CROSS BREEDING FOR WOOL. 237 



preached, at 4, this coarseness, and length, too, are increased. 

 The most inferior part of the fleece is 011 the belly and brisket, 

 as at 5 and 6, that on the legs being almost like hair. Every 

 Merino breeder will know how much has been done with 

 that breed in bringing the fleece to a more even sameness 

 of quality, for in some of the Merinos the belly wool is 

 much better than in the Down breeds, and the leg wool is 

 wool down to the hoofs. This exemplifies the possibility 

 that exists in the improvement of sheep by successful cross- 

 ing. The wool buyer takes note of this difference, and it is 

 this, which he recognizes by feeling when he handles the 

 fleece, that causes him to give a better price for the fleeces 

 of one flock than he will give for others. This is one of 

 the essential points to be considered in choosing the rams 

 to be used in crossing as well as in selecting the flock of 

 ewes. 



That cross-bred sheep must be the main dependence of 

 the wool grower is as certain as an axiom. There is not a 

 sufficient supply of pure bred sheep to produce all the wool 

 required, and there never will be any sufficient uniformity 

 in the pure bred sheep to keep the staple of even quality. 

 Many breeders make many breeds; even of one race. We 

 cannot keep twenty flocks of any breed all started alike, 

 and from the same origin, all alike and without sensible 

 change for ten years, but in that short time these flocks 

 will exhibit surprising differences. This is very well known 

 to breeders, who must exercise the most rigid selection 

 to keep their standard of excellence intact. Thus the 

 slaughter-house is one of the absolute necessities of the suc- 

 cessful breeder, and as there are weeds in flocks as in fields, 

 the weeding of the breeder is as necessary for his success 

 as is that of the farmer or gardener to them. But, divide a 

 flock into twenty, and put these divisions into separate 

 hands, and all skilled to some extent, and there will be as 

 many different flocks in ten years. Thus the breeder's occu- 

 pation will remain, as indispensable to the integrity of any 

 breed, and the wool grower will improve his wool by cross- 

 ing native sheep or grades, gradually getting nearer to the 

 pure bred fleece, but never up to it, by the use of pure 

 bred rams selected judiciously to mate his ewes. 



These facts will show the importance of the wool grower 



