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sheep from the common stock, he has only to procure a lot 

 of ewes combining as many of the pre- requisites as possible, 

 according to the rules laid down in previous chapters. 

 Should it be desirable to raise lambs for market, it then be- 

 comes necessary to select from the fine blooded varieties 

 such a buck as will bring about the desired end. It is 

 usual to select a Southdown or Merino, and persons having 

 tried it claim for each some peculiar reasons for preferring 

 one or the other, which is a conclusive argument that either 

 or both are good for the purpose. 



By watching and talking with breeders one can get the 

 result of their experience on the subject. The Southdown 

 lamb will attain its growth quicker, and is larger than the 

 Merino cross, and the black-face lambs are always a favorite 

 with butchers, and in culling a lot of lambs they are in- 

 variable first taken. Yet the Merino has many advantages. 

 Though smaller it is remarkable for vigorous health and for 

 tenderness and juiciness of its meat, and when once tried 

 will find many to advocate its claims. When once the 

 breeder starts he must continue in the same direction, that 

 is, he must continue with rams of the same breed, changing 

 them for others as often as every other year, at least, and 

 always selecting the best animal that can be procured. He 

 can often do this without expense by making the change 

 with a neighbor pursuing the same plan, thus equally bene- 

 fiting both. Each year he can and should dispose of all 

 the ram lambs, and keep the ewes. Upon this point the 

 breeder must keep a watchful eye. There is as great differ- 

 ence in the value of ewes as there is of rams. None but 

 the very pick of the lambkins should ever be allowed to 

 breed, and then, if they prove poor, or are indifferent 

 milkers, they should be fattened with the pen of old ewes 

 that accumulates every season, and sent to the butcher. If 

 he has ewe lambs enough to satisfy his wishes for breeders, 

 he can, after the first year, sell off all the original native 

 ewes, and thus his flock will consist of half-blood grade 



