70 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



vance has been made by the Asiatic and African 

 breeders of sheep and goats. The Nubian goat is 

 probably the most developed in milking power and 

 fecundity of all breeds of goats, and the Persian and 

 African sheep have also strong development in cer- 

 tain ways fitting them to the climates and environ- 

 ments in which they were produced and to the needs 

 of their owners. 



The Persian and Tunis sheep have evidently com- 

 mon origins and belong to the same race. In truth, 

 it would seem to the writer that the Tunis breed 

 which has existed in America since about 1799 and 

 which now may need some infusion of fresh blood 

 might with advantage receive an infusion of Persian 

 blood. 



The Tunis came to America early in the last cen- 

 tury, and was bred near Philadelphia, and after- 

 wards in South Carolina and Georgia, where they 

 proved to be well adapted to the environment. The 

 civil war almost destroyed them. A few survived 

 and were shown at the Columbian Exposition in 

 Chicago. Soon thereafter some enthusiastic ad- 

 mirers began breeding these sheep in Indiana. It 

 is possible that in their time of adversity the blood 

 of the Tunis was not kept quite unmixed, since there 

 is more variety in type among them than is usual 

 among pure breeds. 



The distinguishing character of the Tunis breed 

 is the head, which should be hornless, covered with 

 tawny yellowish brown hair, the nose may incline 

 to roman character, the ear should droop and be 



