SHEEP FOR WOOL, MUTTON AND BOTH USES 51 



increase in size and weight is influenced by the breed 

 from which the sire is chosen. Usually the greater the 

 average weight and size in the breed which has furnished 

 l.he sires, the greater will be the increase in the size and 

 weight of the resultant progeny. Such increase in even 

 the first cross may carry the progeny beyond the weight 

 at the usual age for marketing that is most in favor in the 

 markets of to-day. The crosses most in favor at the pres- 

 ent time are those made with sires of the middle wool 

 breeds. Among these, those of the dark-faced or Down 

 types are highest in favor, and of these the smaller breeds, 

 as the Southdown and Shropshire, are the most used. The 

 improvement in form is shown in the widening and firm- 

 ing of the back, increasing correspondingly the rotundity 

 of the body and increasing the development of chest and 

 thigh. The tendency to take on flesh is so improved that 

 an excellent finish is easily practicable with sheep and 

 lambs of the first cross made, as above outlined. One 

 cross from the mutton breeds on grade Merinos will 

 greatly reduce the formation of wrinkles, so objectionable 

 in mutton sheep, and in many instances it will entirely ob- 

 literate them. It is peculiarly fortunate that the results 

 from these crosses are so favorable. The western ranges 

 are virtually stocked with Merino grade sheep. Range 

 conditions are unfavorable to finishing these, with some 

 exceptions. When too advanced in age for further use on 

 the range, the ewes may be shipped to the stockyards, 

 taken from thence to the farms, made to produce one 

 crop of lambs and then finished in good form on such 

 pasture as rape. In this way a farmer may easily pro- 

 vide for himself lambs for feeding in the late autumn and 

 winter. 



A cross from any of the mutton breeds will tend to 

 reduce the wool of high grade Merinos in fineness, in 

 density and in the quantity of yolk that it contains, and 

 from all, or nearly all of them, the tendency will be to 

 increase the length of the fiber and to decrease the weight 



