PRODUCTION OF WORK, MILK, AND WOOL 111 



what more protein than rations for cattle or swine at the same stage of 

 maturity. As is shown in the next chapter, this is taken into considera- 

 tion in the various feeding standards which have been formulated for 

 various classes of animals. With ewes which are either pregnant or 

 suckling lambs, there is a double demand for food protein, which makes 

 a liberal supply especially advisable. Tho the suint of wool is rich in 

 potassium, this constituent is amply supplied by all usual rations. 



Experiments by Wolff 16 and Henneberg 17 show that when sheep are fed 

 insufficient food to maintain their weight, the yield of wool is consider- 

 ably diminished. On the other hand, according to Warington, 18 the 

 production of wool hair and wool fat is practically no greater when a 

 full-grown sheep receives a liberal fattening diet than when it is main- 

 tained in ordinary condition. Feeding lambs liberally produces a larger 

 body and consequently a heavier fleece. At the Wisconsin Station 19 

 Craig found that lambs fed grain from an early age sheared about 1 Ib. 

 more of unwashed but practically the same amount of washed wool as 

 those getting no grain until after they were weaned. The early feeding 

 had produced more yolk but no more wool fibre. 



The strength of the wool fiber is dependent on the breed, the quality 

 of the individual sheep, and the conditions under which they are reared. 

 Conditions which check the growth of the wool, such as insufficient feed, 

 undue exposure, or sickness, will produce a weak spot in the wool fiber, 

 thus lessening its strength. The feed and care for the flock should there- 

 fore be as uniform as possible. 



Soil and climate produce marked effects on the characteristics of sheep, 

 as shown by Brown 20 in his study of the evolution of the various English 

 breeds. The rich lowlands of England with their abundant, nutritious 

 grasses produced the heavy-bodied, plethoric Long-wools, the next higher 

 lands with less abundant herbage furnished the Downs and Middle- wools, 

 while the mountains with scanty herbage produced the active, still lighter 

 breeds. Coleman 21 states that the peculiar luster of the Lincoln wool 

 diminishes when these sheep pass to a less congenial soil, and that wool 

 in certain districts of Yorkshire brings a higher price than that of other 

 localities, due to the favorable influence of soil and climate. He further 

 states that limestone soils, otherwise peculiarly suited to sheep, tend to 

 harshness in wool, which renders it less valuable than that from sheep 

 living on clays or gravels. 



The various problems relating to the feeding and care of sheep are 

 discussed in detail in Chapters XXX to XXXII. 



"Landw. Vers. Stat, 1870, p. 57. 19 Wis. Rpt. 1896. 



"Jour. Landw., 12, 1864, p. 48. ^British Sheep Farming. 



"Chemistry of the Farm. 21 Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs of Great Britain. 



