GRADE DORSET EWES, 



While pure-bred Dorsets are extremely profitable to those who 

 will give their care and while there must of course be breeders of 

 registered stock to supply the need of Dorset rams, yet it must be 

 remembered that the grade ewe is the rent-payer, the money-maker, 

 and in commou hands more profitable than the puru-bred ewe. In- 

 deed there are some curious things about the grade ewe. If she is 

 a Merino grade, from large, roomy Merino ewes and blocky, vigor- 

 ous Dorset ram; she will arove a snrer breeder if pcssible, than the 

 pure-bred Dorset ewe. In truth, not many growers of winter hot- 

 house lambs but prefer Dorset grades from the Merina foundation to 

 any other ewe, the pure-bred ewe not excepted. These ewes are 

 again bred to pure-bred Dorset rams and the result is a very blocky, 

 easily fattened lamb, born at the right season and ripe for the right 

 market. These grade ewes are great milkers and hardier than pure- 

 bred ewes and altogether more desirable for mutton-makers. There 

 will come a time when rancbe-men will make a specialty of produc- 

 ing ewes of this type, as there is already a demand for them in all 

 ths early lamb-producing regions and they are hard to buy. These 

 grade Dorset ewes will continue profitable for at least ten years and 

 often longer. 



Another very profitable grade Dorset ewe is the Dorset-Shrop- 

 shire grade. This is a magnificeat ewe, lambs early but not quite 

 so regularly as the Dorses-Merino, is a better mother than the Shrop- 

 shire with more milk. Ewes of this cross are becoming quite com- 

 mon now.. They are usually white or light brown in face and horn- 

 less. Sometimes the ^ -blood Dorset-Shropshire have horns. These 

 are better ewes than the first cross, having indeed many of the best 

 characteristics of the pure-bred Dorsets. 



USING GRADE RAMS 



However profitable grade ewes may be it is never safe to use 

 grade rams. They will revert in unaccountable ways to remote an- 

 cestors and there is simply no telling what the product will be. 



Of grade Dorsets John B. Peelle, a famous hot-house lamb 

 grower, says : 



"The grade Dorset with me is not a question of sentiment; but 



