MODERN SHEEP I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 77 



Continental Dorset Club. The former was established in 1891 

 and the latter in 1897. The two associations have recorded in 

 their books something like 13,000 animals, which is a very good 

 showing. 



The Dorset was first imported into this country from England 

 in 1887 by Mr. A. Thayer of New York and Mr. E. F. Bowditch, 

 Massachusetts. In 1889, a large importation of 153 head was 

 made by Mr. T. S, Cooper of Pennsylvania, the secretary of the 

 American Dorset-Horn Breeders' Association. Mr. William Davey 

 of New York also made an importation in 1887. Canada got into 

 the field a little earlier than the United States, by Mr. E. Stanford 

 of Ontario importing in 1885. 



The Dorset is somewhat larger than the Southdown, but 

 scarcely as large as the Shropshire. The average of a matured 

 ram is about 215 pounds, and of matured ewes 165 pounds. Of 

 course, show sheep of the breed go far above these weights. The 

 lambs mature very rapidly and make great weights at an early 

 age. In 1894 a pen of three wether lambs of this breed at the 

 famous Smithfield show averaged 190 pounds. Of course these 

 lambs were of pretty near twelve months' growth. The following 

 live weight averages of lambs at that show for a period of four 

 years are given as follows.: Leicester, 144 pounds; Southdown, 

 148 pounds; Shropshire, 151 pounds; Dorset, 144 pounds. 



While the Dorset is said by American writers to thrive on 

 rough land, they, like most other British breeds, will return larger 

 dividends on good lands and with skillful management, and the 

 novice should disabuse himself of the idea that the Dorset is one 

 of those breeds which will wax fat where others will starve. No 

 breed will respond to good treatment more readily than the Dorset. 

 The Dorset on his native heath is a well-cared-for breed and can 

 not be expected to thrive under abuse. It would be well also for 

 the novice to bear in mind that the Dorset is not dog-proof any 

 more than any of the other breeds are. Of course, the Dorset ewe 

 will defend herself and offspring as much as possible against the 

 attack of dogs, but that they are wholly helpless when dogs attack 

 them the author is convinced, since he' has in mind the utter ruin 

 of a famous Dorset flock by the inroads of the useless cur. 



The Dorset will breed at almost any time of the year and twice 

 at that, although such a course is not by any means to be recom- 

 mended, and it has been proved very disastrous in some instances 

 at least. 



The modern Dorset may be described as a white-faced and 

 white-legged breed of sheep, both rams and ewes having horns. 

 The horns of the ram are considerably larger than those of the ewe 

 and are more curved. It has a well-proportioned body, although 

 it often has "the fatal drop behind the shoulder" ; especially is this 

 true of the ram. In the last few years, however, this defect has 



