176 MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



that it takes more than mere luck to raise big percentages of 

 lambs. He keeps a private mental flock-book and through it 

 knows just what his flock is doing. He aims to get all possible 

 growth out of his lambs. He treats the sick members of his flock 

 at the first moment of their ailment and does not go on the 

 rampage on such occasions, or at any other time. He treats his 

 owner's flock as he would his own. He finds more comfort in 

 the warmth of the sheep-barn than in that from the stove. He 

 does not speak unkindly of a breed that he does not handle. He 

 knows the value of a pinch of salt. He does not think that he 

 "knows it all," but realizes that there are a good many things for 

 him yet to learn. Jle studies individuality before pedigree. He 

 knows that the best bred sheep are a failure under poor man- 

 agement. His interest is centered in the flock he handles, no 

 matter what the breed. He knows that sheep of different ages 

 and temperament require different treatment. He does not grab 

 his sheep by the wool. His vigilance does not cease when the flock 

 goes to pasture. He knows that kindness is the keynote of suc- 

 cessful shepherding. He gives continuous attention to the flock 

 throughout the year. He knows that a successful lambing sea- 

 son depends upon his management and that kindness to the flock 

 means money. We are told that the shepherds in the vale of 

 Tempe and on the slopes of Ida were gentle by mirth and pro- 

 fession. 



Nine-tenths of the failures in the sheep business are due to 

 the shepherd's negligence, and he that is not interested in his 

 calling is about as bad as a wolf in the fold. Good shepherds 

 are good sheep doctors, better in many cases than most veteri- 

 narians for the reason that few of the latter make special study 

 of the sheep. Poor shepherds find fault with the breed they han- 

 dle or blame bad luck for want of thrift in their flocks. Be- 

 hind a poor flock we always find a poor shepherd. His neglect is 

 the forerunner of disaster and the missing link in the chain of 

 the flockmaster's success. The shepherd who has no patience or 

 does not think is never successful. There is no breed of sheep 

 that will thrive under the careless shepherd's management. Some- 

 times environment and breed have something to do with the fail- 

 ure of a flockmaster, but more often it is through the fault of 

 the shepherd. When the shepherd and the "boss" cannot get 

 along the flock does not thrive. A shepherd's work is his recrea- 

 tion. The good shepherd always has the confidence of his flock. 



When speaking of shepherds or breeders the writer's mind 

 always reverts to what "Abraham Hopkins said of his employer, 

 Mr. Humphrey, who was among the pioneers of the Hampshire. 

 He said: "When Mr. Webb's sheep came master would stand 

 and look at him for two or three hours; or when a good lamb 



