, 1843-12-09

ana was paying TWO uolidiS ktl
pound cash, for all the merino wool |
could get, III It's natural state too
In three years thereafter Q81O
sold for the sheriff did for me) the
selected flock of %merinoes, upwards
of three hundred head, for two dol
lars each. This flock, that brought a
little over six hundred dollars, would
have produced three years before up
wards of thirty thousand. But peace
having taken place in the mean time,
and the repeal of the double duties
(war duties) in 1916, knocked the
merinoes in the head, as it did the
manufacturers. 1t is no longer, 1t
seems to me, a question as to which Is
the best breed; that, | think, is settled
~ the price now paid for wool. /
have seen wool purchased IN Louis
vile, BY the Andersons, and by James
Cromy, al very low price, paying
no more for the finest than for the
coarsest grades. A stapler could Sc
lect from these purchases pick lock to
all grades below, yet all purchased at
the same price. When coarse wool
is selling IRON I'd. TO Sd. in England,
the finest grades are worth 2s. Cd. to
IS. Cd. per pound; and why this great
difference in price? Simply because
nature does not allow fine wool t.
grow on a large & the small
paystoo little from the butch
err to Justify keeping them. Notwlth-
standing the high price paid for fine
wool in England, her agrIculturlsts
will not produce it, as the fleece even
there will not (%alone) pay for their
keeping. Attempts were made there
to grow fine wool; merinces were IN
troduced. and DR.. Parry made the
trial Of crossing them on the famous
Southdowns, but at length had to a.
bandon them for larger carcasses.
As we cannot now get more for
fine than for coarse wool, that, |
think. should settle the question for
the present at least. The breed that
produces the heaviest fleece and the
largest carcass will bring 10 the far
mer the most money, and therefore
should be the breed preferred to all
others. TIE name is not of conSe-
quence. Bakewells, Cotswolds, o
SOuthdowns, no matter which; a
heavy fleece and large areas should
be the ann. but symmetry of form Is
by no mean to be overlooked. Sheep
are short-livcd animals, arriving at
maturity at four years; some breeds
sooner; no Improvement afterwards.
This is the age TO sell. At shearIng
time put all the four year ODDS 10
themselves. both ewes and weathers,
give TO them the best pastures, and
when winter sets in feed, to fatten
for the butcher. in the best way that
the farm allows. Trey may he made
marketable from January 10 May,
and if well managed will bring dou-
bic the money they will do in the or
dinary way. The four year olds be-
ing sold off, their place is filled by the
lambs, So that the flock on the farm is
always increasing IN value. If kept
over four wear old, they may remain
stationary for a year or two, then de-
cline every year in fleece and flesh
until they die. The last few years
the fleece is too poor to pay for the
keeping, so in the end there is a to-
tai loss in keeping old sheep.
The fattening ewes ought TO have
the buck first Of January. If it is
the interest of the farmer TO increase
the number of sheep. some of the
best Of the ewes may be kept til six
years old. but not longer.
have lost more sheep by housing
them in the winter, and more lambs
by folding the ewes at weaving time,
tt,an from all other causes. Sheep
ought TO be protected from the sun in
summer, not, however, by housing
them.
Sheep are free from any sort Of
disease in this State; no rot, "a dis
ease of the ioot,) rs prevails in Eng
land; no scab as in Spain; il an i'll
looking flock is met with, it comes of
neglect, but mostly by poverty or old
age. LEWIS SANDERS.
p. S. | think | may, without much
improperly, ask my friend; MIR. l..
Young, OF Springdale, for some of
his views and opinions, entertained
and made up from an actual expert
ence. am apprised Of his uncom-
mon modesty, but if | had the right
would insist. know he has cultiva-
ted orchard grass; | know he has cul-
tivated sugar-beet and turnips. and
am very anxious to be in possession
sr H. E,,ts ond opinions If he ha-