The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1842-10-07

RE, before cuhiraiea grasses are caRirated on the
Fam--Tae proper management cfhe prairie
10 proloag The past,rgge fresh and young till
riI,ter sets in.
as wool thy care, let not thy Cattle go,
Where bushes tear where burs and thistlcs grow.
VIRGIL.
No country in state of nature is to be
found so free laom the annoyance of the
woolgrower. mentioned by Virgil in his
first George, as the great praries OF iIIl-
nois. The prairie grass is green, accu-
lent, and nourlshlng, until the first part OF
July from that time onward 1t becomes
less and less acceptable. If flock are
kept on it they must, in the latter part oil
summer. have large range and fresh
paslurage. But a method is known to
frontier settlers, OF retaining spring her
page to the approach of Winter. Select
patch of prairie (some five or then thou
sand acres that has not been burned the
preceding year. The mass OF old dry
prass in the beginning Of June is sn-
cientIy combustable To allow fire to con-
sumo it with the growing crop OF green
grass. Burn patch IN June, and the
young grass will Immediately spring up,
which, IN July, will afford rich pas ure
of young, tender, and juicy grass, about
e,nhl inches high. Barn another patch
IN July. which will afford another pasture
in August. which will remain green and
tender until killed by Winter trosts. In
this way juicy pasture may be secured
from early spring until the succeeding
Winter. some forecast IS necessary
+ to secure ibis. In the previous autumn
these spots should be selected and made
secure by burning round, as the hunters
know how; otherwise they might be con-
sumcd in The general condagrauon, which
often sweeps hundreds of miles OF prairie
grass in the fall Of the year. Surprising
/ no cultivated grasses TO he prepared, I'M
mcdately TINS young prairie grass Is killed
Nv early frost, Oats in the shcai or nay
and corn, should be given at night; the
, flock going out 10 pick what they can
through all the fine days of autumn and
, winter.
+ In the summer the shepherd must have
a cabin near his pasture ground, and the
sheep-yard with a woIi-proo( fence. The
4 flock must be out at the first dawn ol day
- and craze late IN the evening. During all
o the heat Of the day they will shade II
, some neighboring grove, The shepherd
!. must have his horn and rifle, and TIVE
couple OF good hunting dogs, to chase the
wolf or iox The size OF the IIock may
6 he limited only ny the size OF the pasture
# Mr.. Sheridan, who has eighty Thousand
sheep, on the Pampas Of South America
20 divides them into nocks Of hye thousan,
- each; but | incline to think that a ilocl
Ia Of two thousand is sulliceu, for a shep
=. herd and lad to tend. OF all the yarle
,e ties Of speculation anoat in the world,
il. have often wondered that the abundar
al heritage of our prairics has not atlracte
IN the attention of our American wool-grow
il. ers. For summer establishment shout
IN select an eminence on some of our exlei
adj sive prairics, and build four cabins, &c
the families of four shcpherds--alI unde
the eye OF an experienced man. Thos
four shepherds should each diyerge wit
their respective llocks, TO the four point
Of the compass, and all return at night.
Where there is no cultivated grasses
there should be large field of carly SOW
lot rye. for winter and early spring ioot
zee Also OATS, sown perhaps IN the same fiel
to where oats grew before, by ploughlng I'll
he field Immediately after the crop is oil, an
OF sowing about three bushel TO the mere
nd This. with the shaucr in harvesting. WI
m produce much early winter food. Whei
,ur ,here is no cultivated grasses for sheep
re. feed on in autumn, it is somewhat d'i'ico
IN to keep up lhelr condition IN The la'''
IL; part OF the year.
S.. Farmers. whose nocks are too small
ed. alow a shepherd, nigh, derive great n
"a, VANTAGE from clubbing their nncks toge,
pt. or. under one shepherd tor summer pa
red ufe; paying for sfbherling IN prop
ol ,ipn 10 the number seniv. AtIhe approa'
au, ,f winar cacl, flock cohIl return TO Il
eu- owners farm. Surely where the SUNNI
ich feed .an BE had for nothing, and wint
Vi; GOD E % cheap, The article of wool ouc
eou 10 py VA, ifi,is considered wort, gro