Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-12-24
Agritutural.
From the Iowa Homestead.


FROM the Iowa HomeSteau
Wool Growing in Iowa.
EprroR Iowa HOMESTEAD II can on
~ find time to iot down few of the
many things which may be the natu-t
raj reflections for the season. First of
oil, cannot forbear expressing my
qualification at the real Inauguration
Of wool growing. on such scale in
our State, that 1 have no doubt that q
few years will give Us az many fine
focks as any State in the Union, and
will prove that our natural advanta-
gcs for wool growing arc unsurpass-
ed.
The only occupation l thought of
on removing to Iowa, was rearing
sheep. My theories / proclaimed
early and late, in season and out of
season, in public and in private. And
these | sought to practice for eight
years. Each season has given me
new evidence that we, as farmers,
were transgressing the most obvious
principles of economy, by raising fif-
~ cents worth of wheat, which it
would cost fifty cents to take to the
consumer, while two cents would car
ry pound of wool, Of the value of
fifty cents, to our best market. The
pork and cattle raiser, too, now sees
how much more in proportion to the,
volume of his staples, he pays for
transportation than the wool grower.
We have the argument. Necessity
has brought many focks to us, and
the young flock master who has been
here as an observer, carries back such
news from this, the promised land,
and the future paradise of focks, that
q new and most substantial impulse
is given to our immigration.
Failures must be avoided If possi-
BILE now. These are some of the rea-
sons why the years results may not
be favorable. judge that Of the
importations, one hundred thousand
sheep have been brought into the
State poor.
Hay has been obtained at about
double its cost in common seasons
hence it is not plenty. Grain, in many
places, has gone up to three times it's
usual value in market. What corn
there is. by reason of frost, is not
what it seems.
Sheep having been high, there has
been temptation to buy old or infirm
stock. Wool commanding from sixty
20 seventy cents pound, has been a
temptation to many TO keep larger
flock than theifGeed and preparation
for the winter would justify. These
facts lead me to make few sugges-
tions to my brother sheep farmers.
Our occupation is, the present win
ter, to be subjected to a severe test,
and chronic croakers are predicting
failures. Good management will re-
quire an early classification of the
flock, if large one. Lambs must be
separated from the older and stronger
of the flock.
The early frost has made our native
grass worthless, and it will not do to
wait for heavy SHOWS before we be-
gin to feed Warm shelters will save
feed il we have cold winter and in
case of rain they are indispensable to
the health aud comfort of the flock.
Feeding boxes will be found eco
nomical. A box three and half feet
high, and twelve feet long, made of
common boards, with an opening one
foot from the ground, to pass the
head Of the sheep through. will not
cost over two dollars-will give eat
ing room for twenty-five sheep, and
will, in an ordinary season, save one
ton of hay. or more. This provision
is only a proper respect for an animal
with epicurian tastes
Superficial calculation will lead to
the conclusion that it is better to sell
the grain than to feed it, while our
wool growers in the East, have dem |
onstrated that corn can be fed g. a |
profit, il costing one dollar bushel,
provided wool is fifty cents a pound,
and the stock fed is well bred.
1t may be pleasant to early count
the cash in hand :" so the mercenary
father deprived his boy of school
books. that he might add calf to his |
herd but the son, with cursing, illus |
trated neglect as the !" ides of March"
tell by the flock, and enforce the ruin
Gus lesson "There is that Withhold
deth more than is meet, but it tendeth
to poverty"
Corn requires to be fed in small |
quantities at first. Many are greedy, |
and others, for weeks, will eat none.
Brine, at least twice week, put on
hay and straw, will lead to the con-
sumption Of the coarsest of food, and |
contribute to the health Of the flock. |
II my farmer friends would ask any
thing moro practical they must indite
it.
You have every ground for good |
cheer. Sheep summered here were
never in better condition than now
1t is a luxury to have good wool. The
demand for it is increasing, and is
imperative. The reign of the Prince
of Wool in place of King Cotton,
promises to be long, pleasant, aud
beneficial to everybody, save to reb-
els.
j. B. GRINNELI, Grinnell, Iowa.