OBJECTS OF EXPERIMENTS. 73 
the Tunis. The latter are not numerous as yet in the United 
States, nor is the habit of producing such lambs so pro- 
nounced in them as in the Dorset. So few in numbers are 
the Tunis in the United States, that it would seem scarcely 
necessary to consider them a factor in the present discussion. 
The Dorsets have increased with great rapidity in this 
country, but in the pure form they are too dear for one to 
invest in Dorset females for the sole purpose of furnishing 
winter lambs for the block. Ewes that cost less money 
would seem to be a necessity to induce farmers to engage in 
this work. The hope of obtaining such material led to the 
experiment outlined in this bulletin. The other difficulty 
may be expected to adjust itself in time. With a supply of 
such a commodity properly furnished, the demand may be 
expected to come from cities not far distant. 
Time Covered by the Experiment.—The experiment be- 
gan in the summer of 1895 and it continued until the Autumn 
of 1901, thus covering a period of 6 years. But, as previous- 
ly stated, it was not conducted with that orderly sequence 
that could have been desired. For instance, the number of 
the dams kept over from year to year was not always the 
same, nor was the proportion of the ewe lambs the same 
from year to year. It is impossible, therefore, to give the 
results of what could be regarded as a complete experiment. 
Nevertheless, the results obtained are from data sufficiently 
complete to furnish a reasonably safe basis on which to 
ground conclusions. 
Objects of the Experiments.—The following were chief 
among the objects of the experiment: First—To ascertain 
whether the habit in common ewes of dropping lambs in the 
spring, could be so changed that they would drop them in 
the fall or early winter through successive matings with pure 
bred Dorset sires, accompanied by a close selection. Second 
—To learn, if pussible, how many generations of breeding 
would be necessary before the habit became at all fixed in 
character. Third—To find out whether food played any im- 
portant part in the change of the breeding habit, and if so, 
to glean information with reerence to the same that would 
be turned to practical account. And fourth—To ascertain, 
whether, in the event of a change in the breeding habit hav- 
