Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-01-16

cut . los. OF WOOL per neao, ana the
wool brings so cts per b.: it is now
worth more,s but so cents will be fair
average price. The lambs, or increase
of the flock, are worth at weaving 81
per head. / he above will afford YOU
a general view Of the cost of land, the
price of sheep, and the proceeds of the
flock; TO which | should add, that pas
ture land will feed about to the acre,
and that 10 tons of hay are required to
carry 100 through the winter, with
equal outlay for barns and sheds-for
our winters arc SO long and so severe,
requiring 5 months in the year, at least,
for forage. ] will now give you the
results Of one farm for the past year,
AMI this in detail will show you with
more exactness, the profits with US
The farm is ona lease, and am, there
fore, enabled to be exact, for take the
figures from my books.
The farm contains $50 acres, and an
out pasture of 40 acres. The flock on
the lst April, 1888, rent day, consisted
Of $50 sheep-the proceeds stood thus
wool, 1868 lbs., sold, ON contract for
10 years, at so cents-brought 1881
50-the increase of the flock was 225
there were sold from the aock 900,
only Il part being lambs, for 5000
making in all 1881 so. The other
proceeds of the farm emit, as they be.
longed to the tenant: had no account
of them. The labor of the farm was
performed by the tenant; one man and
a pair of horses; except the haying, for
which he paid icr extra labor about
$50. The farm is worth, and would
bring, $12 900. Now allow me to
apply this statement to your farm. AT
least 100 acres of mine is meadow, all
of which is required for the winter
consumption of the flock and team. 1t
IS the winter that consumes all our pro-
fits: still, we make out to raise wool
here better than we can any thing else.
Your farm, should suppose, would
keep 500 sheep, and leave you so a
ores for tillage: the a5 acres would
much more than winter them: 500 sheep
would cut 2400 lbs. wool at so cents,
lis $1,000
Increase at $50, at 81 per
head, 10 500
$17OO
The labor of one hand would be all
sufficient to trull the flock and provide
the forage. The tillage of fifty acres
you can estimate, cannot. Does
your farm produce this amount by your
present model If so, the land should
be much higher than at present.
But there are other considerations
that should not be overlooked. Sheep
will restore exhausted land; and moth.
ing prepares field for wheat crop
like them. Pastures, also, that are
poor and afford but little grass, will, af.
ter a season or two, be covered, that
are fed by them with the white honey.
suckle, or, as we call it, white clover.
Succulent food, especially turnips, iii
your climate, on small space OF ground
would afford winter food for large
flock. In word, it costs us 81 %
per head per annum, to carry a sheep
through the year, and yet we profit by
the husbai dry; while it will not cost
with you over 80 cents per head, and
by which your farmers could not fail
to he enriched.
On larger scale, for moment con-
slider the immense benefit to your state,
| if this husbandry could be generally
established. Virginia, with a climate
and soil eminently fitted for sheep, with
an extent OF territory a third larger
than England, might even now feed 80,
900, 900 of sheep-for England feeds
over SO, 10000 Look at the result.
80. 100000 Of sheep would yield co.
100000 lbs. of wool; and, at the fair
European price, would afford her more
than $40, 100000. This would ex-
coed in value the entire cotton crop Of
the United States. Let theexperiment
be once tried, and there cannot be a
doubt ofthe most surprising results. /
have for many years been deeply inte-
rested in the business-have made
some importations from Germany, and
know something of the cost Of raising
wool there-and | am entirely certain
that the Middle States must iaise wool
for the whole world. II will be but a
few years before wool will form, af-
ter supplying the home demand, the Sc
cond item of an export. could give
YOU the history ofthe New South Wales
and Van Dieman Land flocks, which
would, | think, show how feasible is
the project of supplying Europe with
this article from our own country, but
| have already taxed your patience, and
| will conclude by asking you to look