SH^P - RAISING.- 



Chapter XXIY. 



BEEEDS OIF SHEEP. 



Sheep in Ancient Times — Mutton a Modern Product — Statistics of Sheep 

 Raising in the United States — Breeds of Sheep — Long-Wooled Sheep 

 — '■ Short- Wooled Sheep — Breeds op Sheep op Asia, Europe, and Amer- 

 ica — Wild Sheep. ' 



IN the very 

 earjiest 

 times the 

 sheep was 

 raised simply 

 for its pelt, 

 and without 

 regard to s the 

 wool. Later 

 on, however, 

 as civilization 

 spread in the 

 world, sheep 

 were cultivat- 

 ed for their 

 wool, and 

 from the 

 fleece of sheep 



and goats the finest of wool was woven in remote periods of ancient 

 history- The shepherd's occupation is a favored one in all sacred 

 chronicles, and the produce of the sheep constituted the fabric of 

 the richest of attire worn by God's chosen people. The Jewish 

 maidens were arrayed on their holidays in woolen garments wrought 

 of the finest and softest of fleeces. And it was to the shepherds, 



(863) 



Fig. 1150.— (Model Head of Ram. 



