Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-01-02
GULL THE
What is Needed to Secure a Fine Flock
and Keep 1t Fine.

Anu Hcep lC flucs
It seems next to impossible to in
duce some tlock-masters to enter
upon the work of heroic culling.
Here is a man who has a flock of
common ewes, and he is induced tc
grade up. He buys a full-blood ram
and begins the very commendable
work, but when he gets to a certain
point his flock comes to q stand
still, or what is worse goes back
ward. Does the reader of wide ex-
p~cricnce know no such case as thisp
What is the matter?: The mau has
the facilities Of getting q fine flock
and of keeping it fine. The difficulty
is that notwithstanding he has shown
enterprise enough to purchase a
good ram, in reality he is letting his
flock run itself. He is all right SO
far as the male side is concerned,
but he is all wrong on the eve side.
Year after year his breeding is hit or
miss. He never pays any attention
to the character Of the ewes that he
breeds from. He does not make his
hovk the subject OF close study.
He makes it the subject of no
study at all; and he will never bring his
flock to the best possible perfection
until he begins to Gull and Gull yigor-
ously. Every year he should take a
close inventory as it We're, reckon up
the value of each individual as
a breeder, and unless the animal comes
up to the standard-which should be
hioh-discard her. 1t was in that way
that all our improved breeds have been
made. A good breed a be made in
no other way, and no breed can be kept
up to standard except by pursuing this
course.
There is something peculiar about
some men in relation to such a course
as is here indicated. 1t is a most diff
cult thing to induce many people to
weed out, Gull, thin, or whatever other
term may be applicable in describing a
rejection of a certain portion or class
Of their products. Hundreds seem de-
termincd not to learn that going
bravely among the budding fruit trees
and vines and destroying a portion of
the promise Of a harvest is very profit
able. Equally as difficult is it to in
QuCC some W Cufl CllclI llOChS Ol NcIu.
They stick to animals that they know
or might know were next to valueless.
Whatever may be the cause of this,
the highest financial interests of the
flock master demands Il rigid culling,
and that may be intclligently done by
a close study Of the flock. If the eve
is too small, reject her; if she is not
vigorous do not use her for breeding;
if She is faulty in form she should not
be kept: if she is too old do not breed
her. In short, look the individual ami
NAL all over, and keep looking her
over until she is thoroughly known. II
this course is pursued the grading will
90 steadily up, until Il lirst-class flock
will be secured and when secured kept
up to standard. We have always adj
yised the use of only such animals for
breeding purposes as have individual
merit. A pedigree that runs back
through the very best strains will not
compensate for q lack of individual!
merit, for the pedigree may be heavily
| discounted by such treatment as has
resulted in deterioration. The animal
nav bove been abused until it is no
longer vigorous, and that alone may
nave continued through several gener-
etions, thus counteractlng in n large
| degree the laws of prepotenc.y. The
very first thing to ascertain IS whether
~. not the animal, male or female, has
| in itself the desirable qualities. Then
| pedigree is valuable Hestern Ru1al.