Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-11-13
From the Maryland Farmer.
SHEEP FOR LAMBS AND WOOL.

any given crop or production, that a rush
is made toward it, which often brings fai-
lure and sometimes disaster in its train.
We can all remember illustrations of this
in the past SO much has been said, of
late, and SO strongly, Of the profits ofsheep,
that we may expect something OF the same
sort in this direction-a great increase in
the purchase Of stock sheep, and then In
the lamb and wool thrown upon the mar
ket, with falling off in the price of these.
Add to this that very many without know
ledge and experience will still hope to
make the large profits, reported of isolated
small tiocks, and will overstock themselves
and otherwise encounter the loss conse-
iquent upon ineXperience. Sheep raising
therefore, which is popular to-day, may
become unpopular after few years of such
experience as is here indicated. Then will
come the opportunity of such as begin now
Iprudently and with good Judgment, though
they may suffer in the mean time by hay
ing good business overdone in a spirit
Of speculation.
Even where profits may be largely re-
duccd for a time, by having the business
IoyerdOne, it is q satisfaction to the judi
cious and skiIful to be assr-ed that they
may hope for moderate success at the worst.
with large chances in their favor under
propitious circumstances.
Ny purpose is to make some suggestions
for the benefit of those wanting experience
in sheep raising, as to several methods
practised and the kind ofsheep to be used.
having reference especially to lambs as the
chief item Of profit; it being assumed that
Il large proportion of the seasons of the
Furmer are within reach Of one or other of
our great markets.
Merino sheep are excluded from consi-
deration, for however profitable for wool,
there is a prejudice at least which excludes
them when table use is in view. The full
bred of any breed are excluded as being
too costly in the beginning where stock
is to be purchased. Whether or not it may
he advisable TO begin with a small stock
ofthorough breds and bred up to the num-
Der required for full flock, | need not
now consider. II is quite practicable how
ever to do this in conjunction with the
ordinary course if desired.
The most directly and Immediately pro-
itabIe course is 20 buy what the Baltimore
butchers call "opcn-wool" ewes, or what
We commonly call 'country-sheep," OF no
special breed and not Merinos. / object
TO Merinos only on account ofthe prejudice
against them: otherwise I should feel
tempted to follow Mr.. Harris of the Ameri-
tda igriculturist and Others who cross the
Merino with the Cotswold with great sue
cess The ewes should be selected, though
costine d little nor, and should not ex-
ceed IL D. .~T, at the most, three years. For
Il I. X .2t exceeding. tiftY enc IAN at
least eighteen months old, should be pro-
yiicl. of utLdOwn or Cotsw old thorough
bred
Whether Southdown or Cotswold, should
depend upon the character Of the pastur-
age. On all old field pastures thin and
shruh5y, light and active sheep are want
Cd. and the Southdown will bc more suita-
blc whenever il may be dies; cned 10 keep
anE portion Of the young stock for breeders
Otherwise, and on all good grass land, the
Cotswol3 are better for their early grow th
and weight. Especially are they more
suitable when grain feeding is designed
The impression that only 4 small flock OF
Cotswolds can he kept in health in the
/ same flock, there is abundant proof is un-
: warranted. The Southdown however will
he generally preferred in Maryland and
Virginia wherever it is proposed TO make
a acck of grade ewes. As the pastures
, improve and larger sheep is wanted, the
Shropshire makes an admirable cross for
. the purpose, on the Southdown grades ol
, the Cotswold may be then resorted to.
As 10 the length of time that a flock o
+ ewes should be kept the practice varies
, somcw hat In New jersey, where the rails
r ing of lambs for market is considerable
business. the ewes are bought in Septem
! Der and bred. and the lambs produced are
. taken from them and sold so early thai
t the flock Of ewes are fattened for muttor
! and sold before another flock is bough
To take their places.
2 In Maryland it is more common to keel
, the flock of ewes on, to produce another
5 and perhaps third years increase. 1t i
t argued for the latter method that having
t a good healthy flock it is not advisable tt
: run the risk of getting such as may prov,
! otherwise, and that the flock kept, vii
J have increased in value for mutton at the
end of another year without cost.
The former method is more business-like
the whole sum invested being turned over
: within the year with a very satisfactory
! profit To have it succeed well there
, should be careful management. 1t would
? be desirable to have the lambs come by
: the middle of March and all disposed o1
at farthcst, that the ewes may have time
to fatten. After the middle of August, g
; half pound of grain, oats or corn, to be IN
} creased gradually to a pound, for each eve
, daily, until disposed of would make NUT
ton of the best quality, and leave large
, quality of the richest manure. One or
other of these methods is no doubt the
| best for profit under ordinary circumstan-
ces.
, Such as would crafty taste for good
stock and have good profit at the same
time will prefer to begin with stock O.
common ewes and thorough bred ram, and
keeping the ewe-lambs every year for
breeders, to be covered again by a
thorough bred. So in few years stock
|, of ewes will be obtained, not appreciably
inferior to the most costly Southdowns or
Cotswolds for all ordinary uses. 1t Is by
no means improbable that such a flock
; handled with care and skill and judicious-
, " fed with grain when preparing for the
, butcher, would give a larger profit than
the Others 1t is one of the advantages o1
the high-bred stock that grain may be fec
to them with certain profit; and our far
: mers will soon begin to realise, we hope
t that tho more grain hey can teed out or
: the farm without loss, the better for the
5 farm and the farmer.
| Let the inexperienced begin this busi