MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 195 



the increased number of ewes the ratio of percentage diminished 

 rather than increased, showing pretty conclusively that the smaller 

 flocks were the most profitable, although it is doubtful if it would 

 pay to divide some of the large flocks into smaller ones and put a 

 shepherd in charge of each" flock. 



An English Shropshire breeder says he wants all the couples 

 possible and tries his best to get them. He mentions that the 

 biggest fall he ever had was 160 from eighty ewes, composed of 

 nine singles, nine triplets and the remainder twins. This was the 

 number actually raised and not the number yeaned. Their owner 

 remarks that he lost quite a number prematurely through some 

 trouble with the ewes. A good many* of the English breeders are 

 now systematically breeding for twins. The same Shropshire 

 breeder referred to above says that it is the custom of most farm- 

 ers to buy their rams at pedigree sales simply for appearance, 

 and whether they are single or twin-bred is just luck. It is a com- 

 mon saying in England among those in want of a good ram: 

 "Save me a ram or two from these ewes if they breed twins." 



It would seem that ewes were prolific even in early days judg- 

 ing by the Gentleman's Magazine for March, 1750, which says: 

 "Last week a ewe belonging to Mr. Kitter yeaned five lambs; she 

 also brought five lambs last year and four the year before; i. e., 

 fourteen lambs in three years, and not a weak or deformed one in 

 the whole number." 



The Agricultural Magazine for April, 1804, contains the fol- 

 lowing: "Mr. Meadows, of Salcey Forest, Northamptonshire, has 

 a ewe which brought him three lambs in 1802, four in 1803, four 

 in 1804 and four in 1805, being fifteen lambs in four years." Mr. 

 A. F. Filley, an Illinois Hampshire breeder, once wrote : "More 

 than a dozen years ago a son of Mr.. James Harrington, who is 

 Mr. Filley's neighbor, was presented with a Cotswold ewe which 

 within the next eleven years presented him with thirty lambs in 

 the following order: Five pairs of twins, four broods' of triplets 

 and two broods of quartettes. The males of this remarkable ewe's 

 issue were disposed of and the females kept until the ewe flock 

 numbered eighty head, all of which were dispersed by sale except 

 thirteen of the best ewes, which at the next lambing gave their 

 owners, thirteen pairs of twins, every one of which was raised to 



L 'I It 



maturity." 



TWINS VS. SINGLES. 



Considerable difference of opinion prevails as to whether sin- 

 gles or twins are the most profitable. Of course it all simmers 

 down to whether the ewe can raise twins or not. The writer's ex- 

 perience has been that some ewes are much better able to raise 

 twins than others are singles. One good single is worth a good 

 many poor twins, but there is no doubt where conditions are 



