SUITABLE It may be taken as proved that the Merino 



BREEDS. (Robust wool type) is the most suitable breed to 



cross with the natives sheep; but in consequence of 

 the advance in the price of crossbred wool, and the 

 local demand for mutton, a number of Romney 

 Marsh rams have lately been imported into the 

 country. 



The natives of B.E.A. have had sheep for 

 hundreds of years, the Masai tribe at present 

 possessing the best and the greatest numbers. The 

 native sheep are very poor animals, but when crossed 

 with Merino rams the results are excellent. 



CATTLE AND It is advisable for every intending settler to 



SHEEP BEST. realise that sheep and cattle must be farmed to- 

 gether, as the grass must be well eaten down, and 

 grass fires be avoided as much as possible, before 

 sheep will thrive. There should be at least 50 

 head of cattle to every 500 head of sheep. 



EAST AFRICAN Wool from British East Africa has quite a 



WOOL. good name on the market, and steady prices have 



always been obtained, the pre-war prices being 



from ninepence halfpenny per pound for grade wool. 



Current prices are approximately as fol- 

 lows:— Good grade ewes 16/- each; hoggets 1.3/4; 

 wethers 16/- to £1; native sheep 10/-; grade rams 

 £2; Merino flock rams £4. 



ESTIMATE OF The cost of running a small flock of 2,000 



COSTS. head for one year should be roughly as follows : 



Herds and their food 

 Dips, medicines, etc., 

 Shearing, repairs and sundries 



;C45 

 40 



15 

 £100 



NATIVE HERDS. 



This works out at just a shilling per head per 

 annum, not including white supervision. 



The natives, more especially the Masai, make 



good herds, and most of them make quite good 



shearers, their wages being from 2/8 to 4/- per 

 hundred sheep. 



48 



