48 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. 



the Hampsliire breeds, though singularly 

 enough each has taken up the same iield ol; 

 endeavor, the production of early lambs. The 

 Hampshire lambs usually come at a later time 

 than the Borsets and do not go to market 

 ([uite so young, but each has the habit of fat- 

 tening at • an early age, and the Dorset ewe 

 has also the way of dropping her lambs at 

 an earlier season than any other ewe. Then 

 she is the greatest milker of any of the sheep 

 tribe, and because of this large supply of 

 milk, and because of their vigorous digestion 

 and ability to use grain at an early age the 

 Dorset lambs soon attain to good weights and 

 are usually sold fat from their mothers' sides. 

 In truth, it is not good practice to allow Dor- 

 set lambs to attain to an age of above six to 

 eight months, and most profit comes from sell- 

 ing them at two to four months of age. ■ 



The Dorset, like the Southdown, is of un- 

 mixed ancestry, and is one of the most an- 

 cient breeds in existence, though doubtless 

 much changed by selection of modem and 

 progressive breeders. Before cows were used 

 in the dairy in Dorsetshire sheep were kept 

 for their milk, which, no doubt, accounts in 

 part for the wonderful milking powers of the 

 Dorset ewe. In truth, many of these ewes are 

 such large milkers that it is necessary to re- 

 lieve them by hand stripping for a few days 

 after the lambs are bom until they become 

 able to take all the milk. 



Dorset Horns are so named because both 

 sexes have horns. The rams' horns are large 



