The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-08-13

May your ficn SOIL # @
Exoberant, naturess better blessings pour
Der every land"
From the Wool Grower and Stock Register.
ENCOURAGEMENT or SHEEP HUsBANDRY.
The principal article Of profit arising from
the rearing OF sheep, or at all events that one
which is chiefly taken into account by the
farmer, namely, wool, has not for the past
two years brought price in the market quite
so satisfactory as many other articles Of farm
produce, particularly grain. While the best
staple of wool raised among us would, with
difficulty, find market at forty cents per
pound, prime wheat has commanded in cash
from two dollars to two dollars and twenty
five cents per bushel. Reckoning the weight
Of ieeces at three pounds each, which is
high figure for the average of our ne-wool-
ed sheep, and then multiply the price OBJ
tanned by the number Of sheep an acre will
ordinarily sustain, it will be seen that, on
comparing the value of the product with that
of an acre Of good wheat, say twenty bush
els, the balance will be vastly in favor Of the
latter.
Theoretically, then, so far as profit is con-
cerned, il would be much more beneficial for
a farmer to sell off all his sheep and other
stock, put in every acre of his farm to wheat,
and repeat it every year. But in practice,
such a course Of procedure would be the worst
possible economy. A farm so treated would
become impoverished in the first ten years !;
the twenty bushels of wheat which might, if
all things favored, be produced the first year,
would speedily dwindle down TO nothing, and
a long and expensive system OF manuring
would have to be resorted to in order TO re-
store TO the land its original fertility. But
the experience Of our farmers in the raising
Of wheat comes in again in opposition to this
theory Of profit. The casualties that attend
its culture, and the crop, from its many ene-
mics, both animate and inanimate, all com
bine TO render its profits doubtful. The Hes
sian fly, the midge, the killing effects of frost
in winter, and the disastrous blighting Of the
rust in summer, are heavy drawbacks to the
certainties Of good crop. There is no mo-
ment Of safe, from ed-time..to harvest, nor
even then. The brightest hopes Of the wheat
grower last season were biighted at the latest
moment by untimely rains. We do not in
tend here to maintain that wheat raising is
Improbable, but merely to say that actual
ical profits Of its cultivation.
Other grain crops are more certain Of sue
cess, but not SO profitable in individual in
stances. Corn is generally sure crop, but
that finds enemies in vernal and autumnal
irosts, the CROW, the cut worm, excessive cold
wet summers, and other drawbacks. Oats is
one Of the surest grain crops, but il is at the
same time the lowest in price, and among
the grains Welding the least profit. while at
the same time il is very exhaustins TO the
soil.
The great Branch of farming, aside from
the cultivation ofgrain, is the rearing of do
nestle animals. In many portions Of the
country il is made the leading pursuit. as the
lands are better adapted to grazing than till
age; but even in our best grain-producing
sections, il would be of great advantage 70
pay this department more special attention.
The agriculturist, who constantly cuts and
carries away the products Of his soil. will be
certain to bankrupt its fertility. The sure
! way to obviate this undesirable result is IA
: keep upon the place the largest number Of
animals that can be made profitable. and then
economiZe their manures 20 be returned tC
the soil as a compensation.
A flock Of good sheep ought never 10 bt
, omitted from the catalogue. as they can b,
, kept at a comparatively small cost, and, as
! general thing, give an ample return. The
fleece, which is considered the chief item
comes into market at time when the farmer
, has little else 10 dispose Of, and its sale i
often relied upon as the only resource for The
payment Of spring interest and instalments
! and the necessary summer expenses. Al.
] though at times the value Of the staple rule,
) low, there is always certainty Of cash mar.
kct at some price. The fleece Of the sheer
is an article ol absolute necessity 20 the Who'll.
: civilized world. and hence no fear need b,
entertained that change Of fashions, o
| tastes, or pursuits, will permanently endan.
. ger the proftableness Of its production
There must be variations in the price o
wool, as in that Of all other products; bu
any unusual depression Of year or tw,
!, years duration, will be followed by bcttei
times, and we see, at present, indications o
!, this returning tide.
But, aside from the value of the wool, ther,
are many other considerations in favor o
sheep-raising to certain extent, by nearl,
every farmer. The rapidity Of increase o
the flock is an important consideration. Th,
2 ewes are competent to become dams the Sc
!, !, cond season, and not unlrequently the twin
i. produced are sufficient 10 more than cOmpen
safe for all the losses that may occur durin.
e the whole year. The young farmer of limit
ed means, especially at the West, whose in
!. come as yet amounts to just sufficient TO NEE
\ his expenses, cannot purchase stock exten
: siyely and Of the most expensive kind; b,
must be contented 10 wait until he can rca
them himself. and this is an operation tha