BRITISH EAST AFRICA 269 



Sheep are of a very poor class, being mostly grades between 

 the native ewe, fat tailed, and the purebred Merino ram. Pure- 

 breds imported direct into the country do not do well, and 

 apparently it is not advisable to bring in high-priced rams, for 

 they deteriorate tremendously. A ram carrying a good dense 

 fleece, with good character and plenty of staple, wall in twelve 

 months' time develop into a haggard-looking creature, with 

 short, hard, weak, and altogether bad wool. If in a show a 

 £100 ram were awarded 95 points, and a £40 sheep secured 70, 

 then under similar conditions, in a short space of time 

 they would both be reduced to about 30 points. Again, should 

 the progeny of a high-priced ram be very good, it also seems to 

 go back later on. Therefore, at present, it is too early to pay 

 high prices for sheep. Some farmers have gone in for the pure- 

 bred Merinos, which were imported from South Africa, but, as 

 compared with the grades, they do not do well. The most 

 favourable results are obtained from crossing the Merino ram 

 with the native ewe, for the mothers are acclimatised, having 

 been in the country many years, which, of course, is a great 

 advantage to the offspring. Then, again, the Merino ram is 

 crossed with the half bred, and so on until it is exceedingly 

 difficult to distinguish a fourth cross from a half Merino. 

 Stock-owners have not gone much further than this, for the 

 sheep industry is still in its infancy, but in those few instances 

 where they have reached the fifth and sixth cross, the owners 

 are not well pleased, for they say that the lambs are mostly 

 very miserable and difficult to raise. 



It is not surprising that sheep do not do well, for in the first 

 place good sheepmen are exceedingly few, whilst the condi- 

 tions under which sheep live are far from being desirable. The 

 rule is for one or two " boys " to herd a mob of about 1000 

 during the day, and for one " boy " to watch them at night. 

 The sheep are generally put into " bomas " (brush yards) at 

 night, and unless these " bomas " are frequently changed, they 

 get into a filthy state. It is often the case that they are not 

 renewed as frequently as they should be, with the result that 

 the sheep have to camp on what is practically a manure heap. 



Three great things to contend with are disease, stealing, and 

 wild animals. There are many diseases from which sheep 



