Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-08-02
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Sheep for the Improvement Of the Land.

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Sheep for the Improvement Of the Land.
In England the raising of sheep and the
production of turnips for their support are
regular portion of the system adopted uni
versally for the preservation of their lands
With us the fear of too close cropping by
them has perhaps deferred farmers from en-
tering more largely into the rearing of sheep.
IT'S true there are other causes operating, not
the least of which is the danger from dogs.
In Great Britain, however, where the system
has been in vogue for three quarters of CEN
fury, they do not experience the damage fear
ed by close cropping, as the manure made by
the sheep more than counterbalances the sup
posed loss from the cause alluded to. The
requirements of their woollen mills, also, rem
der it necessary that there should be no de-
crease in the number of sheep raised and the
dense population upon so small an area OF
land, as is that embraced in the territory of
Victoria's home domain, renders it absolutely
necessary that the supply of mutton should
not be diminished; for, Notwithstanding We
have heard much of the ''roast beef of old
England" we believe that the masses of the
fast anchored isle use ten pounds of mutton
to every one of beef in their rations.
In the testimony taken before the commit
tee of the House of Commons upon the state
of agriculture the following facts were elected.
One of the farmers ii trrosated said:
sLand, such as I occupy, could not be OBJ
tanned without the aid of sheep. The sheep
are our principal dependence for supporting
our crops; indeed, could not occupy my
farm without them.
Another, of Sussex said: II do not con-
slider it possible for the light lands upon the
Downs to be keptin cultivation without focks.
I could not keep the farm, now own without
sheep. On the South Downs the wool must
be grown, let the price be what it will
Another farmer of the same county says ::
''The description of land occupy could not
be kept in cultivation without sheep"
Another farmer, Mr.. Henry King, of Wilt
shire, said "the size of my farm is about 1000
acres. I clip annually about $500 South
Down sheep. Such lands as / occupy cam
not be kept in cultivation without the aid of
sheep"
London's Encyclopedia says that 'there is
no part of England where the practice of sheep
folding is more earnestly pursued than in the
county of Dorset. Fifteen dozen hurdles, with
a like number of stakes and withes to confne
them together, will enclose statue acre of
ground, and will crntain 200 or 1900 sheep
commodiQpsly. The hurdles are moved every
morning; consequently the same number OF
sheep will manure an acre OF Land daily.
The process, as shown by London, is SIM
pie by which the improvement of the land is
effected. But the preliminaries are to be not
ed; and here the culture of turnips is brought
into play, as follows:
Lay off the land you deem necessary for the
contemplated purpose, and manure in the
drill withboue dust dissolved by sulphuric a.
cid Of the commercial superphosphates, and
then sow the turnip seed. When the crop is
made las we have heretofore directed 10 our
remarks upon the culture Of turnipsl as large
q spaee.is enclosed with hurdles Night and Old
fence rails answer for the purpose) as the
Hocks Of sheep will eat up in twenty-four
hours. The fold is then removed and another
spot is enclosed. This process is repeated
until all the turnips are consumed on the
ground. The sheep are taken off in rainy
weather, as the turnips would be Injured
Thus the whole ground is evenly MANFRED,
yeceiving both the solid and liquid excrement
of the sheep: and the turnip crop is well paid
for in the increased sale of mutton. Where
the wool and mutton have good and unfail-
ing market, as is the case 10 England, a large
number of sheep can be most probably kept
and il only suficiency to manure 40 acre
every three days, perhaps by no other means
could that acre be more thoroughly or SO
quickly MANFRED in addition to which the
saving 10 hauling out manure is 20 small con-
sideraton. Large tracts Of land in Maryland
and the adjacent States are peculiarly fitted
for sheep raising, which could not be as we'll
turned to account in any other way, and we
hope the day is not far distant when we shall
behold large focks and herds grazing upon
these lands now lying comparatively useless,
not yielding even the taxes to which they are
subjected. The demand for meats must con-
tinue to increase, and the high prices now paid
for. all kinds of provisions 10 that line are. not
likely to fall back.