234 RURAL NEW YORK 



records fifteen breeds with two or more owners of 

 each breed. Out of 42U breeders of pure blooded 

 sheep who owned 13,893 animals in IDIU, the Shrop- 

 shire leads with 13? owners and 5725 animals. The 

 State is- regarded as peculiarly suited to the Shroj)- 

 shire. The three Downs breeds were represented by 

 111 owners and 28TG animals, of which 1421 were 

 Hampshires, 709 Oxfords, and 746 Southdowns. 

 The Merinos stand next in importance with 35 owners 

 and 2470 animals, while the Dorsets had 41 owners 

 but only 1034 animals. 



Such authorities on sheep husbandry as the late 

 Joseph E. Wing recommend for New York the 

 keeping of sheep, by which he means the production 

 of wool rather than of mutton. At the same time, 

 other authorities have emphasized the market facili- 

 ties of the State for mutton and especially for lamb. 

 The commodious warm barns available on many 

 farms, together with the need for animals to consume 

 roughage and to provide winter employment where 

 dairying is not practiced, favor a moderate develop- 

 ment of the industry of winter or hot-house lamb 

 production. H. A. Hopper says that " the maximum 

 returns under eastern conditions will be secured from 

 sheep giving as heavy a fleece of good staple wool 

 as is consistent with the economical production of the 

 mutton type demanded by the market. In other 

 words, the dual typo of sheep that is able to produce 

 a fair sized fleece and at the same time develop a 

 good quality of meat at a fair cost, is the one best 

 suited to conditions in New York." 



