35 
pounds, and the twins seventy-five pounds, each. Such will command 
in Chicago, at any time, four cents per lb. 
“The wool of this breed of sheep is of medium quality, and is rated 
as middle wool, that is, between fine and coarse. It sold last spring for 
forty-seven cents per pound. And by adding the value of the wool and 
the price that the lambs will command from the butcher, upon which 
market you can always depend, you can see that the return is a very 
good one. But there is another, and I think more profitable way, of dis¬ 
posing of your surplus buck lambs, after selling what you can as breeders 
Castrate them when young, keep them well till two and a half years old, 
by which time they will have given you two heavy fleeces, and then you 
have an animal that will command in New York market from $8 to $16, 
which, as will be seen by the market reports, is a common price for sheep 
of this breed and age. Their flesh, by epicures and all others acquaint¬ 
ed with it, is pronounced superior to any other mutton, and consequently 
is quoted at the highest rates. Their wool is of a quality that is well 
calculated for domestic use. 
“The Leicesters also can be turned to a good advantage by fatting the 
wethers for the New York market. They require a year longer to ma¬ 
ture than the South Downs, from three to four years being necessary. 
At such an age they will weigh more than their South Down brothers, 
and will have yielded three heavier fleeces, but their mutton will not 
command as high a price, and more feed is required to bring them to 
such a condition, as they do not take flesh as readily as the South 
Downs. 
“By the market report in the New York Tribune of last week, I saw* 
that a lot of sixteen half-blood South Down wethers were sold for $18 
per head ; and I know of no country better adapted to bringing sheep to 
such a condition and market value than Wisconsin. We have the soil 
and energy, and all we want is the right kind of sheep. 
“From my own experience, I can say that sheep can be transported 
from this State to New York for $1 50 per head, as I shipped last year 
over 400 head for that market. But, before we can get such sheep ready 
for transportation to the East, our country will be full of buyers ready to 
take them off our hands. 
