Maryland free press., 1862-10-31
[Frcm the Cultivator.]
HOW TO RAISE sHEEP PkoFITABLY

Well as wool is up and great many Inquiries
are made as to how to make the most wool and
mutton, will say that my plan would be to put
from three to i've good Cotswold bucks with or
hundred ewes and let them run with the e,ces all
the time. Let them have good blue grass, timo.
thy, clover, or any other kind of grass let the m
nave plenty OF good water and well sa,ted. In
addition would say, about the laet of Nov. or
nrst OF Dec, early every morning would give
them hall an ear corn each, the ears broke in two
and scattered about on the grass SO that they all
can get to It, as they will pick every grain up ex
cept muddy or rainy mornings l would continue
the feeding until spring. You will find that It
VIII pay. both in wool and mutton. At the be-
ginning Of winter would have shelter of some
Kind near my house, so that the weak lambs could
be cared for. If there should be any weak ewes
with twin lambs, have lot of early rye or VIII eat
and turn them into it, and give them corn and
shelter as The others have. The lots should be Of
blue grass or timothy so that they would be dry
ana comfortable for them to sleep on during the
night except 1t should be raining or showing, then
put thea under shsltsr r. Daring very cold dry
windy weather, give plenty hay and oats in the
straw. 1t you have no bay, oats, &C., good
wheat straw, or rye, or oat straw will do yery
we'll, as they will eat it in cold dry weather, but
In wet rainy weather they will not touch it, Be
sure that In cOld dry days they have water every
day.
The sheep should be turned out of the lots they
stay in OF nights, into an adj ,inin. blue grass
pasture, and brought up every night. By hav-
ing a few bells on them they will soon learn to
come up themselves to their lots.
My plan for shelters would be to have a plank
fence or post and rail, on the north side Of the
lots they stay in of nights Then ! would set up
sommon rails ten or twelve feet long, one end on
the 9rosnd and the other extending to the Top of
tie fence; then take cornstslk fodder, commence
at the bottom and 60 up like the roof of house ;
make it three or four feet thick, and 1t will keep
As we'll as shocks in the field, and will do to feed
out in fprirg to cattle.
would say this plan fully carried out, would
bring two litters Of lambs every year, and would
be as good as one litter cath year, and think you
would have more twin lambs every time and be
as apt to raise them and your sheep better from
the care in keeping. Try it.
Now for my experience for a few years back
Since have been keeping two or three bucks,
found some &f my ewes had two iitters a year,
and they Increase more every year, and last year
the m ost Of my flock had their two litters, and
they sppear to do as well and grow as well as
when they had but one litter q year. II am
correct, this will be fast way of getting along
with sheep. would say that to commence, !
would as soon have one half good healthy noun
tain ewes, as find they have the earliest lambs.
/ think the Cot.wold would be more likely TO
bring this result than any other, as think they
are hardy race of sheep, producing more wool
and mutton than any other that know of. and l
think more prolific. notice my thrifty ewes
very often take the buck from to 10 days after
dropping their lambs, and the lambs are coming
At all seasons of the year.
KENTUCKY FARMER.