The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-12-20

/
proclaim the advent of Winter. "IIe giveth
snow like wool; he seattereth the hoar frost
like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like
morsels who can stand before His cold ?"
| Fleecy snow filling the air, and the need
of woolen garments felt by every one, sug-
gest our theme. Whether the English esti-
mate Of the poet be too high or not there can
be no doubt that Sheep ought to hold very
prominent place in our husbandry. In Eng
land, owing to the large development of the
manufacturing interest, there is a steadier
price for wool, and much higher and more
uniform price for mutton, and in consequence
a much greater encouragement to sheep hus-
bandry. 1t is always paving business, and
perhaps justities the prominences given it by
the poet. But here, the low price of mutton
and the unsteady price of wool are great
drawbacks to this kind of farming. In Eng
land,too, there is such thing as law,and law
less dogs with an appetite for mutton are
sammariy disposed Of Here the mass of
our voters who do not own sheep are pas
sionatey fond of dogs, and if a law be enact
ed against the canine race, the race of worth
less cur owners feel war has teen declared
against them. The ours, biped and quadru-
ped, generally carry the day, and the dog
law is either repealed, or becomes dead let
ter so that nobody dares to enforce it
Sheep become very uncertain article of pro-
perry. OF necessity, they are pastured
through the summer, and are generally turn
ed into the remote lots, often upon the noun
tains where the owner connot see them dali
ly. Dogs get the taste of mutton, and the
flock is soon decinated or destroyed. This
operates so strongly against the keeping o!
sheep especially the more valuable kinds, that
the business is given up altogether IN many
parts of the country. Whole districts once
covered with Hooks of fine wooded sheep, are
now stripped of this kind of stock. In others
it has become Incidental to other branches of
husbandrv, and only few mutton sheep are
kept for the home table and for the village
butcher. But this state of things can not
last forever. Americans have too much good
sense to allow ours and cur owners to rule
the nation perpetually.
With an increased home manufacture and
steadier price for wool, and suitable protec-
ton against dogs this might become one OF
the mos. fourishing branches of our nus
bandry. 1t has some advantages over the
dairy. The production of butter and cheese
involves a large amount of labor both in the
house ard in the field. There is the daily
milking and driving of the cows back and
forth to pasture, the making of curdS and
churnins of butter. and the trip 70 market
two or three times week, during the Sum
mer. But with sheep,the whole crop of grass
is turned into marketable article with
very little labor. There is the annual wash
Ing and shearing for the wool, and the NUT
ton and lambs may generally be sold alive in
the field.
We confess to a weakness for sheep, aside
from our convictions of the economy Of keep
ng them as a pant of the farm stock. We
love to see them, to feed them. to handle
them. and to see the unbounded delight Of
the children, as they hail the young lambs ii
the field, and in the fold. They are conven-
tent pets and good educators Of the little
folks in humane and kindly sentiments, to
say nothing OF their influence in making
farm life attractive. There is no more beau
jiful sight upon the farm than luxuriant
hill pasture in June dotted with sheep and
lambs Just before the annual shearing.
They flourish in all our northern country.
and are, perhaps as little liable to disease as
any of our domestic animals. Their wool
forms clothing and ought to enter far more
largely into consumption, than it does. We
have large faith in w)olen drawers, stockings,
and undershirts, as a protection against the
sudden changes of our weather. Coughs.
colds, consumption, and rheumatism, often
arise from the want of these under garments
Cotton answers good purpose in mild
weather, but it is not the material for Win
ter. This is much better known among la
! borers in the manufactures, and in the cities,
than upon the farm. Yet the farmer at his
wood chopping, teaming, and fodderins, is
quite as much exposed to the weather, and
needs the protection of thick wooden under
clothes.
Sheep are generally admitted to keep grass
land in better condition. than any other
stock. They are efficient helpers in
keeping down brush, and will eradicate
many kinds of weeds. Their appetites cray e
greater variety of food than the horse Or
the COW, and even rivals that of the goat and
the ass. If the brush is once cut, and the
sheep have access to the tender shoots as
they come up they will keep them down.
Grass wllspring up around the brush stumps,
and the feed will be greatly increased. In
bush pasture the land should have all the
sheep it can carry, until the brush is fairly
subdued. This should be the rule also with
pastures troubled with weeds. 1t is quite posi-
bic to bring poor pastures into highly pro-
ductive state,with no other agency than sheep.
The land must, of course. have some grass
upon it to begin with, and judgment must