CHAPTER XXXIII 
SHEEP 
Sheep will thrive on pastures that will scarcely support 
other animals, and they require less grain than any other live 
stock. They are easily cared for; they increase rapidly and 
mature at an early age. These considerations make them 
very profitable farm animals. They are usually classified 
according to the kind of wool they produce, that is, according 
to the length and quality of the fiber. This gives us the 
fine-wool, the medium-wool, and the long-wool breeds. The 
last two types are often spoken of as the mutton breeds. 
THE FINE-wWooL SHEEP 
These are the Merinos, our best wool producers. On these 
sheep the skin lies in folds or wrinkles, thus increasing the 
surface for the wool to grow on. The fleece is heavy and the 
fiber short and fine. The wool is in demand for the manu- 
facture of the finest and most expensive woolen fabrics. But 
the animals are small and their bodies spare, so that they are 
poor mutton producers. Merinos are hardy, are good grazers, 
and are able to adapt themselves to a variety of climates, so 
that they may be found all over the civilized world where 
sheep are raised. They originally came from Spain, but 
most of the improvements have been developed in other coun- 
tries, giving us many different types, the principal ones being 
the American Merino, the Rambouillet or French Merino, 
and the Delaine Merino. Merino rams usually have horns. 
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