Young: Karakul Sheep Breeding 



A KARAKUL LAMB 



Figure 15. These are the sheep that produce the "Persian lamb" skins so greatly in demand 

 for fur. Persian sheep have no value as fur producers whatsoever, and the use of this term is 

 very misleading. The mistake probably is due to the fact that the trade routes from central 

 Asia to Europe formerly lay through Persia. The same mistake is made in calling Bokhara rugs 

 "Persian rugs"; they were not made in Persia, but simply came through Persia on their way to 

 the markets of Europe. (See text, p. 232.) 



properly selected, necessitating two 

 crosses to produce $10.00 skins. 



A matter of great importance is 

 the fact that where one raises half- 

 blood lambs for their pelts they have 

 to be killed during the first two or 

 three days, so it is possible to lamb 

 twice annually. This is done in the 

 Southwest and also in Colorado. The 

 author is not in a position to state 

 whether tw^o lambings would be possi- 

 ble in the middle and eastern states, 

 but sees no reason why it should not be. 



A LARGE-SCALE EXPERIMENT IN KARA- 

 KUL BREEDING 



Last year, it was almost impossible 

 to interest any one in sheep of any 

 kind, notwithstanding the fact that 

 Karakul skins were not affected in 

 the general depression and brought 



a higher price than ever before. 

 Nevertheless, the author was successful 

 in inducing the San Clemente Sheep 

 Company of California, to purchase 

 1,500 Navajo ewes, w^hich were crossed 

 with his best Karakul rams. Unfor- 

 tunately the selection of the Navajos 

 was not done with sufficient care, 

 and very few of the ewes possessed the 

 required coarse fleece, practically none 

 of them were free from the objection- 

 able fine under-wool. Most of the 

 lambs came true to color, and possessed 

 a surprising amount of luster, probably 

 due to the great abundance of Austra- 

 lian salt bush, but the curls were not 

 tight enough. We killed seventeen of 

 the lambs when two days old and 

 submitted these skins for pricing to the 

 eminent furrier, Mr. Colburn, of Los 

 Angeles, who has in his employ one 



