220 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. 



ers usually reserves the right to discard a 10, 

 20, 30, or mayhe one of each lot. These are af- 

 ter a time thrown together probably into a load 

 of feeders. The lambs are in character about 

 what the wethers were, though they have suf- 

 fered more in transit and are not so strong. 

 Again we see the killers bidding high for the 

 tops. Then goes up a sigh as you relinquish 

 them, and you look on down the line. Ah! 

 Here are the beauties! They are from Merino 

 mothers, evideijtly, and their sires are Shrop- 

 shires, or maybe Lincolns or Cotswolds and 

 they are small taid in rather thin flesh, so there 

 is a chance. They have been bom late and 

 their tops have been selected and sold, these 

 younger ones remaining. 



If we get them we have done well. They will 

 grow and fatten admirably and be our pride 

 and joy all through the feeding season. When 

 fat they will command the top price. ' If we 

 buy them we will take 350 (which fill a car) 

 or maybe 700 or 1,050, and we may need to buy 

 some smaller lots to make the number come out 

 even. 



But hold ! Those lambs were after all priced 

 pretty high, and here are some lively little fel- 

 lows, not so well bred, quite, but yet giving 

 evidence of good blood. They are very late and 

 small, pretty thin, too, weighing less than 50 

 pounds. What of them 1 It depends upon what 

 is stored at home in the barn. If there is abun- 

 dance of good alfalfa, if there are silage and 

 perhaps roots, and loving care and generous 

 shelter and long time, take them! They are the 



