Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-09-29


 summers without any protection whatever but what nature has gwen, and yet they have been almost entirely free from all disease, especially from the coughs which often in winter affect sheep of the fine wool breeds, and they have been equally free from the snullles and foot rot, which have been so fatal to the lonp wool breeds, in such wetsummers as in 1855 in Ken lucky. Clothed to the knees and to the ears Tn thick, long and impenerable fleece. they bld dehance to rain, wind and snow, and seem at all tunes to be comfortable and spr ghtlv.- In summer they are allowed to roam from pas ture to pasture, and they devour almost every green weed but mullen and poke. In winter short grass Is all which they require, and ifthat cannot be afforded to them, they will take their corn fodder with the cattle and do well on it; though at yeaniug time, like other sheep. they requrc more succulent diet. The breeding ewes have never been fad with grain at any time; and when, during deep snows, they have been admitted to hay stack, they have eaten of it but itte
 THRIFTY AND PROLIFIC CHARACTER.
 In the month of August, in each year. any age!, inferior, or aecliuiug ewes are taken from the flock, and on being separated from their lambs, and put on good grass, they soon make excellent mutton. Only the most healthy, thrifty, and finely formed, and good wooded ewes are kept for breeders and the utmost care has been taken, and no reasonable expeuse has been spared to secure bucks to breed to them. of similar character, and which would impart some superior qualities to the flock, and no buck has ever been used with the lightest tant ot any (even temporary disease upon him. In this manner, and by frequent crosses with annals which were not (even remotely) relat- ed to each other except in the case above stat ed, but also by crossing with bucks, even of different breeds, without making violent cros- ses, degree of vigor health and thrift have been infused into this breed which, feel as- sured, IS not surpassed, if indeed, it is equalled. in any other.
 So great is their tendency to take on flesh and fat, that ewes which lose their lamb; not untreqneuty become too fat on grass only to breed, and in more than one instance I have seen full three inches deep of fat on the ribs after being dressed for mutton, though fed on grass only. Notwithstanding the accidents to which they are subject, iii the absence of a re- Suar attendant or shepherd and in despite of the rgors oi March, without a shelter, 1 have often (when the flock was Smaler) raised one third more lambs than there were ewes, and have rarely if ever failed to raise as many. On this subject, MT M Blake more, a successful and obScrvant farmer, who has crossed his flock wlth my sheep, says, in reply to my inquiry of nm: " w hen that stock of yours have three lambs they are large and Sttong and most of them alive"
 The Rev. Y. R. Pitts, an intelligent and suc- cesstu farmer of Scott county, who has crossed his stock with the Kentucky" sheep in reply to my inquiry of him, says: '' I think the ends lt " hoy aI in, sheep, viz good size, compactness of fleece. symmetry of form, and good constitution, have been fully attained The buck which got of you Is of fine size, and very thick fleece. His produce Is decidedly superior to any lambs have ever had dropped on my farm.''
 Mir Price, besides saying in his letter they are healthy, good feeders" etc, says also: "I find the sheep which got O. you have twins five or six times" He also writes that they have taken fifteen premiums at the Hi nols State and county fairs against all competi- ton.
 SIZE AND QUALITY OF MUTTON
 As 1t is not, for many reasons, desirable that sheep shall have the size of bullocks. other valuable qualities have not been sacrificed in this breed to obtain large carcass alone. Per hapS they are now fully as large as is compati- ble with that activity of habit which is indis. pensable to breed of sheep which shall come into general use in the West and South. Lar ger and less active animals will also be liable to the depredationS of the sheep rot, and their flesh will be less delicate both to the eve and to the palate.
 None of these sheep have ever been fully fatted, and their weights care fully noted. so far as am informed; but Mir. Price. in his letter speaking of part blools of this breed. says. " hey are he sheep for mutton, arriving at fine size at two years old, and which bring in the St. Louis market, from six to ten dollars per head'
 few years since saved sixteen wethcrs of thls breed of various ages from two to four years, and sold them, off of grass, to Mir. Vim. Hopkins, farmer and sheep dealer of Henry county, at fifteen dollars per head letter from hum informs me as follows: " sold them on Christmas, 1853, for twenty five dollars Der head. The person I sold them to did well with them. They took the premium at our (Emnence) fair, m 1853, over fine lot of Costwold wethers 1 consider them better than the Cotswod for mutton and wool. and think they feed kinder than any sheen ever saw. They were pronounced by all the best sheep ill market
 The following statements of the weights of some ot them, taken Tn June, 1852 is extract ed from my sheep register: "A yearling buck. l62 pounds; grown eve, 146 pounds; two year old wether, l72 pounds; three year old wether, l97 pounds" The lollowinr are the weights ol some taken August 1856: "A year ling buck 174 pounds; two year old buck never shorn, PA pounds; grown eve, 162 pounds; one eve lamb, I IA pounds" The sheep were all weighed off of grass, without extra feeding or care of any kind.
 In Judge Browns letter, he says: "The sheep are of very fine size and appearance, yield ing fine fleece of wool, and are fully equal, as to mutton, to any with which 1 am acquant- ed."
 WEIGHT AND CHARACTER OF FLEECE.
 The fleece of these sheep, like those indeed of all other breeds, are not entirely uniform as to length, thickness and fneness of fibre. some ot them partaklng more of one cross, and others ot another cross; but still there is general uni formty, and the diversity is of no practical dis advantage. Their wool is larger than that of any sheep except those of the Cotswold family, and IS equal in length to that of many indivd- uals of that family, while it greatly excels the wool of the Cotswold in fneness, softness and thickness. In some individuals it is inclined to be wavy or curly, but generally it is straight and wooly, and never wiry. Except the face and legs below the knees, the whole body is covered with close, compact fleece which leaves no open line on the back, as in the Cots