Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-10-14
!. Obj 5drmer.
Wool,

grower, my experience may be of
some value TO others who have not
BEEN in the business as long as |
have. [ find that success in raising
sheep and wool depends much upon
Thorough cultivation of the soil
II is generally admitted that if sheep
are kept in good condition that
is, rugged and strong-they are but
LITTLE liable TO disease, except conta-
gi|us diseases, One thing | have
ebberved with wool growers Who
haEr e made it their principal bust
nek$ TO grow wool, that they mostly
succeed well for few years; their
sheep have been healthy aud in good
cobdition; but after that their sheep.
hay Q declined, their aeeces become
light, and many of them become
weak, sicl1ly and die. Then the
conclusion Of their owner is, that
it is necessary that they should be
changed TO other localities, and
when done parcel more Of them
die; but, il they are taken to a more
favorable locality, the balance.again
become sheep. in good condition as
before, and sometimes better.
When a man turns his attention
10 keenino sheen from other branch
es of agriculture, he is very apt to
go all TO that branch. OF conse-
quence, he ploug|.s but little, finding
US his fields are always converted
into sheep pastures, and IN that con-
dition they remain for years. The
natural consequence Of this is, that
the good and Wholesome grasses,
such as timothy and red clover, die
ont, and their place is supplied with
tho Sc kinds that are not wholesome,
snch as June grass Sc; and, IN
addition TO this the sheep have to
run ever it and leave their duag
upon it to moulder upon the top OF
The soil, through and among which
the grass grows luxufiantly, undis-
surbed .by feeding upon which their
dung has not been 50 plentlluly
stfcwn until they almost, and some
times quite, gnaw the grass out by
tic root; when in other pl aces in the
field the grass is groaing luxuriant-
IL, and the owner, seeing it, thinks
his sheep are in good pasture! until
hunger forces them 10 eat from the
iuxuriant grass, which sickens them,
gives the scour and othci: diseases,
and many OF them die -some by
ling cring a week after the y are una
bic to stand--so at length he comes
10 the conclusion that ID is best to
cha nge his sheep, for they have
been upon one farm long enough OF
too long: which is sorrowfal the case
unlf ass they had better, fare. Now
the remedy is here do hot overstock
but keep due proportion of all
kinds of farm stock. To 200 sheep
keel |, about ten COWS, SIX or eight
head be horses, ard fifteen or TWEEN
ty b pgs. Tosappor. such a pr opor-
ion OF farm stock as this, il v' i'll be
nee4fql 10 plow about oneH alt Of
5he ia rm every year, and chansing
with d proper rotation Of crops
timothy and clover will be newly
set In each field once every -four
years, which viii keep the pastures
healthy for sheep and as many o.
The older ones sold as lambs raisel
each year with a prudent eros:
frons bucks Of other families o
sheep, win keep a change as rcgu
lar aud certain IS ihe turning Of ;
WHICH,; and my word ior il, The
shedp will need no other change, i
thcY have good shepherd, and bu
! l,tia medicine. Not that | wish L
be Understood that sheep so KEEP
i arc bot as likely to get into de
slini g,unheaithy condition, as whei
kept on them without being plowfd
| keep upon my farm. which i,
composed of about one hundgct
I acres Of tlllable. and twenty acres o
lo,v, wet, or swampy, land, that af
fords considerable pastafe, abou
twenty head Of cattle, and eight OIL
ten head Of horses, tillecn OF twenty
hogs. aud two hundred and iilt,
sheep, on an average, the yeal
round. winter the cattle MOS y
alnon straw, so chat there is not seer
huge pile Of il lying in some one
OF the fields TO scar and faint the
air around with an unhealthy SAVIOR
bat it is all converted into manure
aud put upon the soil in The sprihe
% support the ensuing crops Cat
lie, all sheltered.
H Iwintrr my steep by selectin!