HISTORY OF WOOL. 229 



ture of the sheep continued with the result of giving us the 

 comparatively large variety now in the hands of breeders, 

 with the constantly increasing number of Hocks in the hands 

 of shepherds. 



It should be noted right here, that the chief object of the 

 American shepherd, as also that of every other civilized 

 country, except England, has been the production of wool; 

 while that of the English shepherd has been the mutton. 

 It has happened, however, that in the pursuit of the best 

 mutton in the world the English shepherds have brought 

 into existence an invaluable class of wool sheep, now more 

 than ever to be considered because the coarser and longer 

 staple has been generally adopted as the material for cloth- 

 ing. And the American shepherd, once a wool grower only, 

 has now to meet the rapidly increasing demand of the 

 most populous civilized nation in the world for choice mut- 

 ton, the most nutritious and pleasant flesh food existing, 

 besides catering in the same line for the foreign consumers. 

 So that we here have two objects to pursue, each of which 

 will tend to the profit of American breeders and shepherds. 

 And let us here once more remark, as a very important 

 fact, that in this industry, based on the sheep as a source of 

 profit, there must be two distinct interests; that is to say, 

 the shepherd as a producer of the final products of the sheep; 

 and the breeder as the source from which must be procured 

 the materials for the shepherd to work with. For there 

 must be a higher and more cultivated designer to prepare 

 the materials for the actual worker, which the shepherd is 

 and always must be. And his materials must be the cheap 

 sheep to supply the mutton aoid the wool, crossed with the 

 high-bred and cultivated, imlproved rams, of pure blood, 

 constantly improved and varied as the needs of the markets, 

 and also of the shepherds who cater for the markets- 

 may call for. For breeding is an exact science, to be studied 

 by experts, and a costly business which is above the limit of 

 the ability of the shepherd. In time we shall doubtless 

 adopt the methods of the German breeders, who employ ex- 

 perts to advise them and help them choose the materials 

 for reinforcing their flecks, In regard to the maitateinance 

 of a necessary high standard of excellence in form, size, 

 quality of flesh, and value of fleece; not neglecting the neces- 



