Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-11-01
Farm, Garden and House.
l. ID. II. COLLINS. Editor.
Keeping Breeds Pure.

V.P. Richmond, in a recent address be-
fore Western Farmers Club, said:
"Sheep-the now much abused sheep
demand little attention. Because they
are small, every man Farmers, judges,
lawyers, etc., thinks he knows all about |
them, knows just how to breed them Just
right, knows just how good the mutton un.
der their skin is, before even the sheep is |
dressed, and just what kind is most profit
able to the producer, the consumer, and |
the middle-man. Now / have the name
of knowing something of sheep, whether
deserve it or not; and | will say to YOU |
that do not know half as much as ought
to, nor do | believe there is one LAWYER. |
doctor, mechanic, or any other city man,
| that knows as much about sheep as | do.
And | don't believe that one farmer in
twenty knows more than half as much
about them as he might. If they
| did, they would not talk so wise about
crossing to produce new and better breeds.
| What are the results of the improved eros
ses for mutton? One is, that sheep with
longevity of from fifteen to twenty years,
are reduced to longevity of from five to
seven years; another is, laying on fat till
the mutton is hardly palatable, but profit
able to the butcher There are objections,
too, in crossing Merinos to produce fine
wool. What is the Saxon? A very fee
BILE, short lived sheep, unable to stand any
exposure, and produces one and one-half
to two and unefourth pounds Of the finest
wool. The Silesian is only little better
both are an improvement (?) on the Ne
rino. Fine wool now being low in price,
and long and coarse wool comparatively
high, the butchers wish to buy sheep that
will pay the best, but not make the best
mutton, which makes heavy sheep more in
demand. / hear farmers frequently talk
of improving their sheep by crossing with
large bucks. | say, brother farmers, do
not do it. you do, remember what tell
you, and when you have improved" your
sheep so as to have 4 flock of long legged,
rambling scallawags, that begin to fail as
soon As they have attained their growth,
don't say you were not warned in due time
/ have DO objections to your raising New
Leicester, Cotswold, Southdown. or any
other mutton sheep; but if you do, dispose
of your present flock and begin right-be-
gin with pure blood if possible, nothing
less than half blood ewes and full-blood
bucks on any condition. If you attempt
to cross a full-blood Cotswold on Merinos,
you will fail in at least two points; the
lambs requiring great attention from the
mothers, and Merinos are not generally
good mothers you may lose from this
cause. The lambs will be too large for the
ewes, and if you do not lose the eve, she
= will be so much debilitated that she will
be very careless of her lamb, even if she
:. would otherwise be good mother Sheep
T, can be bed up very fast, and occasionally
! will 90 back. | talked to a man at the
state fair who had flock of Canada sheep
i He called them pure blood Cotswold. =
: Cotswold are now very popular pointed
u to a eve with every characteristic of vel
J. bred New-Leicester, and asked him if that
was Cotswold. He ausweredyes. Task.
ed if she had lamb present, and he point
ed to two, one showing the same blood, ant
r one perfect scallagag; neither long wool
n middle-wool, short-wool, nor native, or al
y together, most likely the latter. Befor,
a seeing the lambs | thought I should Xix,
d to own that eve, but left without any de
r sire for ownership, knowing her blood wa
not pure. asked her owner for 4 sample
o of her wool. Where DO you think he tool
1t it from? Not from the Sleeps shoulder
e where we usually take samples, but from
7 his pocket wallet. Brother farmers, breet
this stock. Of all others, pure. Wool, fou
I year, in five, will be the primary object
sc meat the second. Crossing, nine times il
ten, will reduce the profit in wool an
y will not produce you any more mutton 10
IN the same amount Of food consumed. |
viii injure your flock, both for sale an
( for keeping. If yuu improve your flock
< as you can. as Won ought 70, by putin
"a better males with them, I consider it YOU
duty to 30 So But | do not believe i
D. coupling Merinos and CotswoId, New-Lei
'd cester and Southdows, or any other anna
We gamation Of that sort"