[58] 



short small boned legs, round barrel, small head, full arms 

 and thighs, close wool on the back, with fat on the ribs, 

 where it is never found on a poor sheep, and, in fact, a 

 general good appearance, rather than for any one special 

 point of excellence. A well knit, smooth framed ram will 

 possess more vitality than a large, long, loose one, and the 

 effect will be very marked in the number and superiority 

 of the lambs. In like manner the ewes should be selected 

 that are very broad across the hips, as in that case the pelvis 

 being roomy, the Iambs will be more easily brought forth, 

 without so often losing both lamb and dam. A disregard 

 of this simple precaution often entails great loss on the 

 farmer by difficult parturition and still-born lambs. 



It is asserted by many writers that lambs bred from 

 young bucks or young ewes are more often male than 

 female. How true this is, if true at all, is not known to 

 the writer, but it is a wise provision of nature to restrict 

 the propagation of the species where the animal does not 

 possess the vigor to make a perfect progeny, thus limiting, 

 for the want of females, the supply of the breed. Large 

 bones should always be avoided in sheep, as, indeed, they 

 should in all animals, as the nutriment that would otherwise 

 go to the formation of bone would tend to increase the size 

 of the carcass, thus adding, with the same feed, to the quan- 

 tity of flesh and wool. The selection of rams, however, 

 cannot be taught by books, but must be left almost 

 entirely to the tact and discretion of the breeder. As be- 

 fore stated, they should not be used upon more than twenty 

 or twenty-five ewes until they are at least two years old, if 

 possible to prevent it. High condition in the ram is not 

 desirable, a mere fair condition promising better in getting 

 lambs than one too fat. 



No man must expect to accomplish in one year what it 

 requires many years for others to accomplish in the perfec- 

 tion of a flock of sheep. It took the most careful attention 

 of the most intelligent breeders to bring the four to six- 



