[259] 



t)f my wool longer, and the yield greater, combing wool bearing the beet 

 price; hence I bred my half-breed Merino ewes to a long-wooled ram, and 

 succeeded in getting what I desired, and still retaining the fineness of the 

 fibre and softness to the touch, so characteristic of the Merino as also the 

 density of fleece. I have continued to the present time to breed to none 

 but improved Cotswolds, adding to my flock at intervals, Kentucky-raised 

 and imported Cotswold ewes and rams, and breeding the imported ewes to 

 the same rams. Neither the imported ewes nor their offspring (and for 

 the ewes I paid what was considered fancy prices) are superior to those of 

 my own raising, but, in fact, those of my own raising are superior in 

 health, carcass and yield of wool, to the imported all receiving the same 

 care and attention, which I know was not so good as that received by the 

 imported ewes before I purchased them, as they doubtless had been pam- 

 pered and handled with great care. The less kind treatment they re- 

 ceived in taking their chances with my flock, and not being acclimated, 

 had its effect upon them. 



Annually, at shearing time, I cull my flock, and take out all ewes and 

 lambs that are less perfect in form and fleece, or in any respect inferior, 

 and place them with the mutton sheep, keeping to breed from none bat 

 the best. 



I give my flock good attention. They have access to an open shed, and 

 salt all the time. I change their grazing ground often, and endeavor to 

 keep them in uniform condition, as that makes uniform wool. Any sudden 

 change from a fat to a poor condition, and vice versa, strengthens or dimin- 

 ishes the fibre of the wool, which detracts greatly from the value of the 

 wool, frequently rendering the long wools valueless as combing wool. If 

 the sheep becomes poor when the fleece is about half grown, and then 

 fatted, the wool inevitably tells it, as at that point where the poverty of 

 the sheep was shown, so will it be shown in the wool being much weaker 

 than the other portions of the fibre grown while the sheep was in good con- 

 dition ; this same cause, as also any cause from which they have had any 

 fever, will cause them to shed their wool. I have heard it said that the 

 feeding of corn to sheep made them shed their wool. No doubt it is true, 

 as the corn brought them rapidly from poverty to flesh, the sudden change 

 causing the shedding of wool, which, rightfully, is attributed to the corn. 

 I never breed in-and-in; never use any but mature rams. It is false 

 economy to breed to a lamb, because he can be bought for a few dollars 

 less, and it is a positive injury to the lamb. I never allow the ewe lambs 

 to be served by the ram until the fall previous to two years. I permit the 

 ram to run with the ewes from August to November, when he is takrn 

 irom the ewes and lotted to himself, otherwise lambs would be coming at 

 inopportune times. A ewe that loses her lamb in the spring is very apt 

 to be served by the buck if he has access to her, within a short time af t r 

 such loss, which would cause her to drop a lamb in the fall, making it 

 difficult to carry her and the lamb through the winter, with loss of lamb 



