The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1863-05-23
Agriitnltural Golnnllr.

WHAT BREED OF SHEEP SHALL
I KEEP?
In reply to the above question of a
correspondent, the Genessee Farmer
remarks:
The answer must depend on circum-
the character Of the soil
and the system Of agriculture adopted,
as we'll as the price Of mutton and wool,
or the taste and experience of the far
mer.
During the past year, on account of
the great demand for the army, coarse,
long wool brought an unusually high
price. How long this demand may con-
tinue is uncertain. If we might calcu-
late on anything like the present relative
price Of long and fine wool, We should
be entirely safe in saying that the long
wooded sheep would prove the most
profitable in all sections Of the country
where mutton is in demand. In saying
this we do not wish to be understood as
asserting that, leaving the mutton out
Of the calculation, more wool can be
obtained at given cost from the long
wooded sheep than from the Merinos,
for We do not think such is the case.
Other things being equal, sheep consume
food in proportion to their live weight !;
and as the long wooded sheep are fully
double the size of Merinos and as they
do not yield double the amount Of wool,
it follows that, leaving the mutton out
Of the question, pound Of wool cannot
be produced as easily from the long
wooded sheep as from the Merino.
There can be no doubt of the truth Of
this proposition, if it is a fact-which
we think will not be denied-that fine
wooded sheep, in proportion to the live
weight, produce more wool than the
large wooded sheep.
But Of course it is not fair to leave
the mutton out Of the calculation
There is an increasing demand for NUT
ton Of good quality in our large cities,
and the prices are approximating more
closely to that Of beef. In the English
market mutton brings fully as high a
price as beef, while with us mutton is
generally one third lower and frequently
one-half the price Of beef. As the
quality Of our mutton improves, there
can be but little doubt that the price
will advance. Now there can be no
question that the large wooded sheep
will afford more mutton in proportion to
the food consumed than the Merinos ;
and where the principal object is the
production Of mutton, the large English
sheep are unquestionably the most prof.
liable breed to keep.
The advantages of the Merinos are
first, they produce more wool for the
food consumed; and second, their wool
brings much higher price.
The advantages of the long wooded
sheep are: first, they afford more NUT
ton for the food consumed; and second,
the mutton usually brings higher price.
Under ordinary circumstances it is not
easy to determine which of these two
classes of sheep are on the whole the
most profitable. AS before said, it de-
ponds much on the character of the soil,
on the location, the system of agricul-
ture, proximity to the market, and on
the taste Of the breeder. So far as our
own taste is concerned we should prefer
the large sheep, because we are better
acquainted with thier peculiarlties, man
agement, &c. We are Of the opinion,
too, that they are, in this vicinity, where
there is an increasing demand for good
mutton, and where mixed system of
agriculture is adopted, the most profta.
bic. We think this is the case when
their wool sells at the same relative
price as previous the war.
At the present time, however, their
wool commands nearly or quite as high
a price as the fine wool, and as long as
this is the case, the long wooded mutton
sheep are the most profitable breed of
sheep.
Il way be asked what We mean by
long wooled sheep. In England sheep
are generally classed as s'Long Wools''
and s'Short Wools.' The former in
clude the Leicester, Lincoln and Cots
void; the latter the different varieties
Of the South Down, such as the Sussex,
Hampshire and Shropshire Downs.
in our previous remarks We have not
made this distinction. We have allud-
ed to them as long wooded mutton sheep.
In comparing them with Merinos it may
De well to designate all the English as
Sc Coarsa Woole,, ocI H. Mo.;no. ~,