61 



"will counterbalance their deficiency in wool, as compared with 

 the Merinos. There is no doubt that an Oxford Down or a 

 Cotswold will grow twice the mutton in two years, that will be 

 grown by a Merino — perhaps more. We speak of single ani- 

 mals. But if the amount of food consumed by one Cotswold 

 is as large as that consumed by two Merinos, we must estimate 

 accordingly. Suppose a Cotswold to yield 90 pounds of mut- 

 ton, and 12 pounds of wool in two years ; the mutton at 5 

 cents per pound — the price usually paid by the butcher — bring- 

 ing $4,50 5 and the wool, at present prices, bringing $7.20 — 

 the sheep pays ^11.70. Suppose the two Merinos to yield 60 

 pounds of mutton and 20 pounds of wool in two years ; the 

 mutton, at the above price, brings $3.00 ; and the wool, at 50 

 cents per pound, brings, $10.00 — the two sheep pay $13.00 ; 

 giving a balance in favor of the Meiinos of $1.30. If we take 

 the usual prices of wool, this balance must of course be greater. 

 The advantage which the Merino possesses, is that he pays a 

 much larger price for the food which he consumes, as he goes 

 on to maturity. He is a more profitable boarder — an impor- 

 tant consideration in our climate. 



There is an argument in favor of coarse-wooUed heavy sheep, 

 based upon their production of lambs, which at first glance 

 seems difficult to answer. It seems true that a lamb which at 

 six months old will bring $5.00, is more profitable than one 

 which at the same age will bring $3.00. But is it not also true 

 that on the same feed two fine-woolled ewes will be more likely 

 to produce two lambs worth $3.00 per head, than one coarse- 

 woollcd ewe will be to produce one lamb worth $5.00. If it 

 is so, we get one dollar more for our feed when converted into 

 finc-woolled lamb than we do when it is converted into coarse- 

 woolled lamb. We must remember, moreovei*, that it requii'es 

 an excellent pasture to raise a lamb worth $5.00, while almost 

 any fair New England pasture will raise one worth $3.00. 



In making these calculations, we have not considered the 

 difierence which exists in the quality of pasture-lands in differ- 

 ent localities. But this should by no means be lost sight of, 



