Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1873-02-12
Long.Mooled sheep.

sell exclusively 70 the lolsifea NtttPs -
this Is the only breed | have bad any cx
pcriebee with. shall not attempt 10 write
any ba, my own experience and Observa'
ton.
\ Henry Coleman in bis work upon Eu'
rOPcsn Agriculture. (ahich was writer
about ls4O.) says:-' The Coiswolds arc
a coarse.wooled. eoarse.boncd sheep, who
have their pariiEans in particular districts,
but have not attained the enyiable lis.
iinctioB Of being cultivated" However
some Of those lately imported show very
uneven fleece. For number OF year.
past there have been many attempts made
by the farmers Of Vermont TO breed thee
sheep, and have in most cases failed. They
found il took too much care TO keep them
up. The reason for this is plain; they
buy Of fancy breeders. sheep that have
been over fed and kept in a forced cOndi.
ton for many generations. The farmer
gets a spent hOt.bcd, and no amount OF
care will keep thcm up, and they run down
and die seemingly without a cause.
Over feed is By no means the only cause
of destroying thd constitution Of the sheep.
Shorr feed, aud exposure to wet and cold,
will destroy thd constitution of The hardl-
est flock. To breed up a constitution is u
work not to be desired by any farmer. II
will be found TO be much more profit.
able TO purchase sheep from flock that
can show a good profit for years; for no
flock can show this without constitution.
lu starting flock the first thing TO be
considered is constitution, the second is
constitution, and the third is constitution:
without constitution there can be no profit
The next thing to be considered is dispo
sition. A quiet peaceab.c sheep will fat
much easier and with less feed than ner-
vous, restless one. There is more in this
last consideration than is generally sup
posed to be. (Thc COtswolds are noted
for their quiet, peaceable disposilion) In
shape they should have a straight, fiat
back; broad, deep chest; short legs, with
Gue, small head. Avoid large, coarse
boned sheep, they will not feed with profit
The fleece should be long and open soft
and fine, with good luster; they should
be well wooded all over with an even aud
heavy fleece. When young they should
have good iorctop, and the skin light
pink.
Our constant aim should be TO improve
Great care should be taken in selecting
bucks; IL have no fears of paying too
much for u good stock getter, and when
you get good one lie should be kept as
long as his stock is satisiactory,-in this
way flock can be got that is uniform
There is great Improvement in crossing
our common ewes with Cotswold buck;
with this cross we increase the fleece both
in weight and quality, and value Of the
mutton, at least onc-third. 1t is an err.
roneous idea that the farmer cannot afford
to buy a full-blooded buck, he certainly
cannot afford to do without one even if he
has but n small flock. A buck should
be kept in good condition at all times, and
never be allowd 10 run with the flock.
The ewes should be in thriving condition
at coupling time. Ewes will thrive and
do well on good hay, however few roots
daily are beneficial. llmy hay is good |
feed 20 grain until after yeaning; if not
very good, one gill of oats day. When
in tending TO feed grain, We should COM
mence when we commence feeding hay.
If we have fed no grain 10 the ewes be.
fore yeaning, We should not commence
until the lamb is week old, and then in-
cease gradually. | feed potatoes and
sherts after yoanlng 1t is very easy
matter to make the lambs gain pound "a
day; but it is much safer for them 10 grow
not more than one-half of that for the
first three months; particularly carly
lambs. | have had ewes grow two la mbs,
pound day each, but when a March
lamb grows this it is very tender, and is
fit subject for paralysis, and is liable to
rheumatism. The lambs should be fed q
little grain every day all Winter. 1t i,
very important they should be well kept
the first year. No stock will better pay
for good keeping and care, than thes,
sheep but great care should be takcr
not to feed too high. No farmer should
let his flock get wet after it becomes cold
for many disease is contracted in tn,
Fall by exposure, which show themselves
in Spring. If paturo RECEIVERS it is with
great effort, and the profit of the sheep il
much reduced The whole flock should b,
got up every night after it becomes frecz
ing weather, aud little good hay fet
them. To drive up flock Of Cotswold
is but little trouble, small child can d.
it. The Cotsscold Sheep, need only f