242 



to the peasantry, and on the understanding that the tithe 

 shall not exceed one-third of the produce. 



To favour the retention in the country of the existing 

 stock of cereals, credits will be advanced, at greatly reduced 

 rates of interest, by the " Banque Agricole," on all stocks of 

 maize, oats, and barley which may be deposited with the 

 bank as security. 



In an article on" Raising Sheep for Mutton*" Professor Curtiss,. 



Director of the Iowa Agricultural Ex- 

 Characteristics of periment Station, points out that not all 

 a Good Sheep the animals belonging to any of the im- 

 proved breeds are possessed of a high degree 

 of excellence, and that no graver error can be made than the 

 assumption of uniform excellence in the stock constituting 

 any breed, no matter how much prominence it may have 

 attained. Individual animals always differ more than 

 breeds, and there are relatively few really good animals in 

 any breed. This seems to be .strikingly true of the mutton 

 sheep, and the following brief observations by Professor 

 Curtiss on what constitutes a good mutton sheep may therefore 

 be of interest. " First, let there be pronounced masculinity in 

 the male and femininity in the female. Sheep should be 

 neither sexless nor characterless. They should bear the 

 stamp and character of the breed they represent. This 

 breed character is a mark of good blood, and it should be 

 manifest in an unmistakable manner. The sire should be 

 impressive, resolute, and of noble bearing. He should be 

 distinctly the head of the flock in every sense of the word. 

 To meet these requirements he must have good constitutional 

 and vital powers. Without these no animal is fit to head 

 a herd or flock. In selecting a sire, look first at the head- 

 If deficient there, look no further, but reject at once. Insist 

 upon a head that faces you boldly with a wide face, a clear,, 

 prominent eye, and a robust character throughout. The 

 head should be joined to a well-filled, round, muscular neck, 



* U.S. Department 1 of Agriculture,. Farmers Bulletin, No. $6. 



