Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1884, by the ORANGE JUDD COMPANY, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. TMIA OL PRINTED IN U. S. A. SF375 975 CONTENTS. PAGE. THE SHEEP AS AN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCT.. Antiquity of Sheep Husbandry-The Future of Sheep Husbandry-Its Effects upon Agriculture-Demand for THE SUMMER MANAGEMENT OF A FLOCK............. Selection of a Sheep Farm-Effects of Soils upon the Health of Sheep-What is a Good Pasture ?—Value of Certain Grasses-The Western Plains as Sheep Pasture- MANAGEMENT OF EWES AND LAMBS.... Marking Sheep-Record for Breeders-Management of Rams-Care of Ewes-Care of Lambs-Selecting Lambs BREEDING AND BREEDS OF SHEEP.. How Breeds are Established-Improvement of Flocks- Cross Breeding-Breeding for Sex-Maxims for Breeders -Native Breeds-Improvement of the Merinos-The Me- rino Fleece-Long-Wool Breeds-Medium and Short-Wool THE STRUCTURE AND USES OF WOOL........... The Method of Growth of Wool-Its Peculiar Structure -Its Composition-The Yolk-Classification of Wools- Character of Merino Wool-Washing Wool-Shearing- Packing and Marketing the Fleeces-Production of Wool in the World-Comparative Values of Wool in Different Physiology of the Sheep-The Teeth-The Bones- The Vital Functions, Respiration, Circulation, and Digestion— The Causes and Prevention of Diseases of the Sheep-Dis- eases of the Respiratory Organs, of the Digestive Organs, of the Blood-Enzoötic Diseases-Epizootic Diseases- Diseases of the Urinary and Reproductive Organs, of the Brain-Parasitical Diseases of the Intestines, of the Skin PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION. It is with a gratifying sense of the favor with which the two previous editions of this work have been received, that the author submits to the public a third edition of "The Shepherd's Manual." The work is now in the hands of several thousands of persons engaged in sheep rearing, and the production of wool, both in America and foreign countries, and many complimentary acknowledgements of benefits received have been sent to the author by readers of this little book. The author would rather believe that these are due to the kindness and sympathy of readers who are engaged with him in a kindred pursuit, and the care and thoroughness with which the work has been prepared, than from any other special merit in it. It is pleasant, however, to the author, who prepared his work chiefly from a love for the gentle, useful animal, to know that it is received, as was recently stated by a practical writer in a leading agricultural journal, as "the highest authority in the United States," and that this favorable opinion of it was endorsed by a well known western breeder of sheep. Certainly after eight years' later experience, the author has found no necessity for changing any views at first expressed, nor has he found any material addition to the matter requisite, excepting so far as regards the development of the sheep and wool industry in the more recently settled territory that has been opened to the enterprise of the Shepherd. The remarkable increase in this industry during the past twenty years, and especially in the few years since the first edition of this work appeared, now eight years ago, should not be passed over without notice here. The following figures exhibit this growth in a conspicuous manner. This increase has been a healthy and permament one, and has not been stimulated by any speculative excitement at all. It is |