Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-07-06
known hymn of our childhood commence


 The grandest event of christianity, Is thus beautifully connected with this an cient pastoral practice. If the growing of wool be sufficiently profitable, the danger from dogs can certainly be removed in the manner above indicated.
 It has been urged as an objection to wool growing at the south, that the sheep, by its close bite is terribly destructive to pas lures. The objection is valid, so far as an nuals are concerned, which are dependent for revivification, the next year, on the dropping of their own seed. The sheep all lows nothing to go to seed that it likes Hence they may be useful or hurtful in the spread or destruction of certain plants, ac cording as they are pastured with or with out judgment. For instance, if sheep are turned into field, abounding in that pest the "thorn apple" or tread sot," as it is vulgarly called, they will spread them over the farm; but if turned in while the balls are yet green, they will finally extir pate them by preventing the seed from ma turing. as they are excessively fond of them either in green or ripe state. The per manent grasses are not injured by the gra zing of sheep unless it be excessive. If white clover obtain the slightest foot hold on ground pastured by sheep, it spreads with singular rapidity. No animal i'm proves proper pastures so much as tie sheep. By proper pastures, is meant pas lures prepared for them. Sheep will eat out range in a very short time. When ever we come to raising good stock of any kind, we must get rid of range ha6its. We might as well expect the inhabitant of the city, to be at once, at home in the woods, as one of our high bred artificial animals to thrive on the fare to which our range stock are accustomed. The sheep rapidly i'm proves pasture, in several ways, by destroy ing briars and weeds, which may previous ly infest 1t. Again, the manure of cows destroys, for one or two years, the grass on which it falls The manure of the sheep has contrary effect; and lastly, the COW or hog is indifferent to resting place for the night-it may be the base of hill,
 or the side of branch, and the manure is carried away by the first rain, or the waters
 of the stream. The sheep always seeks the
 highest point in the pasture, on which to rest at night. Hence, none of the manure
 is lost. A striking illustration of this be-
 nefcial result is going on under our eye-
 The highest portion of field, very bro-
 ken, and cleared in lS42, and regularly cul
 tivated, or sowed in clover, was pastured
 for several years by sheep; 1t was then
 planted in corn, then in oats, and now in
 wheat. The corn and oats were both ex-
 cellent, and we do not suppose that there
 is an acre of bottom land in Caas county,
 on which the wheat is more luxuriant this
 year, than on that hill top, now bearing its
 third crop since it was broken up from
 grass. The land in this immediate vicinity,
 equally broken, and treated in the usual
 way, is now scarcely worth cultivation
 Ii is in relation to the improvement of
 our lands that we especially present this
 subject of wool growing at the south
 It has been a desideratum to find some
 division of labor by which we should not
 be dependent wholly for income upon the
 coltan crop, in case of failure or low pri-
 ces. The cotton crop is so exacting, that
 it makes an incessant demand upon our
 time. Our black labor does not admit of
 crops. intricate in their details, and capable
 of sale only in small quantities We need something, which can be kept on hand
 without loss, which is simple in manage. ment, which requires but little attention : while the cotton crop iS growing, which is easy of Transportation and whicH can b( , sold in large quantities. All of these re } quirements are met in the wool crop. If the planter. has one thousand sheep | and if they are regularly penned at night they will heavily manure between three ant
 four hundred acres of land in a year. The increase of the flock will cover its expenses
 If his flock are good sheep they will vielC him the fleece, clear, which ought to be , worth two dollars each All these result are upon the suppostion that no casual ties occur. These must be considered anC : allowed for, in every human pursuit. 5 We are presenting this subject not tC
 the consideration of one or one hundred planters, merely, but as a matter of impor r tance to the plantation States. The qucs , tion therefore properly arises in case large T attention should be given to raising sheen t what would be done with the excess. IT ? regard to wool there can be no difficulty } aS the market of the world is open to us l The consumption of mutton instead O ) pork might be greatly encouragnd on oui
 plantations If good mutton were sent i. the southern cities the demand would b greatly increased. We can always suppl , the northern cities, by ship and rail, wit mutton, more cheaply than they can ] , furnished from the west. Beyond this.v have the resource of the west before ra-
 roads enabled the farmers there to sel r their mutton to the east Thousands,f sheep were annually killed, their pelts st 5 to mai ket, the whole sheep boiled don,
 and converted as far as possible into H. 9 low, and that which was left used inat- tening hogs, This was done at a pft while lands were cheap, and although he : farmer was compelled to house his slep and feed them on hay and grain durinGhe
 winter
 After proper pastures are prepare let the platter consider, how far l ,000 or} or I thousand sheep would interfere wit his cotton crop. A large hay crop wouldome on him at very busy time The sane is 7 true of a large wheat harvest Ifheep are enclosed one negro. it may be a old | man, is sufficient for every 800 shee. and l his time while with the flock may pro- titably employed in making basket, etc. | Extra labor is needed for brief perod du- ring the shearing time, and vigilantatten- ton during the lambing season. Or own 3 flock makes no demand upon the aoring force ol the farm; in fact being alwa's in an : enclosure they require no material atention . except during the seasons mentiond and they cost annually nothing but thir salt and the interest of the land on which they s are pastured. We can imagine no agri- cultural pursuit more admirably adapted to be combined with cotton planting, thar sheep raising. Let no one however enter rashly upol 3 this business. It is impossible to raie sheep successfully without good pastms Let the pastures be prepared first and le 1 sheep obtained afterwards
 For summer pasture nothing can be ct T ter than the Bermuda grass of middle Cor sia. Broom sedge, burned offin the sp,hg. also makes good summer pasture, if : be not too heavily stocked. For winterApse