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Show average of four pounds of wool per head, and wool sold for seven cents a pound, they made practically no profit the first year and had a hard time meeting expenses. Their mother was able to spare some hay and grain to help with horse feed and their young brothers (Will, fifteen years and Eph, thirteen years) assisted them in the spring and fall whenever they could. They were by then responsible for the farm, however, and could not be away for long. At the start of their venture, and especially after the small return of the first year, John K turned again to more serious thinking. He reasoned that if they were ever to make a profit on sheep it would have to be done through an increase in the yield of wool. He determined to breed better rams than formerly in order to increase the number of pounds of wool shorn from a ewe. And the improved breeding should also produce more and better lambs. MOMENT OF DECISION After the disappointments of the first two years of shareherding Frank asked for his small profit so he could go away to school. But before long his money was gone and he returned, wanting to work with his brother again. By the end of the third year John K's better breeding program began to pay off with a small increase in the yield of wool, and that was encouraging to him. But again Frank desired to take his profit and leave. He planned to be married and in order to pay for a honeymoon 52 |