Preface. 



It has seemed to the authors that, with all the long list of works 

 on sheep, nothing quite met the case of the Dorset Sheep under 

 American conditions. This work is the result of their experience. 

 They have purposely given prominence to things that in their experi- 

 ence have proved important and slighted others that have not seem- 

 ed of much importance in their management. Failures with Dorset 

 sheep are usually the result of ignorance. Methods that will result 

 fairly well with some breeds, for instance with Merinos, will not do 

 for Dorsets if one wishes to get from them their peculiar possibilities 

 in the way of profits. Finally we submit this as an effort towards 

 help and feel that the breeder must be a past master in the gentle 

 art of shepherding not to find some hints here that will be useful to 

 him. And we crave your kind indulgence if we have slighted some 

 things and magnified others, we have spent the most time telling of 

 the turns v\ here we ourselves missed the right turnings. 



