The Portland daily press., 1875-11-17
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Value Of Sheep.

On the highest priced agricu tural lands
the sheep is the most profitable animal to
raise for the markets, and the best animal to
manure the land. The eve gives two divi-
deuds eacd year-her fleece and her lamb.
The males give larger fleeces, and 60 to mar
ket well matured sooner. The beef-producing
animals give no dividends, and the grower
must 60 ON adding to his expenses till the end
of their lives, when in one gross sum he must
find his total compensation, if ne can.
The cultivation and improvement of the
Sc called mutton breeds of sheep has in
Britain been carried SO far tnat now the most
desirable flesh food, ana the best wool for
large proportion OF the woolen goods now in
most deIand, are combined in the same ami.
mails, and with these important qualities is
Joined early maturity and wonderful powers
to accumulate weight OF carcass in proportion
to the food used.
Already our farmers, in the older parts of
our country, are turning their attention 10
the raisit g of such as have proved themselves
to be so profitable in Britain, and are making
crosses between these breeds and the Ameri-
can Merino, producing very valuable ami
NAL in all respects. The pressing demands
of our manufacturers for long wool for comb
ing and the manufacture of the now so fash
ionable and valuable worsteds and dress
goods will cause very rapid increase of
their crosses with the Merino-and the in-
creasing demand for good mutton, and the
remunerating prices paid for the best grades,
will soon teach our farmers, through their
pockets, in which direction lies their road to
more profitable methods of conducting their
business, than any they have before known.
1t is not easy to see any good reason why
the older sections of our country, having
great cities and manufacturing centers for
markets, should not follow the example of
EngIan1 in this matter. 1t has been proved
by the best test, that of actual trial, that our
soils and climate are well adapted to these
heavy sheep. Nothing of uncertainty on
this subject, remains but the uncertainty of
ouI national legislation. A policy OF free
trade in wool and woolen goods would tor
while destroy our purchasers of wool, and
ruin both branches of the business. Ii the
existing revenue laws can be allowed 10 re.
main, we may reasonably hope thai at least
the prices of our wool will be continued to
US, and ii so, We can continue to expand the
production. The business will in the older
parts or the country be close one, yielding
very small direct profits, but indirectly SO
very valuable as the means Of making ma
nure 10 raise grain crops, that it will go on,
and more economy III food, housing, and gen.
eral management will come in due time as
skill increases, and the thuttOn-pio oduciUg
sheep and the growing OF grain will 60 hand
in hand. The great value of focks of sheep
in keeping up the fertility Of the lands of the
older states, was shown by the late William
Chamberlain, of Red Hook, Duchess Co.,
N. Y.
In 1s4O be purchased farm at that place
that had $50 acres that had been used to raise
hay 10 sell so long that it was worn out. The
hay crop of 1841 was II loads; forty acres of
rye gave 10 bushels TO the acre; twenty five
acres OF corn averaged 20 bushels to the acre;
the remainder OF the farm was called pasture,
and proved equal to the grazing of one span
of horses, two pairs of oxen. and one COW.
The land was so exhausted that it would not
raise red Clover. The so-called commercial
manures we're tried, such as guano and super.
phosphates, with but little advantage; wood
ashes were better, but none of these substan-
ces could be used with economy, and Mr..
Chamberlain was forced to act on the assump-
tion that the Spanish proverb was true, "The
hooi of the sheep is gold.''
By using sheep as manufacturers of grain,
hay, cornstalks, straw Swamp muck, of
which the farm had an abundant supply,)
leaves and weeds, into manure, be not only
restored this worn-out farm to its original fer
tility. which could never have been very
great, as the soil is quite deficient IN lime,
and consists largely of sand and ground-up
granite rocks but be made it so productive
that ils crops would attract attention, and be
highly satisfactory in even the far-famed Gen.
esee county, or even in Ohio.
have an account of the crops of 1866 1900
loads of hay. estimated to weigh, III the VIM
ter, fully 600 tons; 40 acres of Indian corn,
estimated to yield so bushels to the acre;
wheat, for which the land is not well adapted,
but whicn is the best crop with which to SOW
timothv and clover seeds, 80 acres, averaging
10 bushels; 30 acres of oats, eight acres of
roots, and the pasture of 800 sheep, and
the teams, cows. etc.. necessary to GARY on
the farm. and TO supply the families on itwilh
milk aud butter
The Winter before be ted 300 sheep Tor mar
ket, making direct profit of 81 each; and
he fed 81 steers and oxen, aud winterej 300
store sheep and some cows and young cattle;
all these animals made an imme1selpile of the
most valuable manure.
Nj. Cbamberlain's plan, when he first COM
menced making manure by using sheep, was
to spread it thinly, so as to goover all the sur
face he could, and have enough to make clio.
yer grow; and he said that when he had
brought his land to where it would produce
red clover, thenceforth improvements were
easy and rapid. The sheep not only gave the
first impulse, but were all the time depended
upon as the great manure-producipg power;
and the resulting change in so short time,
is most wonderful-and teaches lesson that
is of incalculable value to the whole people;
and Mr.. Chamberlain should be cassed
among the greatest benefactors our country
has produced.-N. Y. Tribune.