The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-03-08
PORT CAvALLo, June 21st, 1858.

that State:
PoRT CAvALLo, June 21st, 1858.
Having noticed call In the "News" of June
18th to the contributors to your Almanac, should
it be acceptable, l will give you my expert
ence in sheep-raising in Texas and endeavor to
point out NY we'll as those OF others.
First NV locality is the terminus of the peninsula
forming Matagorda Bay l first commenced rails
ing cattle; the range that time good, but af
ter few years it failed being overstocked, which
caused me to move them to mainland and l con-
ceived plan (as an experiment. to raise sheep.
| sent to Corpus Christi and purchased thirteen
Mexican (pure) that would shear one and
half pounds of wool, rather hair; of them was
lost before ambing, SO it may be said l commenc-
ed with twelve; this was in January, 1912. then
bought in New Orleans ram OF common Kentucky
stock, of the buchers. He very large, blythe
by, and medium wool l kept him for two years,
when | bought another finer and large. My first
object was carcass, my second wool, and have not
vet seen the error of that course, and would re-
commend it to all beginners in sheep-raising. Too
rank cross from one extreme to the other is not
good; it forms in the offspring more slender con-
stitution lack of symmetry, and want OF uniform
ity So says Youatt, Bakewel and SO says your
humble servant found my sheep doing we'll,
we're healthy, and increased fast | never have
had a shepherd, and there no wolves on this
peninsula [ have always let my sheep run undis
turbed until there a quantity of lambs, when
gather and mark them, and then let them go.
After the expiration of two years, l sent to New
York and bough two South Down rams, which |
would recommend as the best sheep for our prai-
rie: and climate; they good breeders, often have
twins, and, being good nurses, raise them well; the
wool is of medium quality, (say prices with half
merino) they fatten well, in fact better than any
other, and grow large. My wethers average sixty
pounds the carcass and frequently kill those that
| weigh eighty But [ have a dislike to foreign
yarns like the following: If you 60 in London mar
! ket YOU will see mutton which the butcher says
weighs fifty pounds to the quarter. But he says
nothing to you of those sheep In the same flock
which weigh only eight or ten pounds to the same.
And he will tell you of a fleece weighing twenty
pounds, but says nothing Of the positive fact that
the average fleece of the whole Island, is but three
pounds So can say. / sheared sixteen pounds
| from one ram, and sold it in New York, with my
whole crop, for forty cents per pound This does
not prove that my wool sold for S6 40 per fleece
it amounted to 81 OCT, after paying freight SELL
ing &c.
To show the increase of sheep with the above
named attention, will merely state | have never
bought but one eve since the above named twelve
it was fine one. In the mo- tn of April, 1S43,
Capt Grimes put into my little flock nineteen ewes
and seventeen wethers. For my little attention
he gave me one-third of the increase, and in Jan.
lS49 he took his part away, 100 in number. This
is all the addition l have ever had to my flock,
aside from the increase. In the spring of 1884
my sheep numbered over 1900. In the hurricane
of September Of the same year, [ lost over seven
hundred, and now they have increased to over the
former number. This year [ sheared 1892, aver
aging fraction over4 pounds per fleece wellwashed,
Notwithstanding sheared quite small lambs, say
one pound each, that the fleece might not become
| burdensOme during hot weather. L never have
separated my rams from the ewes l consider 1t
better to let the lambs come about the middle OF
February later, that the ewes may have green
grass and a flow of milk; and the lambs will be
large enough at washing and shearing to stand the
hustle necessary thereto Washing is necessary
operation 1t is saving in shearing, transporta-
ton, and appearance of wool. In this fiat country
we have not the benefit of springs rivuets or falls
of water So | have substituted wind mill in a
fresh pond to pump water into hogshead or reser-
voir, to which have attached two or more can
vass hose My pen is sufficiently large to hold all
my sheep, with plenty of room. Adjoining, and be-
tween this and the pond, have a small pen that
will hold 100. We first fill this pen and leave the
flock quiet; the men then take sheep each and
proceed to the water and there soak and wash, OF
squeeze, the wool, and last of ALL float him under
the hose, where he is finished and showed off to
swim the small pond and take the prairie. Now
this work being done, | keep them in a clean por
ton of the prairie for at least six days then com
mence shearing. fold the fleece in the following
manner: / lay each fleece on table, the inside
down. putting it 10 its natural size and shape, al
near as may be; | then fold in each side half way
and if large, fold again; then roll from the tai
end half way, then from the neck to meet; with {
ball of twine at hand, l pass it around tightly
cross the same, draw close and tie. These feece
put in bales for market.
have just finished reading article in you
last years almanac, by G. w. Kendall, Esq, will
which beg leave, in some particulars, to disagree
After giving his experience in sheep-raislng il
Texas, he concludes by saying he "has now set
man up in sheep-raisng, let us now see what h
will realize" l admit he has set the man up, pro
vided the man has pocke!fuH Of rocks But lie
us take one with half pocket Of rocks; say, lie
n him take 100 or 1000 Mexican sheep, at 81 Pc
head, ram to every 80 or 40 ewes. They viii
cost him Sc or IS per head and if he goes into tn
business largely, they will do that flock so long a
=. they may live, if their lambs taken from tina
flock, and put with finer rams; if the flock is small
and will not justify, keep the rams two years AM
change with a neighbor, or sell aud buy again
: He says, "From my own experience l should re
commend pure Merinos" Now have 600 Mex
can ewes,j purchased few days ago. l have i
n fine, pure blood Merino rams in my old flock, whic
!, have had four years, aud intend to exchange Q
3 sell, even at half price, and furnish my Mexca
sheep with rams from my old flock, OF my ow
breeding, in preference. Such is my experience