Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-28
SHEEP FOR THE sOUFH.


When | read Of the success which the
sheep-raisers of bleak, ice-bound and snow
covered New England have achieved-Of
their immense tloCks of pure breed MerinOs,
and the profit in proportion which they have
made-I confess, 1 feel no little humiliation
when look at the few ragged, stunted ami
mails which we call sheep, that are to he
found N tie sunny south. With our mid,
genial climate where snow is almost IN
known, with the perennial pastures that
covers million of acres from mountains to
gulf, we might, if we would only make the
proper effort, be one of the largest sheep
raising people in the world, and yet
south of Virginia and 8 portion
of Tennessee CLoep husbandry,
as an Industry is almost totally unknown
Travel over the cotton States from one end
to the other, and mutton of Homegrown
is an unknown luxury. You have pub
lished some good articles on this subject in
the Farm and Home, but l want you to
keep up the fire until you have fully reused
the people to the importance anu value Of
sheep to the Southern States, both as a
renOvator of the soil, and marketable pro-
duct. Experience has proved beyond con-
tradiction that clover and the grasses can
be raised successfully in our country. 1t
has also shown that We Can raise as fine
rutabagas, common turnips, carrots, beets,
and mangolds as can be produced in any
country, and that too III great prOfusiOn
and with comparatively little labor, Add
to these our tine natural pastnr"- o,,r
much-aDuSed mn "'1..luable Bermuda grass
and we have advantages for sheep-raising
that no other people possesses. You have
already demonstrated that as a TenOvatOr
of exhausted lands, GOCk Of sheep has no
equal, and you have also shown the pecun-
larry profits to be derived from flock of
sheep, beginning with a few costing only a
few dollars, arising from the yearly wool
clip and the natural increase. If Vermont,
where the finest Merinos in the world can
be found to-day, finds it profitable to raise
where the whole face of the country is COW
cred with snow for more than hall the
year, why should not Georgia, Alabama,
Mssissippi, and Arkansas also find it profit
able, where the winters are so short and the
expense of feeding is comparatively so
small?
1t is true to raise sheep successfully they
must receive care and attention, but what i3
there in farming which gives success with
OAAo eALNCAASAOAAs liz - BOAloS AIN AASCA
piled TO twenty acres of cotton during the
year will more than provide for the care of
a large flock Of sheep. A good shepherd, a
boy or two, and good shepherds dog will
guard and attend TO two or three hundred
sheep. Extra help al washing and shearing
is ali that is needed.
l advise our planters to begin on a small
scale-not TO turn the sheep loose on their
FlrNco Il honV, IN tbA l0 hit
of doing who kept any sheep at all, never
bringing them up at nights for months at a
time, and never taking much account OF
their number or condition; but to keep them
carefully as sources Of great profit. all
things considered, l think MerinOs the breed
for the South. 1t is hardy, easily kept, a
large .wool-bearer, and good, though not
equal to the best English breeds, for food
Our agricultural societies ought to give
special encouragement to sheep husbandry.
Hitherto they have done their whole duty
when they offered premiums for the best
Merino or Cotswold or SOuthdOWn buck or
eve, and paid these premiums year after
year to the same individual, who happened
to be the exhibitor, without any cOmpet-
ton, of some sorry specimens Of the varie-
ties named. Let a premium, and large
one-S500 would not be too large-be offer
ed to the owner Of the largest and best
flock of Southern-raised sheep of an i'm
proved variety, Let the owner of the larg-
est and best wool clip from the Southern
raised sheep be similarly encouraged, and
! let the owner of the largest and best num-
! Der of fat wethers for market be literally
remembered.
Say something every month about sheep,
| Ding-dong the subject into the heads of our
people and show those of us who farm up
! lands how a flock of sheep will render u;
independent Of those benevolent gentlemen
who manufacture commercial fertilizers
with so much aGYantage-to themselves.
! MERINO,