174 MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



mon farmers with their flocks, which are in reality pure-bred, al- 

 though unregistered, pay prices for their rams that very many of 

 us would hesitate to pay for rams to use on our pure-bred flocks. 

 To attend an English annual ram sale or "letting" is an inspira- 

 tion. There are those at which hundreds of rams are sold and at 

 prices that would stagger us. Even the prices paid for the renting 

 of a ram for a single month's service on a limited number of ewes 

 would cause us to think twice before renting once. Very few of us 

 have any idea of the quality of the sheep and mutton found in 

 the British markets, and the fascinating picture the pens of choice 

 fat lambs and yearling wethers which are penned at the different 

 sale yards all over the country make. It is nothing unusual for a 

 yearling, really under a year old, to dress a hundred pounds. Al- 

 though in certain sections of the country heavy mutton is more or 

 less in demand, generally speaking the demand for lighter car- 

 casses is more popular now than it was a few years ago. 



THE SHEPHERD. 



There is more poetry in shepherd life than can be found 

 in many so-called poetical works. The bleat of the lamb, the 

 tinkling of sheep-bells floating "o'er the lea/' the sparkling of 

 the brook, the closeness to nature and even the barking of old 

 "Shep" is music and poetry of a kind that charms as few other 

 things do. But, withal, the shepherd's life is not without care, 

 since no matter how faithful, conscientious or careful he may be 

 losses befall him which brings more sorrow to his soul than that 

 of the flockmaster himself. Therefore the idea that a shepherd's 

 life is nothing less than a sweet pastoral dream in which the 

 flute and the harp play the leading role is unfortunately a very 

 misleading one. The sheepfold has been the cradle of some great 

 men. Everyone has read of David, the sweet singer and harpist 

 who slew the giant Goliath; of Ferguson, who studied astromony 

 while tending his flocks; of the "Ettrick Shepherd" (James 

 Hogg) the writer of charming prose, verse and song. Others 

 might be mentioned, but these will suffice. 



Shepherds are of different types, and their work in differ- 

 ent sections of countries and in different parts of the world is 

 varied. The work of the eastern shepherd, with his small, well- 

 fed, well-sheltered flo.ck and show flock, is different to that of 

 the western shepherd, with his flock of thousands which in some 

 cases have no shelter other than that afforded by the hills, and 

 no feed other than the dry grass and sage brush the range 

 affords, although many of the flockmasters there are now install- 

 ing modern methods in caring for and feeding their flocks. Many 

 of our leading shepherds handling mutton breeds are of British 

 extraction, and most of our best fine \vool shepherds are American- 



