MODERN SHEEP : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 37 



For crossing purposes the Hampshire is very much sought, 

 not only in England, but in this country as well, and grade Hamp- 

 shires from the western flocks have topped the Chicago market in 

 several instances, and at the International Show grade lambs of 

 this breed have carried off the highest honors on several occasions. 



For the following interesting and unbiased report on the Hamp- 

 shire in the west, I am indebted to Mr. Frank J. Hagenbarth, vice- 

 president and general manager of the Wood Livestock Company, 

 Salt Lake City, Utah, a gentleman, who, as a judge of the Hamp- 

 shire an Cotswold breeds and an all-round judge of mutton 

 sheep, is perhaps second to none in this country. Few if any have 

 accomplished what he has in topping the Chicago lamb market, not 

 with single carloads or so of lambs, but whole trainloads. To 

 travel with this famous breeder and feeder in quest of purebred 

 rams, as the writer has done, is an inspiration and education in 

 business ethics which fall to the lot of few to enjoy. The writer 

 recalls a little incident that happened in Canada a few years ago 

 which will not soon fade from his memory and which gave him a 

 true conception of the calibre of the western business man. As we 

 were walking across a field, on the farm of a well-known sheep 

 breeder, we came upon an exceptionally fine bunch of, perhaps, 

 seventy-five yearling and two-year-old rams. "I like the looks of 

 that bunch of rams/' remarked Mr. Hagenbarth, "and I'll buy 

 them." The first question asked by Mr. Hagenbarth of the owner 

 of the rams, after an introduction had been brought about, was: 

 "How much do you ask for those rams?" The price was named. 

 Like a shot from a gun came : "I'll take them, provided you keep 

 back five which I will pick and pay you for just as if I were taking 

 them. I do not want you to think that I want to pick your flock 

 unfairly." How many ram buyers are as broad as this gentle- 

 man ? But to revert to Hagenbarth's report. It reads : 



"In answer to your enquiry, concerning the adaptability of the 

 Hampshire and Cotswold purebred sheep to this western climate, 

 will say that the Hampshire seems to take more kindly to this 

 climate when imported from the east or England than does the 

 Cotswold; the latter breed seems to be seriously set back the first 

 year. However, the increase from the Cotswold seem to take kindly 

 to our climate and develop into strong, rugged sheep. This is 

 especially true of the variety of Cotswold displaying mottled noses 

 and legs. The pure white faced and legged variety seem to be 

 a little tender. The Hampshire is as rugged and strong as an ox 

 and equal to the Shropshire in ability to stand our climatic con- 

 ditions. It is, however, of much earlier maturity and larger growth 

 than the Shropshire. 



"We find, in our own experience, and I think it is generally 

 conceded, that the Hampshire ram when crossed on the western 

 ewe produces the very best range mutton animal that we have 



