Reva Sheep 193 
between fifty and eighty pounds, the proper market 
weight being about sixty pounds. A farmer located near 
a large city can dress very early spring lambs on the farm, 
shipping by express and selling to hotels, clubs, and the 
like. The very earliest lambs bring fancy prices and are 
very profitable in spite of the higher cost of production, 
but since it is only a few of the very earliest that bring 
the fancy prices, the early lamb business must be limited 
to those farms so situated that the lambs may be easily 
marketed before the rush begins. The average farmer 
must, therefore, try to meet a more stable, although 
lower market. He can and must, however, get his 
lambs off before the range lambs come in. The large 
number of spring lambs are marketed in carload lots 
in the stock-yards. These lambs are young and 
tender and great care must be taken to see that 
they receive the least possible rough treatment on their 
journey. 
The marketing of pure-bred stock is somewhat different, 
as they must be held until they are older. With pure- 
bred stock the farmer has two methods to follow; namely, 
selling his stock as lambs or as yearlings. Marketing in 
either case is done in the fall, just prior to the breeding 
season. The system of selling stock as yearlings is best 
when the farmer has enough land, since there usually is 
more money in it for the producer and the buyer is better 
satisfied. The sale of lambs for breeding purposes should 
be discouraged as much as possible. 
Annual auction sales, wherever established, are the best 
means of marketing. Breeders should support these 
sales as they are the cheapest way for the buyer and seller 
to get in touch with each other. 
