The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-02-27
COarse-YOOled Sheep.

The Cotswolds were first introduced
into the United States some forty or
forty-fve years ago, and something of a
contest for the first position for heavy
frames and long wool has ever been
held between this breed, the South
downs and the Leicestershires. The
best grades have come from a cross be-
tween the L-icestershires and the Cots
wolC s; IN fact the two have become so
generally intermixed that it is difficult
to find thoroughbred Cotswold. The
benefit derived in a cross is in improv-
ing the size of the carcass and making
an earlier maturity of the lambs. The
two improvements are particularly i'm
portant where the fiock-master designs
his sheep for the meat market. AS to
which are the best for wool and mutton,
the crosses or Southdowns, opinions are
pretty equally divided. The South
down ram, coupled with the common
breed eve, where the dam is of good
size, make good lambs for early spring
market, and an excellent quality of NUT
ton; it being we'll established fact
that the sire, as a general thing, has the
most influence on the length and guam
tity of the wool, and the eve on the de-
velopment of the frame. It is impor-
bkl1OS nllOA dLI CIO66 ID 10 AdbC
the dam of good health, strength and
.Ssize. Where a cross is made between a
ram of long and rapidly growing wool
and eve of very short, unhealthy
growth the result is not favorable either
In the fleece or carcass. The uniform
ity of the size of frames and quality of
fleece of cross breeds may be sustained
by a strict conformity to certain rules.
The idea that either fine or coarse wool
are the most profitable to raise as a
whole, is simply foolish, for the matter
is entirely controlled by the supply and
demand. The war created demand
/ for coarse woods, and excitement ran
/ high for a few years respecting this
grade. Manufacturers claimed they
could not get enough combing wool, and
/ there was too much fine merino fleece
on the market, and the reverse which
! farmers made has reversed the market,
! and to- day the demand is the stronger
/ for fine wool. Some of the wool-grow-
ers have experimental on the cost of
! keeping fine and long-wooled sheep, and
have not made the result strikingly In
] favor of either While the Cotswolds
will consume little more hay, they re-
/ quire less grain to keep them in good
condition during winter than Merinos.
/ 1u6 1OEDQ6T are IOG subject 10 lou IOb,
but suffer more from head diseases. A
good flock of Merinos will yield more
pounds of wool, but the combiDg fleece
will bring more per pound, but wher
the sheep are taken to the shambles the
score makes decided turn in favor o.
the heavy bodied sheep-Cotswold, Lei
cestershire or Southdown. Heretofore
| it has been generally believed that Cots
void and Merino sheep could not b.
crossed with profit for the reason thert
is such marked difference in genera
characteristics, such a diversity IL
length of wool and the size of frame
and doubtless that opinion is yer,
nearly correct however, crosses hav
been made with good results. In on
instance where the crosses have bee
made, Cotswold ram has been couple,
with Merino ewes, and such selection
made of the latter as are specious
strong, and producers of a lengthy an
rapid growth Of fleece. That profits
BILE returns could be made from an al
temnt to bring up a degenerated foe
of Merinos by crossing with Cotswold
is extremely doubtful. Where a goo
cross is made a quality of wool, con
! bining delaine, is produced which
very desirable and always marketable
, RltraL SOlttIs0q71eT.