4 BULLETIN 20, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
the breeding stock himself, the farmer should secure a more uniform 
lot and one better adapted to his own particular conditions. Another 
advantage of small numbers, especially where capital is limited, is that 
better animals can be purchased. 
A GRADE FLOCK. 
A grade flock is desirable under certain circumstances. Where 
market stock is the sole aim it will doubtless pay better to use grade 
ewes. It is the improved blood that makes a grade valuable. This 
being the case, the highest possible grade ewes should be purchased. 
By using a purebred ram on these ewes—and this is the only kind of 
ram that ever should be used—a flock can be developed to such a 
degree of purity that for all market purposes it is equal to the pure- 
bred flock. 
Again, the financial risk is less with a grade flock, as there is less 
money invested. <A grade flock can at any time be disposed of for 
its market value. This is not the case with pedigree stock, which, 
if it must be done immediately, without previous notice, can be sold 
only at a portion of its actual value. 
CONVERTING A GRADE FLOCK INTO A PUREBRED ONE. 
A grade flock can gradually be converted into a purebred one at . 
small cost by buying a few purebred ewes and by replacing the grade 
ewes with the offspring of the purebreds. ‘This is, of course, assum- 
ing that a purebred ram heads the flock. This scheme also has the 
advantage of offering experience to the breeder during a time when 
his flock is not so valuable. 
A PUREBRED FLOCK. 
Purebred stock has a number of advantages over grades. These 
may be divided into natural and artificial, The natural or mherent 
advantages of purebred stock arise from the fact that there has been 
a concentrated effort in the development of the better breeds to 
establish, intensify, and perpetuate thet superior qualities by using 
only the best animals for breeding purposes. There have been some 
exceptions to this, some inferior animals have entered, but the for- 
mation of a breed has in general been based upon superiority in 
some form. Nevertheless, owing to the reappearance of inferior indi- 
‘viduals, not all purebred sheep are suitable to retain in the flock. 
A breeder of purebred sheep can develop a reputation that never 
could be acquired with grades. The sales of pedigree breeding stock 
extend over a much wider range of territory than those of market 
stock. The show ring also spreads abroad the fame of the breeder of 
purebred stock. Larger prices are obtained for purebred ewes and 
rams when sold for breeding purposes, although it costs little more to 
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