THE BREEDING OF SHEEP 405 



if mutton, whether he means to raise hot-house lambs or older 

 mutton. He should bear in mind that in general "like pro- 

 duces like" and that "blood will tell." This applies to the 

 ewes as well as to the ram. Bad qualities of one are as likely 

 to appear in the lambs as bad qualities of the other. Even after 

 using the greatest care in finding the breeding stock, the breeder 

 must be prepared to expect many lambs inferior to both parents. 



The type or breed should depend on the individual preference 

 of the breeders. The advisability of selecting wool or mutton 

 sheep will depend on the conditions. Mutton is preeminently 

 adapted to the corn-belt, although a great many wool sheep are 

 found there. Where hot-house and early spring lambs are to be 

 produced, Merino and Horned-Dorset blood must predominate. 

 Where the grazing land is much broken, some breed other than 

 the pure mutton is likely to give best results. For such lands 

 a good grazing breed is demanded. Whatever breed is chosen, 

 there should be no further change, 

 for it is indiscriminate and zigzag 

 crossing that has produced our 

 present common stock. 



Uniformity. — In choosing the 

 foundation flock of breeding ewes, 

 no single factor is of greater im- 

 portance than uniformity. The 

 ewes should be uniform in type, ,:, ,,o xr t:^ 



•', ' Fig. 133. — Hampshike Ewe. 

 weight, quality, and breeding. champion, international Live 



Such a flock will cost sHghtly more Stoo'. show 1908. Photograph 



. hy National stockman and Farmer. 



than one not uniform m these 



characters, but will prove much the more profitable in the 

 long run. As we have already observed in the discussion of 

 mutton production, uniformity is a market requirement, and 

 when it is wanting in the breeding ewes, it will also be lacking 

 in the crop of lambs. When one is producing wool, an even, uni- 

 form clipping is to be desired. Furthermore, if the breeder 



