196 
STATE AGKICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 
carried it out carefully, iii spite of all my efforts I have not 
always made money, and would almost guarantee that out of 
every ten new sheep-feeders, eight will probably feed but one 
year. When a friend asks my advice on the subject, I always 
say to him, try twenty-five or fifty, and then if you like it, get 
more the next year. Some have loo Iced upon this advice as 
selfish, and given to keep others out, and have rushed into tbe 
business, and not only the first year made no money, but act¬ 
ually lost nearly half their investment. We used to have 
several sheep-feeders in this and adjoining counties, and as the 
principal feeders have all left the business except myself, I 
think this is pretty conclusive evidence that what I now say is 
about right. 
In regard to the profit of the different breeds of sheep for 
fattening, allow me to say, that in my twelve years’ experience 
in feeding, I have found tbe breed of sheep to have much to 
do with their early maturity, weight and fattening qualities. 
I have had Leicesters and their grades, Cotswold grades. South 
■Down grades. Merinos and their grades, and have always found 
that whenever the Leicester blood predominated, I had an ani¬ 
mal that would fatten quick at an early age, and make good 
weight, and have had no trouble when the animal has been 
half or more of Leicester blood, with good keeping, to make 
him dress one hundred pounds of mutton at twenty months’ 
