438 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



towards mutton sheep to the neglect of the Merinos. The eastern part 

 of the State was almost stripped of sheep and what it retained were of 

 the mutton variety. Of these breeds this section has some of the best 

 flocks, handled by some of the most intelligent breeders of the country. 

 There are Southdown s, Hampshires, Shropshires, Oxfords, Lincolns, 

 Leicesters, Cotswolds, Dorsets, and Cheviots, and all do well. There 

 are light pastures and heavy pastures, hills, mountains, dales and val- 

 leys, and streams of pure water. There are localities and surroundings 

 for every valuable breed, and these are becoming better known. It is no 

 longer possible to see the Lincoln and the Leicester feeding on the 

 mountain, while the Merino and the Southdown were confined to the 

 rich valleys. There is a better understanding of the wants of the vari- 

 ous breeds, and more skill in managing them. Near the cities early 

 lambs are the most profitable to grow, and within ten hours' ride of the 

 large markets lambs and fat mutton monopolize the attention of the 

 sheep-raiser. The vast ranges of the West ship away their oldest ewes, 

 which find their way east. These ewes, with proper care, are well able 

 to rear another lamb or two each in the smaller and better-kept flocks 

 of Pennsylvania. They are purchased cheap and put upon the farm, 

 the purchaser getting clear bone and muscle, upon which he evolves a 

 large profit within eight or nine months. If there be a dash of Cots- 

 wold or Down blood in his purchase it is preferable. These ewes are 

 put to a Southdown, a Hampshire, or a Cotswold rani, preferably to the 

 two former, as the Cotswold imparts too much bone to his progeny; 

 besides which the grade lambs from the Down cross are more precocious 

 and are fit for the butcher younger, especially Hampshires. 



It is this system of handling sheep that supports the fine breeding 

 flocks in the eastern part of the State, rams being drawn from them to 

 cross on the ewes used for breeding the lambs. The business is not so 

 remunerative now as in former years, for there is more competition for 

 the Philadelphia markets than formerly from lambs raised in Maryland, 

 Virginia, and West Virginia. Eecent importations of the prolific Dor- 

 set Horn sheep have added new interest to this branch of industry. 

 These sheep were introduced into the State in 1887 by M. M. Small, of" 

 Cooperstown, and S. B. Griffin, of Canton. On September 13, 1889, 

 T. S. Cooper, of Coopersburg, made an importation of 153 head, mostly 

 from the flock of Henry Mayo, and again on September 18, 1891, an 

 importation of 204 head from the flocks of several well-known English 

 breeders. On the voyage 7 ewes dropped 14 lambs. Among Mr. 

 Cooper's first importation were 3 first-prize yearling ewes at the Eoyal 

 show in England, July, 1889, that weighed at time of shearing 262, 245, and 

 222 pounds, respectively, and in August each dropped twin lambs. Four 

 of these lambs, when 4 months old, after the rough experience of a sea 

 voyage, weighed 452 pounds. A prize two-year old ram of this importa- 

 tion weighed 317 pounds, and a prize shearling 287 pounds. First and 

 second prize ram lambs weighed 184 and 164 pounds, respectively, at 



