Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1869-10-07
From the Bec-Keepcr's Journal and National
Agriculturalist-
FasEIior, in Spanish MerinO Sheep.

va AfHE AllAAANANN bNAAEA- ~" ~ - C~5
onward, with Fashion" on our banner,
as smoother ~watchword than limitation"
and one that Is, perhaps. less significant.
Its power is on every hand, and wherever
it Is practicable, fashion" Yields the scep-
tire. So deeply, for example, was the
public mind stamped by the style OF
the Tuilleries, in the days of the first Ma
poIeon. that even vet Mode de Paris" Is
sufficient recommendation for the present
noncutitv bonnet, or those absurd timothy
stalk pautaloons.
Not only in dress do we sec this, but
there are fashionable sheep" and | am
dad we have such a pretty name for
them. for to call us all 'imitative'
sheep breeders. would be as lily received
as would be the same word by the elite Of
society, and vet they are synonymous
terms.
Every man who IS improving his sheep,
Is striving to initiate either an ideal or
real sheep. What a misfort II that the
model Is not always right While there
are some whose model IS fixed, and whose
type Is set, there are very many who breed
as fashion dictates.
II Is well for us at times to stop in our
career. and review the past. During our
late war, the pressing demand for wool
made careless buyers some wool grown
with a mixture of grease and gum,
brought as much per pound as good clean
wool: neither did it matter much what
the quality or grade Of it was. Hair on
the hips. hair on the wrinkles, and coarse
wool all over was very fashionable. So
too were wrinkles and folds. One Of our
old shepherds of West Virginia, when ask
ell at a Fair how he liked a certain pen
Of sheep. replied There Is too much Rim
oceros about them for me-" L sincerely
wish there were more with as much an
tipathv for the rhinocerous kind.
Il seems that by far too many eXtraor-
binary greasy and wrinkly coarse wooled
sheep have been raised. To produce more
greasy substance in the wool than Is ne
ccssary to protect it from the weather, and
prevent it from having the Objectionable
dead ends Is a loss to the manufacture
er. aud consequently will eventually-as
Is very much the case Just nOw-prove
detrimental to the interests Of the grower.
1t Is advisable to have small wrinkles
all over the body. with some large ones,
or folds in the proper places, as they have
d tendency TO produce a heavier fleece,
with but little, if any, jar in the grade
of tLe wool.
These great wrinkles, folds, &c, hang
mo loose and Unfortunately all over the
body. are a great nuisance, The wool Of
such sheep Is generally coarse, partlcu-
---.Tl-- ~ ,1,..-r in,y4,gEI-
bic to keep large focks Of them together
iu good condition. The physical frame
seems To break down under the unnatural
load. These two fashions may have al
most run their dav. rs popular evils but
coar~eucSs the third one, as above referred
20. Is pretty hard 10 manage in a flock. 1t Is
easier TO ~retrograde. than to grade up or
improve the quality of our fine wool sheep :
c~re igllv is this 50 with the very wrIukly
ones. The offspring of this kind crossed
with the same blood of a finer grade Of
wool. will have their wool improved gen
. orally over the body. but 1t requires close
attention and careful selection Of rams to
..brocd out the coar-eness from the hips,
wrinkles. &c. &c. and acquire that even
moss Of good quality all over the body
which l. 81, much to be desired.
do not wish to be understood as re-
commencing a return TO the old SaXony,
g- -aa universal growing of broadcloth
wool. We tried that once. But there Is
the col len medium" Let the body of
the wool bee this such a viii make the
cloth which the people Of this country want
10 wear. The manufacturers, dealers and
BUYERS are responsible for prevailing fash
ions. I know there was a wide margin to
work on during the war, between the raw
material and the cloth. but it did not les
SEN the real relative value Of coarse wool
and fine. or dirty and clean wool. Here
was when and where the pension was paid
for grease. and mixed coarse wool, and
such an impetus given to these fashions.
Now it i'll becomes such as the 'Ohlo
Wool Buyers and Dealers Association, -
which met at Cleveland, on the 2lst Of
April. 1869. to be 50 hard on their GEN.
sure of wrongs which they themselves
helped to make. And what do they re-
commend as the great cure ALL In
summing up their address t. the Wool
Growers, they say:
'.In view of the great demand now ex-
i-tin@ for one-haIf and one-foUrth blood
and long woods. we would urge upon the
-vool-g.gwcrs Of Ohio. the Importance OF
losiugu time in 50 charging their hocks
by crossing and otherwise, as to meet this
demand
l think there Is great encouragement
now to CROW Iustre combing woods, and
hone there will be many who will turn
. their attention to and embark III the busl-
ness here in our section, and excel at 1t too
but the above Is a hopeful panacea indeed
Il, the great body of intelligent wool grow
+ ers and sheep breeders. We have mon
crcIs enough. without adding a few mil
lions more Of the most unmanageable
kind,
Is it not a fact worth noticing that the
"middlc men, when their margin l. small.
always pouncc on the growers, and die
tate To them. without asking the manutac,
/ turers to Weld. and give sea room on then
. side: Perhaps they do gently hint tc
. them after the wool Is mostly bought from
the growers. that they-the manufacturers
can afford a considerable advance but
If they were in that monetary centre, Wal
Street. they would be considered a great
deal more bear than bull"
We think the day has already dawned
in which the wool growers will be a great
deal nearer the manufacturers, 50 that they
will counsel together, aud agree as to the
kinds of wool best to be grown, even II
laa, cannot exactly aglec ns 90 "hoi
the prices shall be. The exhibitions at
New York and Cincinnati would seem tc
be omiuous of much good.
We'll. there are many things we might
notice vet. which are fashionable with oul
fine wool sheep men. a great many Of which
are good aud pr%aiseworthy, while some are
~ L,,r We Lnva nccunled more space thar