492 WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, 
secure it alone. Combine the two, and leave the results to time, 
and the coming decade will be signalized by an advancement in the 
standard of ovine excellence, rivaling that of any similar period in 
the past. 
I have always advocated liberal — in fact, what is usually termed 
high feeding— and still have faith in its efficacy, when freed from 
such surroundings as degrade it into mere pampering. Sheep will 
live in comparative neglect; catch an existence from what most 
other animals would overlook, and thus bring to the thriftless 
farmer better returns than he merits, from the neglected herbage 
arid waste places that advertise his slovenly husbandry to the world. 
But the highest development need not be expected under such con¬ 
ditions, until a reversal of nature’s laws allows man to “gather 
roses from thorns and figs from thistles.” The fiat that condemned 
man to toil as the price of his bread, still has him under its ban — 
and contrive however he may, the rule that something shall not be 
had for nothing still holds good. The sheep — favored animal of 
sacred history, which so frequently cites its meekness, innocence 
and usefulness in illustrating the standard of a more perfect hu- 
Tianity—while obeying more nearly than does the average man 
"the Divine injunction, by returning good for evil, is nevertheless, 
readily marked by the scars that follow neglect and maltreatment. 
It will, however, repay in ample fold for liberal feed and enlight¬ 
ened attention to its comparatively few wants. Experience teaches 
us that upon alimentation during the first year of the life of the 
lamb largely depends its final development. Abundance of bone 
and muscle producing food, given at regular intervals, and with 
ample opportunity for exercise, can be depended upon for satisfac¬ 
tory results, in developing a physique susceptible to modification, 
and capable of increase within reasonable limits. 
The breeder who succeeds must be a student as well as a liberal 
provider. Mere haphazard will bring the disappointment its fol¬ 
lower deserves. The patient and far-seeing efforts of Bake well and 
Ellman in England, and the enlightened perseverance of Atwood 
and Hammond, and a long list of honored preceding and contem¬ 
porary breeders in the United Slates, must be studied and emu¬ 
lated, and their methods adopted, with such modifications as may 
be needed to bring results up to the exacting demands of a neces¬ 
sarily modified sheep husbandry. 
