Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-04-16
A Talk About Sheen.
At the Mass. Legislative Agricutva
Club.

Club.
Mr.. Flint occupied the chair and open.
ed the discussion. He believes that tho
raising of mutton can be made profitable to
the farmer. In the western portion of the
State, sheep have been raised considerably
with a view to improving pastures, and
with some success.
Mr.. Howard spoke Of the keeping Of
sheep In a national point of view. The Po-
cts of Great Britain have sung of the glory
of the realm as coming through their
fOcks. In England. sheep are kept upon
almost every farm; whereas in France you
may travel almost a day without seeing a
sheep.
In Great Britain there are some 30, OO0.-
600 of sheep. So many are kept, partly
because much of the land is good for moth
ing else but for sheep to range over. On
most Of the land no fertilizer is put upon
the soil. except that dropped by the sheep.
The pastures thus managed, have become
better, and so have the sheep. The same
facts are generally true in this country,
where pastures have been fed by sheep.
Mr.. Fearing looked at the subject in a
moral point of view. Young men hasten
to the city to thrive. But we have too
many merchants. lawyers and physicians.
The true policy is, to encourage young men
to stay at home, and cultivate the land.
At bingham We have been troubled with
dogs But we united as a body of sheep
owners, and proper laws were enacted
against the dogs, and We have not been
troubled since.
His pasture for sheep contains twenty
eight acres, and it has been improved by
the sheep. His sheep have aided him in
getting rid of the briars from his pasture.
Mr.. f. could not speak definitely on the
profits of sheep. They need a warm barn,
protection from the storm, and q plenty Of
nourishing food. He likes the South Down
sheep best. 1t gives good mutton enough
for any Massachusetts, man to eat. He has
never lost a sheep by disease or scarcely a
lamb. And this success hos been owing to
the good care he gives his sheep. His flock
gives him six and one-half pounds of wool
to a sheep, on the average; but they are
not all South Downs.
His new sheep-blrn is forty feet long. 3
twenty wide. 1t holds hay for sixty sheep
and it is arranged so that there is little
waste of hay. 1t can be built in the inter
Tor towns for $3.50.
Mr.. Andrews, of West Roxbury, said
summer before lasthe raised much cow-cab-
bage, and soon after bought ninety sheep.
They eat the cabbage and but little hay
He sold most of his sheep the next winter
for fifty dollars more than they cost him.
Eight sheep will not consume more food
than enc Gov. These will produce lambs
that will sell for fifty dollars. So lie re-
CARDS sheep raising profitable.
He quoted a strong article in favor of
sheep raising, written by Mr.. Harris. of the
Genessee Farmer, which goes to prove that
in no country can the fattening Of sheep be
made so profitable as in this.
Mr.. Wetherell spoke of a farmer in
Hampshire county, who had experimental
with Leicester and other sheep. He keeps
them in a yard between two barns. He
boils potatoes for them, which he mixes
grains for their food. His prospective
view is very encouraging. Heretofore he
has been a dairy farmer.
Mr.. Grennell, of Greenfield, has succeed
ed with the 0xfordshire sheep. He prefers
them for raising muttonto the South Downs.
Pastures are improved by keeping either
or sheep in them. Sheep do the pas
lures the most good.
Many towns, away from the railroads,
are rather going backward. In such
towns. where the land is rather poor, the
people may be enriched by sheep husband
~.
Mr.. W. does not believe in the advan-
tase of giving so much encouragement to
the growing of forest trees. He would
grow mutton, instead Of wood, upon the
poor lands.
DR.. LOling, of Salem, said there can be
no doubt as to the profits of sheep husband
ry. Formerly, there were many sheep in
the State; now they are few. In Berk-
shire, fine wooded sheep are kept proftably.
The same is true in Vermont Farming a
years ago began t. decline in this
State and sheep husbandry was the first to
feel it.
The scent of a want of sheep in the
State is because that other branches of
farming-were thought to be more profitable.
Mr.. Roberts proceeded to exit the. Ok
fOrdshire sheep. His bucks shear from
nine to twelve pounds each and his lambs
he sells from 1915 to $3.50 each. His
pastures are much improved by keeping
and he believes that sheep husband
ry can BE- made profitable in the State.