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may come as near together as possible. No one who is not 

 familiar with the business can realize how much is added to 

 the appearance of a flock by having them all of uniform 

 size, or how eagerly a butcher will take a smooth, even lot of 

 lambs in preference to a ragged lot, even though the latter 

 be larger. We have stated that the Southdowns are pre-emi- 

 nently the best mutton sheep we have, and where mutton 

 alone is desired, it is useless to hunt further than a South- 

 down for a ram to breed upon these scrub ewes. But there 

 are other considerations, important to the breeder just be- 

 ginning to grade up his flock, in addition to their mutton 

 qualities, even if mutton is his principal object. He wants 

 long-lived and healthy ewes, and he wants them to yield 

 him as much wool each year as possible without detracting 

 from their value as mutton. Remember, we are speaking 

 of a grade flock now, with no thoroughbreds except the 

 rams that are used. As mentioned above, no better cross 

 can be first used on the common ewes, it matters not what 

 quality is most desired, than a Merino ram. It will add 

 irom one to two pounds of wool to each lamb, and will give 

 a healthy and thrifty flock of half-breed ewes to breed 

 from. With these to start on, it is an easy and pleasant 

 task to shape the flock as desired. If a longer staple and 

 a heavier fleece and a larger carcass are desired, then a 

 Cotswold ram should be used until the desired standard is 

 reached; if, on the other hand, mutton is the object, use a 

 Southdown ram on the half-breed Merino ewes. Either of 

 these objects, wool or mutton, can be bred on a flock quicker 

 by using direct on the scrub ewes a ram of either of the 

 breeds mentioned, but in doing this we would get the 

 hardy and valuable blood of the Merino, a cross that would 

 certainly be of benefit to every grade flock in the State. A 

 most valuable and desirable grade sheep, and one that comes 

 probably nearer than any other filling all the requirements 

 of the average farmer, is to breed the half-bred Merino 

 ewes in twice to a Cotswold ram, and then on the ewes from 



