238 THE DOMESTIC SHEEP. 



Laving an ideal. And also of having such an acquaintance 

 with sheep as will enable him to reach his objective point 

 most readily. The majority of wool growers will not bo 

 breeders, that is, working skillfully for the creation of some 

 new breed or strain, that will become fixed in time; and 

 this for the reason that we have now as many breeds as will 

 supply all demands for wool, and if any new evolution 

 shall ever occur in the wool trade, this will be so gradual that 

 it may doubtless be met by a parallel change in the product. 

 It is evident to any one who is in touch with both these 

 depaitments of the wool business, that we need to produce 

 more of that class of wool that comes from high grade 

 Merinos crossed upon other and coarser wooled sheep, and 

 this for the purpose of getting the finest of the Merino, with 

 the heavier fleece from the heavier carcasses of sheep, that 

 will supply mutton. And for the too numerous natives, wo 

 want the improvement by the Merinos for the supply of 

 these grades. And the wool grower who has mastered all 

 the intricacies of his business will purchase his grades and 

 the rams, and thus furnish a market for the first hand sheep 

 the improved natives. And this should bring us to the 

 English system of great sheep markets, where a hundred 

 thousand head or more may be found at the right time 

 for the purposes of the purchaser in each locality where this 

 business is carried on. We have needed these markets, and 

 the want of them is an obstacle in the way of making wool 

 growing as popular as it should be. It cannot be doubted 

 that America is soon to become the greatest sheep and wool 

 producing country of the world, and with this product of tbe 

 raw material, there must be a corresponding enlargement 

 of manufacturing. This consummation will make necessary 

 two classes of shepherds the breeders of high grade sheep, 

 and those of pure-bred rams for one; and for the second the 

 breeders for wool and mutton by crossing. 



Sir Walter Scott, in his story of the Black Dwarf, rep- 

 resents no doubt an actual occurrence in the conversation 

 between two Scotch shepherds of his day, in which both 

 agreed that "it was the woo' that paid the rent." By which 

 it may be understood that it was the clear profit of the 

 flock, the cost being paid by the mutton. And the same may 

 be said to-day. 



