24 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



usually so good shearers ; so that it is the almost uni- 

 versal testimony of breeders that the greatest profit 

 is in cross-breeding, involving, however, keeping the 

 ewe flock pure, either by keeping two rams or by 

 purchase from time to time of pure Merino ewes. 



I learned the curious fact that the most highly- 

 bred of the Merinos, those of the bluest blood and 

 heaviest-fleeced, do not usually in the hands of the 

 farmer make the most profit. At present, I should 

 say that for all the region of the cornbelt and south- 

 ward, with most of Michigan, southern Wisconsin 

 and Minnesota, the easiest sort of shepherding and 

 the greatest chance of average profit are in keeping 

 Merino ewes in flocks of 50 to 100 head, choosing the 

 most " muttony " of the Merinos, valuing them more 

 for their resistance than for their shearing qualities, 

 and cross-breeding them with good rams of the dis- 

 tinctive mutton breeds, selling all of the cross-bred 

 lambs as a general practice and keeping the ewe flock 

 pure Merino. 



There is a real and profitable place for the half- 

 blood Merino ewe, on the better-managed sheep 

 farms. There is not a doubt that she is more pro- 

 lific than the pure Merino, a better mother and milk- 

 er, shears a fleece that may easily be worth more 

 than the pure Merino fleece, and unquestionably her 

 lambs will fatten faster than those from pure-bred 

 Merino ewes. They will be heavier too. At the same 

 time, cross-bred Merino ewes will be a trifle less re- 

 sistant of parasites and will consume more feed. 



Surveying the field, it seems clear that there is 



