The Grand Haven news., 1865-02-08

/ noticed an article from M. Ezra I.
Bryan, of Calhoun County, 10 The Rurals
for Dec. l7,h, in which be makes some
statements in favor Of coarse wool sheep
which do not agree with my experience.
| should have replied sooner, but Was
waiting for others who could do the sub
ject better justice. Mr.. B.. seems to be
down on the Agricultural Society Of Cal
houn Co. OF this l have only TO say
that the probability is they, pursued the
course they did because they thought the
coarse wools were not worth propagating.
He says /" the Leicesters are one of the
most valuable Of sheep with which this
country is favored, equal in value for
wool, and their meet is worth more 10
the markets Of Boston aud New York."
but it seems to ME he has given Us no
evidence to prove his assertion.
Mr.. B. has not given the live, weight
Of his sheep, nor how much feed it takes
to produeea pound Of wool or Of mutton.
take the position that the kind of sheep
that will produce the most wool and mt
ton for a, given quantity Of feed consum-
ed is the most profitable. We claim that
as general rude all animals Of all kinds
consume food according to the weight Of
carcass. Here in the interior OF the State
we have but little to do with eastern prices
Of mutton; we sell our fat sheep by the
head or by the pound. What the fne-
wool sheep lack in quality of mutton
they make up in weight Of fleece. ss
Raising sheep for mutton is small
part Of sheep breeding in Michigan, es-
pecially in the interior of the State.---
Coarse wool and fine wool are now of
about the same value, and probably will
be until this awful war is over. But be-
fore the war coarse wool was worth from
10 to l5 cents per pound less than fine,
and it probably will be worth still lessaf
ter the war closes, and the boys get home,
and all want suit Of broadcloth. as
sert that stock Of well bred Spanish
sheep, will shear from one-third TO one
half more than coarse-wooIs from the
same amount Of live weight. IL this
statement be correct Mr.. b. is throwing
away one-lbird of his produce by feeding
it to coarse-wooled sheep. This is quite
too much for farmers to lose in these
times Of high prices. | will give little
evidence to prove that my posi-
ton is correct. Alta sheep shearing fes-
, tival held at Hillsddle, on the 26th Of
! May last Mr.. L. Thompson, Of Hillsdale,
presented an eve lamb, which, when shorn,
1 weighed SO pounds. The fleece weighed
!, nearly seven pounds, beautiful wool
. over one-sixth the weight Of the carcass
Mr.. S. Morcy, Of Quincy, has Spanish
buck that gave .23a pounds Of wool to
: l23 pounds of live weight, and three
o breeding ewes that gave IA pounds TO
: 75 pounds live weight. There are prob
J, ably many others in the State that will
!. como up to this standard. Now what
d will Mr.. B., and his friend D. F. Even,
e of Tekonsha, say TO thisi 1t appears
y that Mr.. Even is from England this may
Q account for bis prejudices. l presume
o he never saw a fine wooled sheep in Eng
r land, aud if this is the case be is scarcely
/. qualified TO give valuable testimony as 10
% the relative merits Of the two breeds. He
J. speaks Of the old BakeweIl Leicester
is sheep MS being one Of The best breeds
q / guess he has got new breed Of sheep
Probably he brought them with him,r7
Mr.. Bryan says be has both coarse woods
: and fine woods, and that be has carefully
. tested their relative value, but he does
q not tell Us how he tested il. He says ht
10 sold ten fat weathers for 80 05 per head
but does not give their live weight, conse
. quenlly we do not know what he got pei
y hundred weight. @
y The true policy for farmers in Michigan
- is 10 keep and propagate that kind o.
sheep that will produce The most money
). from the produce consumed, and the cap
= ital invested. We know that fine-woo
: sheep are selling for three times rs mucf
= as coarse se-wools. Ono Of my neighbor'
y y sold twenty fine-wool lambs last spring
- for S40O. How much can Mr.. b. sci
y bis lambs fort Asto Mr.. Bryan's prop
" osition TO bet, / would say that / am no
a betting man, but will meet him hal
!, way at some place agreed upon hereafter
"a "a on the 28th Of May. ] will produce si'
:, &c Spanish sheep Of various ages, and h
- shall produce six coarse woods, and "
!. will have them shorn by disinterested paI
:, :, ties, and If my sheep do not shear one
" third more wool, according to weight {
carcass than his, be shall have my sheer
at but if mine do Shear one-third more tha
Id his, then ! will have bis six sheep Th