FLOCK HUSBANDRY IN WESTERN STATES. 219 



ciation calls for foods ricli in protein. With 

 plenty of early-cut alfalfa hay in the mow these 

 thin sheep may hring profit. They are of no 

 value for a short feed. They require time to 

 first restore their strength and afterward to 

 rebuild, or perhaps build their flesh and after- 

 ward to lay on fat. 



If one can buy at a low price per pound it is 

 unwise to buy the emaciated ones, seeing that 

 his profit comes largely from a hoped-for ad- 

 vance on the purchase cost and it costs money 

 to build flesh in the feed lot. 



There is, however, another range of condi- 

 tions to be considered when selecting our feed- 

 ers. That is the breeding of the sheep. Here is 

 a pen of very heavily fleeced wethers, or lambs. 

 They will shear very heavy, but they are not 

 of the best form. They have thin necks and 

 drooping sharp shoulders and a look of meek- 

 ness and depression. Shall we take them? In 

 the next pen is a lot with evidence of mutton 

 blood in the Merino. They are lighter fleeced, 

 but stronger. As a rule the very heavily 

 fleeced sheep are not the best money-makers. 

 They will not eat so well nor make so good 

 g-ains. Nature specializes, the food goes to 

 flesh or it goes to fleece and oil in the wool. And 

 ter a time thrown together, probably into a load 

 good feeder. It is only the exceedingly heavy 

 fleece that is to be avoided. 



Now to the lamb pens. The wethers have 

 run very even and have required little assort- 

 ing. The lambs are even also, but there is then 

 a "tail" so that the buyer for the great pack- 



