388 THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 



some of which went to near Albany, New York. From 

 the early Peters flock, these sheep spread into Georgia 

 and South Carolina, and were common in the South be- 

 fore the Civil War, which nearly exterminated them. 

 More recently Roundtree, of Indiana, has been a leading 

 promoter of the breed. There are several flocks in Indi- 

 ana and Ohio. In 1876, an American Tunis Sheep Breed- 

 ers' Association was organized. 



The Tunis as a mutton sheep has met with much favor. 

 The lambs fatten early, and as the ewes will breed at 

 various seasons they have been used to raise lambs for 

 the Christmas market. Cross-bred lambs are popular, 

 as they are easily and quickly fattened and yield mutton 

 of an excellent quality. As a wool-producer, the Tunis 

 does not rank high. The color is objectionable, and the 

 weight of the fleece is only six to eight pounds. 



478. Wensleydale sheep (Fig. 80). By John A. 

 Craig. Being included among the lowland breeds, these 



sheep have the characteristics 

 most common to sheep of 

 that class, namely, large size, 

 with long wool, thereby at- 

 taining heavy weights of 

 both carcass and fleece. The 

 Wensleydale is an upstanding 

 sheep, similar to the Leices- 



FIG. 80. Wensleydale ram. ter in Some respects, but 



with more style. The face 



and skin are of a bluish tinge, and this characteristic is 

 encouraged, while in nearly all the other breeds a pink 

 skin is sought, and the bluish tinge considered undesir- 

 able. The wool of these sheep is peculiar in that it is 

 unusually lustrous, and is very wavy or full of " pirls," 



