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milkers. The lambs are large framed and hardy, and 

 although not so apt to fatten from the start as Southdowns, 

 they are considered only second to them in mutton qualities. 

 The rams from this breed are also extensively used upon the 

 common ewes of the country with great benefit. No breed 

 will make a more marked improvement on the common 

 sheep than a Cotswold ram will when bred to scrub 

 ewes. The first cross will oftentimes treble the weight 

 of fleece, and at the same time greatly increase the size and 

 improve the form of the native. On this account they are 

 in great demand by those who desire to combine as far as 

 practicable both fleece and mutton qualities in their flock. 

 These advantages are referred to further on, where we speak 

 of the different crosses and grades. 



The Cotswolds are of large, heavy frames, long, heavy 

 fleece, are rather unwieldy, and not industrious feeders. 

 Hence they are not so well adapted to the broken, hilly re- 

 gions of East Tennessee, nor the hot sun and somewhat 

 scant pastures of the southern and western portion of the 

 State. They must have level pastures and a frosty climate 

 to give the best results. Much can be done, however, by a 

 proper system of breeding and acclimation. Some of the 

 best results with Cotswolds in the State have come from a 

 continued and systimatic course of breeding, beginning 

 with the common scrub ewes. The experiment referred to 

 was made by Col. Tom Crutchfield, of Hamilton county, 

 and is mentioned elsewhere in this work. The result of 

 his experiment is that with only several removes from the 

 scrub ewe, he has a pure bred Cotswold sheep, heavy fleece 

 of good quality, and a sheep well adapted to our Southern 

 climate and undulating lands. These are equally as prolific 

 as the Southdowns. 



MERINOS. 



This breed, although natives of a warm climate, become 

 inured to extreme cold. They flourish as far north as 



