FRENCH BREEDS. 49 



Great Britain, where there are no less than 240 sheep to 

 every square mile, or three to every eight acres, while here 

 we have but nine sheep to the square mile, or one only to 

 each seventy acres. 



With this view in the not fat distance, it is quite clear 

 that sheep that are of no value for mutton will never be 

 able to compete with those which supply our most valuable 

 manufacturing industries with its raw material, and when 

 mature for the market, either as a lamb or a mutton, will 

 supply the ever-increasing demand in this direction. This 

 view is to be always considered by the American shephevd 

 as the basis of a successful choice of the flock. 



THE FRENCH BREEDS. 



It is one of the most conspicuous facts in regard to tue 

 culture of sheep that the most attention 5s given to breeding 

 and feeding the flocks in those countries in which mutton 

 is a favorite and important article of food. The English 

 people consume more of this meat than any other nation 

 indeed doubtless as much as all other nations put together. 

 And while the English are beef eaters to a large extent, 

 yet .their mutton furnishes more than a half of their flesh 

 meat. The result has been that this nation has paid more 

 attention to the breeding of sheep and have more varieties 

 than any other nation. So that it is the fact that in furnish- 

 ing our farms and ranges with flocks we are forced to look 

 to Great Britain, which is England and Scotland combined, 

 for our stock, and also for the replenishing of it with new 

 blood. It may be, and doubtless will be, that in a few years 

 more American shepherds will have so far acclimated their 

 sheep and have so successfully bred them, and by the exer- 

 cise of such skill as many of our foremost shepherds possess 

 and apply to their special industry, we shall be able to de- 

 pend wholly on our native flocks for all our breeding stock 

 as well as have created such special families as will best 

 suit our climate and conditions. Doubtless our system of 

 agriculture will iirprcve under the stimulating effect of the 

 high culture of our flocks, and thus the sheep, as the old 

 adage goes, will prove to us that it has a golden hoof by the 

 vast increase in wealth it will secure to our agricultural 

 interest. 



