6 



N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



With the exception of a few sheep grazed on mountain pastures the 

 writer is unable to locate any in the State except scattering flocks 

 owned by some of the more progressive farmers in the Coastal Plain 

 and Piedmont sections. Unlike the hog, a few of which are found on 

 almost every farm, sheep are rarely given consideration. There are very 

 few pure bred flocks in the State, the majority of them being crosses of 

 various mongrel types. In the mountain pastures there is a reason for 

 this condition existing since the character of the grazing land makes it 

 impractical in many instances for the sheepman to give his animals 

 daily attention. Even here, however, where pure breeds have been 

 tried, they have proved highly satisfactory. Sufficient evidence has 



FIG. 1 A flock of Western North Carolina ewes. 



been obtained to show that many of the reasons given for not raising 

 sheep are not well founded. Fair trials have shown that there is a place 

 for improved sheep in the State. There is no good reason why the 

 farms of the State should not support more than 214,000 sheep as at 

 present, this representing only about one animal to every 146 acres, 

 or an average of less than one sheep to each averaged-sized farm. 



Briefly stated, the sheep industry is seriously neglected, although it is 

 an occupation with great possibilities when handled properly. Even the 

 use of a purebred ram would soon greatly improve upon the ewes seen 

 in many of the farm flocks. The improvement that can be made upon 

 Ordinary ewes which can he purchased usually for three to four dollars 

 per head would surprise thw beginner and inspire confidence in the pos- 

 sibilities of the sheep business. 



