Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-03-11
Sheep in the United States,

Dogs cause the farmers of some districts
to discontinue the keeping of sheep; bad
fences prevent many from raising this val.
liable variety Of live stock and a system of
farming which admits of no pasture for
some parts of the year, and nothing to keep
them in fine, healthy, growing condition
through the winter, puts it out Of the power
Of others to do any good with focs con-
sequently there is no general kind Of sheep
husbandry, and there are hundreds of be-
nighted beings who actually believe that
sheep are injurious to the land.
The Merino is the breed which answered
best under former management in those
parts where sheep were regularly kept, be-
cause they bear the being kept all together
without separating the different ages but
the low price the carcass makes for mutton
justides good deal which is said against
the profit of sheep. The Down, Of several
varieties, are in different States, but are
rarely kept in numbers sufficient prove
their value for increasing the fertility Of the
soil and those who possess them, oil indeed
any of the pure, long.wooled varieties, in.
stead of systematically keeping the females
to pass through a regular course and dis.
posing Of them as they arrive at a certain
age advertise to sell at any time, and al
low purchasers to pick out as they please.
Doubtless the time is not far distant when
the best long wool aud all sheep excepting
tlocks where rams are raised as a speciality,
will be raised and brought round to a GER
tain age and sold for mutton, and the wool
and the mutton will be regular stated in
come, while, at the same time, the good food
grown and fed on the farm to prodlee SO
much wool and mutton, will 60 back to the
soil and increase the yield of every crop.
The continual selling of corn aud grain,
and keeping little live stock, aud the few
animals there are eating naught but the less
marketable produce, will, as a matter OF
course, soon bring the soil to the lowest
depths Of poverty but il, instead of send.
ing away the heart of the land in the shape
of the produce mentioned, it were eaten
with other fodder, the meat aud wool made,
over and above former quantities, would
bring more money, and good deal more
after the increased fertility of the farm had
forced heavier crops, which in turn would
give greater weight to the sheep, aud also
allow Of great many more being bred
reared and fattened.
This is how sheep would help farming il
the United States. Shoot all the hateful
race of little ours, make good fences, and
crop the land 10 such studied rotation
that there would be abundance of season.
able nutritious food all the year round then
by judiciousy placing the flock in such a
way as to make the dung and urine tell OF
succeeding crops and parting them into flock,
of young together, and old together, those Of
one sex by themselves, and those of the on.
posite sex would do better as well. All
sheep require such attention as this and
likewise careful consideration Of theil
comfort in every respect. Then sheep hus.
bandry would 90 hand in hand with the
best system Of farming in every part of tn,
United Statos-RUral Neio Yorker.