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making a selection, as the sale of early lambs will be the 

 greatest source of profit to the mutton breeder. The South- 

 down are, beyond all question, the best mutton sheep we 

 have; they are close to the ground, on short legs, square- 

 bodied ; marble their flesh well, and take on flesh rapidly. 

 As a breed, they will dress more neat meat, in proportion 

 to offal, than any of the varieties above mentioned ; hence, 

 in selecting a ram to grade up the scrub ewes, select a 

 Southdown. So much depends upon contingencies, such a& 

 location, pasturage, markets, etc., that no definite plan can 

 be given as best, under all circumstances, for breeding the 

 mutton sheep. 



In selecting the scrub ewes, with which it is presumed 

 the breeder will first start, the first and greatest care should 

 be to get healthy ones, free from all the many diseases so- 

 common amongst scrub sheep. None of them should ex- 

 ceed three years old, for scrub ewes are by no means cer- 

 tain breeders after passing five years. The health and age 

 of a ewe being satisfactory, her shape and condition should 

 be next considered. These two points we place last, though 

 they are more often the first considered by the purchaser in 

 making his selections. That health and age should be first 

 considered, is at once apparent, for one unsound or diseased 

 ewe can quickly disease the entire flock, and it is never safe 

 to count on getting more than one lamb from a five-year- 

 old ewe. 



In shape, the ewes selected for breeders should be com- 

 pactly built, square, and wide behind, good stout frames, of 

 medium size, a lengthy body on short legs, and, last of all, 

 they should be as well wooled as can be found after the 

 other points have been considered ; for, remember, mutton 

 is the principal object now, and breeding ewes should not 

 be expected to yield more than wool enough to pay for their 

 winter keep. Ewes selected in this way, even though they 

 are scrubs, will present something of a uniform appearance, 

 and this uniformity will greatly assist the breeder in select- 





