SHEEP FOR WOOL, MUTTON AND BOTH USES 53 



The aim in wool production — The aim should be: 

 (1) In wool production to secure wool of a desired grade 

 in the largest quantity attainable; (2) to secure its even 

 distribution over the body ; and (3) to secure even and 

 highest quality in the wool. These should be in wool 

 whatever the breed or grade. 



The grade of wool that should be sought should be 

 determined chiefly by the demand that exists for that 

 class of wool and the capacity of the sheep to produce it. 

 Each of the pure breeds produces wool of a certain kind 

 that is characteristic of the breed. It would not be wise 

 to seek to transform the character of that wool into 

 something essentially different. Much time would be 

 called for to make such change as would have to be made 

 through selection. But when the sheep are not purely 

 bred, then it may be essentially proper to seek such mod- 

 ification, even though sires from another breed should be 

 used in making it. For instance, when fine wool was very 

 dear as compared with coarse wool, the use of Merino 

 sires was not only legitimate but commendable, and when 

 the price so changed that medium and coarse wools sold 

 virtually as high as fine wools, the use of sires from the 

 breeds that produced such wool was justifiable, and all 

 the more so when mutton quality in the sheep became 

 relatively more important. 



Each pure breed of sheep has a certain standard of 

 wool characteristic of the breed. This standard is not 

 always adhered to by the breeders. For instance, Shrop- 

 shire sheep come into the show ring possessed of wool 

 more or less open and possessed of characteristics per- 

 taining to the Oxford Down fleece. Such wool is usually 

 long, and when present makes the animal appear larger. 

 The judge in the show ring should discourage the pro- 

 duction of wool in any breed at variance with the stand- 

 ard for the breed. 



The demand for wool of a certain grade varies with 

 change in the fashions. Such variation may cover a 



