L. XXIV. Second Series. 



ROCHESTER, N. Y., FEBRUARY, 1863. 



No. 2. 



'WHAT BBEED OF SHEEP SHALL I KEEP?" 



L suBSCEiBER of the Genesee Farmer asks us the 

 )ve question. The answer must depend on cir- 

 nstances — on the character of the soil and the 

 item of agriculture adopted, as well as on the 

 ce of mutton and wool, or the taste and experi- 

 !e of the farmer. 



During the past year, on account of the great 

 nand for the army, coarse long wool brought an 

 usually high price. How long this demand may 

 itiaue is uncertain. If we might calculate on 

 r thiug like the present relative price of long 

 1 fine wool, we should be entirely safe in saying 

 Lt the long-wooled sheep would prove the most 

 )fitable in all sections of the country where mut- 

 i is in demand. 



'n saying this we do not wish to be understood 

 asserting that, leaving the mutton out of the 

 culation, more wool can be obtained at h given 

 ;t from the long-wooled sheep than from the 

 rinos, for we do not think such is the case, 

 tier things being equal, sheep undoubtedly con- 

 ne food in proportion to their live weight ; and 

 the long-wooled sheep are fully double the size 

 Merinos, and as they do not yield double the 

 ouat of wool, it follows that, leaving the mut- 

 1 out of the question, a pound of wool can not 

 produced from the long-wooled sheep as cheaply 

 from the Merinos. 



there can be no doubt of the truth of this pro- 

 sition, if it is a fact — which we think will not be 

 lied — that fine-wooled sheep, in proportion to 

 ir live weight, produce more wool than the 

 ge long-wooled mutton sheep. 

 But of course it is not fair to leave the mutton 

 •. of the calculation. There is an increasing de- 

 nd for mutton of good quality in our large cities, 

 1 the price is approximating more closely to that 

 beef. In the English market mutton brings 

 y as high a price as beef, while with us mutton 

 generally one-third lower and frequently one- 



half the price of beef. As the quality of our mut- 

 ton improves, there can be but little doubt that 

 the price will advance. Now there can be no 

 question t^iat the large long-wooled slieep will 

 aiFord more mutton in proportion to the food con- 

 sumed than the Merinos ; and where the principal 

 object is the production of mutton, the large Eng- 

 lish sheep are unquestionably the most profitable 

 breed to keep. 



The advantages of the Merinos are: 1. They 

 produce more wool for the food consumed ; and 2, 

 their wool usually commands a much higher price. 



The advantages of the long-wooled sheep are: 

 1. They aiFord more mutton for the food con- 

 sumed ; and 2, the mutton usually brings a much 

 higher price. 



Under ordinary circumstances it is not easy to 

 determine which of these two classes of sheep are 

 on the whole most profitable. As before said, it 

 depends much on the character of the soil, on the 

 location, the system of agriculture, the proximity 

 to market, and on the taste of the breeder. So far 

 as our own taste is concerned, we should much 

 prefer the lai-ge sheep, because we are better ac- 

 quainted with their peculiarities, management, &c. 

 We are of the opinion^ too, that they are, in this 

 vicinity, where there is an increasing demand for 

 good mutton, and where a mixed system of agri- 

 culture is adopted, the most profitable. We tliink 

 this is the case even when their wool sells at the 

 same relative price as previous to the war. 



At the present time, however, their wool com- 

 mands nearly or quite as high a price as the fine 

 wool ; and as long as this is the case, the long- 

 wooled, mutton sheep are much the more profita- 

 ble breed of sheep. 



It may be asked what we mean by the long- 

 wooled sheep. In England sheep are generally 

 classed as "Long- Wools" and " Short- Wools." 

 The former include the Leicester, Lincoln and 

 Cotswold ; the latter the difibrent varieties of the 



