14 THE SHEPHERD'S MANUAL. 



much to do with the health and growth of sheep as the geological 

 character of the rocks upon which it is based, or from which it has 

 been derived. The census returns of England show that the high- 

 est percentage of sheep to the 100 acres, is found precisely NY here 

 the soil is naturally drained and dry, and the lowest, where clay 

 abounds, and damp, cold soils with rank, coarse herbage are gen- 

 eral. In our own country, although the time has been far too 

 short as yet for this condition to operate largely, we find the same 

 fact curiously developed, and Ohio and western Pennsylvania, 

 with their extensive coal bearing formations underlying dry roll- 

 ing fields, possess more sheep than any other district, while New 

 York, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, which cover an extensive 

 deposit of limestones and sandstones, with naturally dry soils, come 

 next on the list. The vast stretch of prairies in the Mississippi 

 Valley, and of plains west of the Missouri to the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, chiefly underlaid with limestones and sandstones, and especi- 

 ally remarkable for a dry, porous soil, which bears a rich carpet 

 of the best sheep pastures in the world, have already proved them- 

 selves to be well adapted to the successful growth of flocks bear- 

 ing fine and medium wools. The rich alluvial valleys of the east- 

 ern rivers where naturally or artificially drained, have been found 

 to be fitted for the production of large bodied sheep bearing the 

 lustrous combing wools. All these localities with the hills and 

 valleys of the Middle States will in course of time have their flocks 

 suitable in character to the circumstances in which they are kept. 

 But it will only be in consequence of persistence in careful breed- 

 ing and culture, that the final type for each locality will be 

 reached ; for while the effects of soil and locality are unavoidable 

 and imperative, the shepherd must be able to discover these effects 

 and aid in giving them their due development if early success is 

 to be secured. But in whatever locality it may be, if the soil 

 is not naturally drained, profitable sheep farms may be sought 

 in vain. The profit from sheep raising as a special business will 

 not permit of high-priced lauds. Where sheep are kept only as a 

 branch of general farming, it may pay to drain the soil artificially ; 

 but without drainage, natural or artificial, sheep cannot thrive. 

 The sheep must have a dry foot or disease follows. 



The character of the herbage depends upon that of the soil, and 

 the character of the sheep is governed by that of the pasture. It 

 is a very casual observer who thinks that all kinds of grass are the 

 same, and are equally proper for sheep. The sheep itself 

 knows better than this, and every shepherd has learned that 

 his sheep will seek particular spots in preference to others in the 



