SELECTION AND MANAGEMENT. 59 



come out of the same hole in the body," choose 

 the one Avith well sprung- rib and a level, 

 straight back, looking of course for a good. leg 

 of mutton, which is after all, about ail tl^at 

 there is in a sheep, from the butcher's siand- 

 point. Then be sure that there is a thick, mus- 

 cular neck, a bright, quick eye, a brisk move- 

 ment, denoting vim and vigor. Such a ram 

 will leave his impress indelibly upo]i the ilock. 

 If one can not personally select his ram, he 

 may often leave it to the good judgment oi' the 

 seller, specifying what is wanted, arid the nov- 

 ice will generally get better service from tlie 

 honorable vendor than were he to attompt to 

 select for himself. 



Fleece is of course important, and minor 

 points, such as markings and absence of scurs 

 or horns on sill breeds save Merinos and Dor- 

 sets. But first of all in importance is it to get 

 a ram boiling over with vim and vigor. 



A ram of such character will readily care 

 for 40 or 50 ewes if hand coupling is prac- 

 ticed, allowing but One service to each ewe. 

 He may indeed go to more than that when in 

 his prime, aged from one year to four or five. 



SELECTION OF THE EWES. I 



Pure-bred ewes may be selected much as the 

 ram is, avoiding overgrown individuals, and 

 seeking for uniformity of type and evidence of 

 perfect health. In buying any sheep look well 

 to the skin, that it be pink in color and the 

 fleece bright and elastic, for a pale skin and 

 sunken fleece are sure indications of lack of 



