Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-08-25
Moro about sheen.

lanu or not. we thihk or guess we
shall succeed or fail in such and such
course, and accordingly pursue or avoid
il as the case may be. The farmer too
seldom sits down and calmly and dis
passionately reasons with regard to the
course he should pursue-and still more
seldom is he careful to collect the facts.
The method of procedure. that others
may have the benefit of his experience.
Oar success depends more upon innate
energy, sort of intui,ive perception and
mobility in adapting ourselves to circum-
stances, than to well defined system,
leading with consecutive steps from data
10 results.
This is especially true in regard to
keeping sheep in this State. Not many
miles from here is man who entered
last winter with six hundred sheep
when last heard from, in March, he had
eighty or ninety; the rest had gone the
way of all things earthly! Are we TO
conclude from this sad spectacle, that the
wool-growing is ruinous business here?
II is extremely gratifying TO occasionally
find individuals of exactly the opposite
stamp, who have reason for everything
they do, and who can see the results
long before they reach them.
have lately visited the flock of Mr..
Nathaniel Brownlee, of Little York,
Warren Co g., H., and was so well pleas.
ed with his method of managing that |
wished others to have the benefit OF his
experience; besides he is himself anxi-
Gus 10 contradict statements that have
sometimes appeared in the "Prairie Far
mer," and remained unnoticed.
Mr.. Brownlee has at present about
$50 sheep, which taken together, are in
the best condition of any similar flock ]
have seen in ibis State. The only serious
difficulty he has had to encounter is the
the wolves; but by persevering use of
strychnine and the hounds. he has sue
seeded in keeping them al bay.
He never feeds any hay in winter,
bu, 20 acres Of corn, and fifty acres of
timothy aftermath will keep five humid
red sheep.
The corn which is grown as handy as
possible TO the field of winter feeding, is
cut up and hauled off upon the timothy
sward So that il will not freeze down, and
fence thrown around it. By using a
little ingenuity he is enabled TO render the
process of hauling such quantity corn
in the shock comparatively easy. When
the corn is culup it is no, placed around
standing hills as is generally the case,
but branches ore leaned together and tops
tied with a small stock or blades Of corn.
When the time comes for hauling, sever.
al teams enter the field with sleds, and
man with horse draws each shock up
on the sled, by throwing rope around
it. and inserting stake above to keep it
from slipping off-tkus The work is
speedily accomplished. 1t is then spread
out in sufficient quantities, upon the
clean grass, once day in mild weather,
and twice day if the weather is severe,
always being careful to feed upon The
side opposite the wind. In wet wealth
er no fodder is thrown to them what
they &c, on the timothy being sufficient.
During storms the whole area of barn
40 by 60 feet is given to them. This
barn is filled with grain in the harvest,
which is then ,hreshed out leaving the
large bays emptv--ihus guarding against
the confined air. In summer his sheep
range upon the prairie till the first OF
Sc. ,lember, when the lambs are taken off
the ewes, and put into pastures OF limo
thy which have no. been fed since the
ewes anu iutlDo WCIC tdhCii Jul a. oiiSoi
ing. The sheep are folded every night
at the season while lambs are being
dropped, and are not let out ill about 0
o'clock; those which had lambs during
the night remaining to be turned in the
tame grass-aficr which no more lambs
will be dropped till noon, or I'LL the sheep
are filled.
Blu, during the hot weather they go
out very early in the morning, but come
in again as soon as they have eaten, and
lie under the barn during all the heat Of
the day. This protection from the scorch
ing rays OF The sun Mr.. Brownlee consid
ers very important. Ills great aim is to
keep his sheep in thriving condition
all The year round; and accordingly
when the feed on The praries begins TO
get little short. they are taken of and
put on better allowance. This would