14 BULLETIN 313, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



It should also be mentioned that the most highly esteemed Austra- 

 lian rams have an " open " face in contrast to the heavily wooled face 

 demanded by American breeders. Covering of wool on the legs is 

 desired, but only as a minor point. 



The type of sheep so popular for the drier, warmer sections with 

 scattered feed might not prove to be fully adapted for our western 

 States, but there is food for much thought in the Australian's severe 

 criticism of wrinkles, fine wool, heavy oil, and thin skin. Aside from 

 the influence upon wool growth of extreme warmth and dryness, it 

 must also be granted that our winters prevent us from producing the 

 length of wool and the uniformity in quality, appearance, and char- 

 acter possible under conditions occasioning no such checks. When 

 running at liberty in paddocks, even on a light, dry soil, there is not 

 the same amount of dirt in the fleece that is unavoidable under a 

 system of continuous herding and seA^eral nights' use of, and daily 

 driving to and from, a single bedding ground. 



The demand of the American buyer in Australia for a light-shrink- 

 ing wool has no doubt lent an added stimulus to progress in that 

 country, but such progress even if altogether so promoted is none the 

 less worthy of the attention of our sheep breeders and woolgrowers. 



MUTTON POINTS OF AUSTRALIAN MERINOS. 



Although frequent mention is made of the value of the carcass in 

 discussions of the recently evolved Australian Merino, that sheep does 

 not seem to be the superior of the American Merino in either size or 

 points of mutton conformation. In both regards it is inferior to the 

 Rambouillet as bred in the United States. The Eambouillet is little 

 known or understood in Australia. There appears to have been some 

 use made of an earlier type of the breed by the Peppyns, whose sheep 

 in other hands have contributed largely to the advance of recent 

 years. 



SALES OF STUD RAMS. 



Many very large and very valuable stud flocks are maintained. A 

 few of these contain upward of 60,000 ewes, and one flock has sold as 

 high as $260,000 worth of rams in a single season, at an average price 

 of $30. At the 1914 annual ram sale held in Sydney, 268 Merino 

 rams were sold, at an average price of $437, while over 2,500 other 

 rams brought an average of $38. With a demand for flock rams in 

 lots of 100 and more, at $20 per head, the stud sheep business is 

 attractive to competent breeders and justifies paying two or three 

 thousand dollars for a sire, as is commonly done. Over $7,000 has 

 been given for single rams on several occasions. Such prices are not 

 known in America, although breeders are not wanting whose sheep 

 are capable of effecting an improvement upon general flocks similar 



