The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-06-16
For the Guardian
AGRICULTURE.

DOrtn vi HOWefS-tne most beautiful OF
year.
If the deduction is good that God
cares more for the pure and morally
beautiful in Man than he does in Nature,
who on His earth is SO constantly sur
rounded by testimonials, that ought to
inspire him with love and alteration, as
the farmer, going to his daily toll over
these broad praries, literally carpeted
with verdure and inlaid with flowers, of
which Art is but feeble imi;ator. If
the undevout astronomer is mad" lit.
tie less so is the undevout agriculturist,
witnessing in every expanding grass
blade, and the decay and termination of
every grain kernel cast into the ground,
a power and new creation as ncompre.
hensible, yet as much beyond the mere
doctrine of chance, as is the union ex-
listing between the mortal and immortal
nature of man-all governed by law
and Witnessing the ability of the law.
giver to verify bis promise, that seed.
time and harvest" shall continue.
In my May scribble, 1 said that in my
opinion, the grain culture of this county
should be made subservient to the raising
of stock, which l meant to be taken in
its broadcast extent, viz: pork, the dairy,
lamb, mutton and WOOL AS this is the
harvest month of the wool grower and
lamb raiser, ! propose to give few sta
tistics on those subjects, particularly
wool.
The central markets of the great val.
ley of the West must, for a long time,
and probably always, be in the seaboard
cities on the Atlantic coast. 1t becomes,
therefore, a great object for farmers here
at this distance to reduce our staple pro-
auctions Of corn, oats and wheat to their
least possible bulk and freight and great
est possibla value, as it costs no more to
carry pound of wool, pork or beef to
market than it does pound of corn or
wheat, while the wool is now worth from
40 to GO cents per pound. and the corn
one and a-half cents. No branch of
husbandry here, in my view, promises
so sure a remuneration for succession
Of years in proportion TO the labor re
CURED, as raisin. Of wool and mutton.
In order to be done successfully it must
be done Systematically, as sheep are
more subject to disorders and accidents
than neat stock or horses. Free pastur-
age will doubtless be within the reach of
all for many years and let farmer OBJ
tain flock of sheep large enough TO
warrant shepherd to care for his flock
by day and secure in the yards by night
to consume his hay and grain in the
winter--the profits would be far greater
than in transporting his crops TO the east.
The successful raising of sheep would
involve the expense of sheds for the
winter, under which they should be
housed and fed in all storms. No ami
NAL is SO subject to colds as the sheep.
Their wool, when saturated with snow or
water, instead of being a mantle securing
warmth TO the body, becomes shroud,
containing the seeds of disease and death
A good flock of French Merino Sheep
will usually clip from 81 to lbs. of
wool per sheep, which, at present prices.
would be worth from 40 to so cents per
Id. at our owr doors. Sheep raisers cal
culate that the increase Of the flock is
equal to 33 per cent. of the value of the
herd. What. then, would be the avails
of flock of 500 sheep. worth say 81, so
per head. or $4,000.
800 sheep, average clip az lbs. each,
i'oo lbs, at doc, -------.- 800, 90
- value of increase, $4,000
~ $95O,OO
Now, what can farmer do here with
the same capital and labor that would in.
sure SO good return as this ? Although
present prices can hardly be expected 10
rule fora long time, yet it is well ascer-
tanned that there is short supply for
the demand in all the wool markets OF
the world, and that for a long time, if
not always, there will be demand that
will insure a good reward to the wool
grower.
shall not trespass upon your room to
go into any extended remarks upon an
other branch of sheep husbandry, viz ::
lamb and mutton. For these, the South
Down sheep ranks high amongst those
who raise these articles for the market.
Lambs that are fat and would dress FIVE
lbs. to the quarter, are to-day worth from
four to six dollars head in Boston mar