THE FEEDING OF SHEEP 



411 



(1) The Southdown* are very active, but are easily fat- 

 tened. They are small and hornless, with brown faces 

 and legs. The Southdown for many years has held first 

 place in the best markets. Its flesh possesses a fine flavor. 



(2) The Dorset* are entirely white. Both ewes and 

 rams have horns. As a feeder, the Dorset ranks high. 

 It produces well-nour- 

 ished lambs early, and 



these may quickly be 

 made ready for the 

 market. 



(3) The Shropshires 

 are dark brown in faces, 

 ears, and legs. They 

 rank next to the South- 

 down in mutton pro- 

 ducing qualities. 



(ft) The long WOoh^VQ SHROPSHIRE. 



three different breeds of 



some prominence locally, Leicester, Cotswold, and Lin- 

 coln. In all three the sheep are of great size, and are 

 covered with long, coarse, curling fleeces. The long wools 

 are. English breeds and are not extensively raised in the 

 United States. 



302. The wool type has the Merinos for its most noted 

 breed. The Merinos produce the finest and heaviest 

 weight of fleece. They have large folds or wrinkles in 

 the skin, which increases the wool-bearing surface. The 

 rams carry heavy curved horns. The fleece is short ; and 

 on the outside it is usually a dirty black because of an 

 exuding oil. 



303. The Feeding of Sheep. During the summer it is the 

 common practice to allow sheep to graze. In the south, 

 where the grass remains green the year around, it is not 



