106 WESTERN GRAZING GROUNDS AND FOREST RANGES 



ence that the ewes he breeds from must have a certain 

 percentage of Merino blood in them to give strong consti- 

 tutions and the power to exist under the many trying 

 conditions of climate and natural surroundings which 

 beset range sheep. The Merino, together with Delaines 

 and Rambouillets, which are but highly bred types of 

 Merinos, is a breed peculiarly well constituted to meet 

 such climatic conditions as are found on our western 

 desert ranges. To such qualities they add the herding 

 instinct, which is almost unknown in any of the various 

 types or breeds of mutton sheep. 



Securing Mutton Type. Shropshires, Cotswolds, 

 Hampshires, Lincolns and the other breeds of coarse- 

 wooled or mutton races do not herd well in large bands. 

 They scatter out too much and if alarmed, instead of 

 "bunching up" as will Merinos, often run in every direc- 

 tion. Of recent years, however, range sheepmen have 

 turned their attention more to the mutton end of their 

 business than formerly. Americans are learning to eat 

 mutton more and more every year, and the long-headed 

 men in the sheep business saw where they could have 

 two strings to their bow, by looking after the mutton 

 business as well as raising wool. 



Where this has been done rams of the various mut- 

 ton breeds are used to produce the class of lambs de- 

 sired for feeding purposes. Then, in order to retain the 

 vitality of the ewe band, part of the ewes are bred to 

 Merino rams, retaining the resulting ewe lambs to take 

 the place of the old ewes. For these reasons it is evi- 

 dent that a Merino foundation will always be desirable 

 in the breeding of a band of sheep intended for range 

 purposes in the West. 



Goats. During the past ten years the raising of goats 



