90 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



after all about all that there is in a sheep, from the 

 butcher's standpoint. Then be sure that there is a 

 thick, muscular neck, a bright, quick eye, a brisk 

 movement denoting vim and vigor. Such a ram will 

 leave his impress indelibly upon the flock. If one 

 cannot personally select his ram, he may often leave 

 it to the good judgment of the seller, specifying 

 what is wanted, and the novice will generally get 

 better service from the honorable vendor than were 

 he to attempt to select for himself. 



Fleece is of course important, and minor points, 

 such as markings and absence of scurs or horns on 

 all breeds save Merinos and Dorsets. But first of 

 all in importance is to get a ram boiling over with 

 vim and vigor. 



A ram of such character will readily care for 40 

 or 50 ewes if hand coupling is practiced, allowing 

 but one service to each ewe. He may indeed go to 

 more than that when in his prime, aged from one 

 year to four or five. 



KEEPING A TYPE. 



At the showring one often hears a remark from 

 some student of breeds, "that is a good pen, but off 

 on type," or, "that is a good sheep, but not of the 

 right type for the breed. " What, then, is type? 



Type is style, conformation, character. It is a 

 something distinct and definite, though hard to de- 

 scribe, that belongs with each breed. It may not 

 always be of much value, from a dollar-and-cents 

 standpoint, yet a flock lacking in type is not attract- 



