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ILLUSTRATED STOCK DOCTOR. 
whatever his blood may be. So, if to save a few dollars, the breeder se- 
lect a grade buck for breeding purposes, the money is as good as thrown 
away. One buck if properly kept %dll serve one hundred ewes, so that 
the coat per lamb is really light. Thus in breeding grades, pursue the 
same course as advised for cattle. Select a good staunch ram, of well 
known purity of blood, avoiding the excessively high priced animals that 
are simply the best breeders of pure blopds. Such an one may be bred 
to the common stock of the country, and to his own progeny, to the third 
generation. As a rule the sire will give the leading characteristics of 
form, size, length and density of fleece and its yolkiness, ho will do this 
eminently in proportion to the purity of his blood. The fineness and 
principal characteristics will be probably controlled by the dam. Hence 
the importance of none but the best sires. 
In crossing, the Merino may be bred upon the common ewes of the 
.country, always with benefit to the fleece, and never at the expense of the 
carcass. So the Southdown will improve them in mutton and wool. The 
Cotswold and Leicester will give increased size, early maturity and length 
of staple. To breed Merinos on any of the long wooled varieties would 
be useless. It would detract from the valuable qualities of the wool of 
either, reduce the value of the mutton, the size, propensity to fatten, and 
prolific qualities of the long wool. In the West the sheep for money are 
either pure Merinos, or pure Merino rams bred unto the common sheep 
of the country, with the exception before stated, where farms are small 
and near markets where prime mutton is in demand. 
Time for Breeding- 
The average period of gestation in the sheep does not vary much from 
one hundred and fifty-two days. They usually carry a male longer than 
a female, the period of gestation varying a week and sometimes two 
weeks. Therefore the shepherd can easily calculate when to have his 
ewes served by knowing when he wants his lambs in the Spring. This as 
a rule should be at the time of new grass in the Spring. Allowing that 
this occurs the first of March the ewes should begin to be served about 
the middle of September, and the season will then probably continue to 
the middle of October. If lambs for slaughter be the object then the 
ewes should be served fully a month earlier than usual, and extra shelter, 
warmed with fire heat provided for lambing time. This always pays. 
They are the early lambs that command the high prices in the important mar- 
kets of the country, and he who furnishes these must use proper means t* 
iMticipate his neighbors. 
