PREFACE. 



The following Manual is designed to be a hand-book for Amer- 

 ican shepherds and farmers. It is intended te be so plain that a 

 farmer, or a farmer's son, who has never kept a sheep, may learn 

 from its pages how to manage a flock successfully, and to be so 

 complete that even the experienced shepherd may gather some 

 suggestions from it. When the author, some years ago, began to 

 keep sheep, he sought in vain amongst the published works a 

 simple practical, comprehensive book upon sheep and sheep-keep- 

 ing, suited to his necessities. The excellent works upon the 

 Merino and Fine Wool Husbandry by Mr. Randall, were the only 

 ones to be obtained that were adapted for the use of an American 

 shepherd, and these referred to a special branch of sheep husbandry 

 which is becoming every year a less and less prominent one. The 

 other books on this subject then extant, were either English works 

 or compilations from them, and were out of date and incomplete. 

 None of the works gave a description of the modern improved 

 breeds of sheep which have of late become so deservedly popular ; 

 or any full or satisfactory account of the diseases of sheep, and 

 the remedies proper for them under the modern systems of treat- 

 ment which have grown out of the more accurate scientific knowl- 

 edge of the present day ; nor could any information as to the 

 vastly increased scope of this branch of agricultural industry in 

 America, be found in any book. It was necessary to learn by 

 experience in this case, as in all others, a costly teacher how to 

 meet the needs of the modern improved sheep in our climate and 

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