams, 

 and the other half to rams of their own breed, and all the lambs 

 dropped shoiild have been raised under the same conditions. It was, 

 however, impossible to obtain permission to do this, although it is still 

 hoped that now that sufficient first-cross lambs Jiave been obtained 

 from the foundation ewes, permission will be granted to mate these 

 ewes to rams of their own breed. These lambs should, on the same 

 veld, give some valuable information on the points required. 



All the weights given belo^' were taken in February, 1919, after 

 a diy spring and summer, and none of the sheep had had any 

 additional feeding. The weights refer to half-bred or first crosses 

 only, i.e. the progeny of foundation ewes put to pure-bred karakul 

 rams, except where otherwise stated. The foundation ewes, i.e. the 

 dams of the ( ross-breds, were all, at the time of weighing, ewes having 

 six or eight permanent incisors. The average weights were as follows : 



Foundation ewes — 



(1) Grade woolled Persians from merinos 841- ib. 



(2) Grade woolled Persians 86J lb. 



(3) I'ure-bred black-head Persians 74 lb. 



(4) Puie-bred Xnmaciuas 781b. 



Pure karahul and grade Iambs 4^-b^ months old — 

 Pure Karakuls. Woolled Persians. B. H. Persiaxs. Namaquas. 



Ewes. Wethers. Ewes. Wethers, Ewes. Wethers. Ewes. Wethers. 



.51 lb. .% lb. .58 lb. iV2h lb. .56;, lb. 57i lb. 63 lb. .56 lb. 



Average iveights at changing teeth — 



69 1b. 87', lb. No sheep. 78 1b. 64i lb. 64 1b. (U^ lb. 69 1b. 



Average loeights two permanent incisors — 

 98 lb. 108 lb. 89^ lb. None. 88| lb. None. 83 lb. None. 



It will be seen from the above weights tliat in eveiy^ case the 

 average weig^ht of the first-grade .sheep at two teeth up was greater 

 than that of their dams as fully grown sheej). 



No information as to the value of the adult fleece of the first 

 grade is at present available. As will be seen in Plate 21 even 

 the first-cross piogeny from the kempy black-head Persian have quite 

 decent coverings, and in the case of the other classes of grades this 

 covering is longer and of better texture. 



X. 



Trade in Karakul Skins. 



The following is taken from an earlier bulletin on karakul sheep 

 by Mr. Alex. Holm: "Much interesting information with regard 

 to the trade in. and value of, karakul skins is given in the report made 



