332 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



By the foregoing, it will be seen, that if the Farmer ex- 

 pects to derive large profits irom these Sheep, he ought not 

 to rest until he has got into the fullbloods ot this breed, or 

 into the fUteen-sixteenths, which will answer about as well. 

 The profit ot ihe Lambs, it will be seen, is not taken into 

 consideration in this stab ment 



If these Sheep are thus profitable for their wool, it is also 

 well ascertained that they are at least as profitable as any 

 others for fating 



Mr Young took a Merino, weight eighty-four pounds; a 

 halt Soutudown, quarter Bake well, and quarter Norfolk* 

 weight one hundred and forty-one pounds; and a South- 

 down, wtight one hundred and thirty six pounds; these 

 were ltd abroad together a certain length ot time, and then 

 Weighed. The first weighed one hundred pounds; the 

 second, one hundred and forty eight ; and the last, one 

 hundred and forty-four pounds. Thus the Merino gained 

 more than double the quantity of flesh which the other two 

 gatnfd. 



He also made another experiment, which served to show 

 that a Merino only eats in proportion to its size By this he 

 found that three Merinos may be maintained four per cent 

 cheaper than two of the Southdowns. The weight of the 

 Merino, upon which this trial was made, was ninety-one 

 pounds; that of the Southdown, one hundred and thirty-two 

 pounds. 



Mr. Livingston says the size of the Ewes, more than that 

 of the Ram, governs the size of their Lambs; that the Ewes 

 of a small race cannot bear large Lambs, though the Rum 

 be ever so large. For this reason, the Lambs which are 

 raised from a Merino Ram, on our common Ewes, will be k 

 larger than those raised from one of our common Rams on 

 Merino Ewes. This is the reason why Rams of the large 

 English breeds, when brought here, do not produce a race 

 any way corresponding to th >ir own size. 



Mr. Livingston therefore recommends engrafting a Meri- 

 no stock upon our common Ewes, to increase the siz of 

 the breed ; though, if they only eat in proportion to their 

 size, this is not so material. 



In the selection of the Ewes, take those that are at least 

 three years old, as large as can be obtained of the sort, with 

 the belly large and well covered with woo), chine and loin 

 broad, breast deep, buttocks full, the eyes lively, the bag 

 large, and the teats long. In addition to these qualifications, 

 they must have fine short thick wool, their bellies well co 

 vered, and with the least hair on the hinder parts. 



In the choice of the Ram, which we will suppose to 

 be three fourth-blooded, and which can be purchased for 

 twenty- five dollars, select one that is of good size, broad 



