CHAPTER XV 
SHEEP 
Sheep .—The earliest experiments in sheep-farming 
in British East Africa clearly demonstrated one im¬ 
portant fact—that certain qualifications and local 
knowledge must be acquired by the farmer before a 
successful result could be obtained. Even to-day the 
characteristics and requirements of a large proportion 
of the Protectorate as a sheep-raising country are very 
little known ; this being so in view of the fact that 
fashion to a great extent has allocated the various 
districts to various industries, and that newcomers 
have hitherto been inclined to follow the footsteps of 
the earlier settlers who have established positions 
which indicate success. However, in those parts, and 
more especially in the Rift valley, where the sheep 
industry has attained a considerable scale, history has 
shown that the amateur, as well as the professional, 
shepherd who has had some months’ experience on an 
established farm can safely count on a satisfactory 
return from his flock ; provided always that his con¬ 
stant attention is devoted to its supervision. Whatever 
may be a man’s previous experience with sheep, and 
however well such experience may serve him later 
when questions of type and selection arise, a period of 
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