Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-03-16
FARMERS department.
tFor the "swlbury American"
Growing Fine Wool.
MuNCY, Pa, March 5tb 1861

MlNCf, "a, March 9th, 1861.
MR. EDiToR - 10 your paper Of the 23d
ult. IS sn article, the tendency Of which ia
against the interest Of the farmer 20 raise fns
sheep. That there is difference as to what
would be called high feeding and fat sheep,
an aware Among farmers generally they
are thin, except where fed for the city mar.
kets The stock Of this country, generally,
is not led grain at uN The doctrine sd.
vanced is new one, hat fat sheep will have
coarser wool than those in good store order.
&c IL such be the fact, then our factory
men and those who shear and those " no raise
tue sheep must be greatly mistaken. The
wool Is atrdys more lively aud the fleece
mu:h thicker, longer aud heavier on fat
wether than 90 thin one, still much rorse
on poor one. That there is a little danger
| OF having breeding ewes too fat. | adm,
particularly IN the lsmbing season all lbs
rest oil the hock, lCeherS and old cures. cannot
be too tat. The lambs grow more rapidly.
the mIIk being stronger aud richer, and
instead of being worth 81 TO 81 80, will
readily bring 81 80 TO SO in the fall and
yeathng wethers, after the wool is off, worth
IRON - 10 Si Compare other farming with
this same theory. lj'e do Ino,p that the
richer wheat, oats or grass land, is the loDosr.
setter and hedUter the crop. Is il not SO, too
with other stock? Examine the colts and
cattle OF farmer that is Q5od farmer. and
see how hue and Silly they handle. compared
Win those not led any grain. BY the pre-.
sent system oi ieedIng store sheep, the foCks
do not average much over three pounds Of
washed wool 10 the clip, and nearly one half
OF Tue lambs are lost-but by good feeding
he will have five or six pounds TO the fleece,
aud raise nearly all the lambs.
DO not mean this weight OF wool from
MerlnCs; with them | never could ayerap,
much above four pounds. | have abandoned
them altogether. Mutton and wool both con-
S'dered tue South Down and Butkwells ara
more profitable The former Of these | have
uirect IRON the Importation Of Frank Rotcb
aud Samuel ThOrne, from England) Much
oePehds upon the management Of d fock OF
sheep TO make them profitable they should
De LED little grain, balf o bushel OF corn
and oats, daily, to every flock OF fifty sheen,
VIII answer. bushel would be better from
the hrst OF November to the middle OF Msy.
when ono or two bushels of ruta bagas daily
II more roots, less groin and bay will DO
required. They must nerer be allowed to bs
out ih the rain 10 winter, but always shat in
when stormng--the old sdsge to the coz
trary, notwithstanding. No matter how cold
ana wet wool is, It's always uarm and dry"
a sheep, 10 the middle Of winter, is thres
days 10 getting we. through the fleece, and
nearer noe 10 drying and freezing. Is it
reasonable. then, 10 expect success with sheep
|! Treated 10 this brutal maunerf If tho
reader doubts the slowness OF their uettipg
and drying, let him examine, daily, for him.
sell, and he will be thoroughly satisfied
Nben hrst shorn they will run 10 the sheds,
not 80 when the fleece is more thau halt
grown.
What has been done BY others, can be done
again. fDd by reference TO my "Tlue
Book" that from 81 eheep, many Of. them
coiilngS' too old, aud not worth keeping, We
sold on the 18th Of April, 1860, go pounds
oi wool, at 40 cents per pouud-S92, aud the
sheep TO Grover Tor Sl5S. From the bal.
ance OF our docks We bad G25 pounds OF wool
had % lambs, raised &c Of tbem-ope Of ths
lamos lost was kllled--tbs other two died
from unavoidable causes.
We have had % lsmbs this spring from 20
owes, % Of which ara living aud doing we'll
Ewes should Hever be allowed 10 have lambs
before two years old.
Last spring | bought a small aock Of So
sheep aud lambs they said there was no
profit 10 sheep, that the lambs were so bard
to raise, they lost 1 or 5 to one rsised."-
Exposure, starving, and no gain, ! Say, vas
toe reason OF the loss. At the same time.
from the above il is evident, that sheep we'll
led and attended 10, you can raise nearly sll
the lambs. 1t is also selfesdeut that ia
favorable st1atOus they are the most pro.
dtable stock raised.
Enough on sheep for the present.
| Respectfully.
! h. MORRIS ELLIS