Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-06-25
Hints to Wool Growers.

dairy or grain raising, for many. NO farm
stock is so we'll calculated to sustain the
fertility Of the soil Of the farm, especially Of
pastures, as sheep. The tendency Of the
pastures Of dairy farms is to deterioration.
This is acknowledged in the best dairy Sec
tions. The mowings are maintained, if at
all, at the expense Of the pastures. On but
ter-dairy farms where hog is kept for every
COW, accompanied by good management and
economy of the fertilizers Of the farm, the
mowings hold their own, aud on some farms
they gain, from year to year. Where the
eheese.dairy prevails, it is more difficult to
keep up the mowings.
The difficulty of procuring good help and
It's relative high price make wool growing
preferable. The care of sheep is very easy
and requires but little help summer and
winter There is a good job at shearing
time which requires extra help. After that
is over, smart boy or a man not able bodied
for labor, will take all the care Of thous-
and sheep in three hours a day in winter
and few hours a week in summer.
On farms where the mowings are moist
50 that they can be kept up by top dressing,
and the farmer does not care to employ but
little help, farm can be carried on very
easily if stocked with sheep. We do not
claim that growing wool at 40 or As cents
a pound is as profitable as butter making at
the same prices. But many farmers cannot
get along with the work and the trouble of
dairy.
Starting a Flock.
The first question Is breed. If the farm
er wishes to keep very generous feeders,
heavy sheep, and raise winter or early
spring lambs for market long ormiddlewooled
sheep are preferable There are no sheep
better than the Cotswold, probably. They
are hardy, grow rapidly and the lambs
bring high prices in market The wool also
sells high, much better than SOuthdown.
If on the other hand he prefers to keep
larger numbers of sheep that are longer in
maturing and will bear less feed, we should
recommend the Merinos. There are many
other breeds of sheep, but we regard these
two breeds as leading. The next point which
presents itself for the farmers decision is
Blood.
Shall he choose thoroughbred sheep or
grades The question is one Of Importance
and should receive mature consideration.
We know breeders who advise farmers
young and old, to buy thorough-breds every
time. They have no trouble in selling all
they can raise at two or three to hundred
times what grades would sell for, and they
make buyers "see it" some times, and some
times they don't. We have observed that
they always have a few which they are
willing to sell, at very remunerative prices.
We have been ground in that mill, and
had our wits pretty well sharpened. per
haps some day we will give the readers Of
the FARMER leaf from our own private
experience, when we get better acquainted.) }
We are raising and selling thoroughbred
sheep, and experience, the teacher whose
lessons make the most lasting impress ion,
has taught us to advise farmers to base
their estimates Of sales on the prices of tOoOt
and mutton. If they can buy thorough
bred sheep that are hardy aud of good in-
dividual qualities, at rates that will allow
them to sell for mutton, then buy. Other,
wise buy grades.
Select large, strong sheep, deep and thick
through the chest, with ribs and loin
well spread and broad hips, making a
deep thick carcase, whatever the breed.
Such form gives room for large vital and
digestive organs, which insure good feeding
qualities, gives promise Of good constitu-
tion, and there is weight when fattened fol-
market, vital point.
The character Of the fleece is one of the
last Importance. The Cotswold fleece
should be long, of a light straw color. with q
bright gloss, aud free from SCOT" "a sickly
looking adhesive quality.) The MerinC
should, in our opinion, be entirely free from
wrinkles on its body and also from yolk and
gum. A fleece having just oil enough t.
give it a soft feeling to the fingers, and nj
more is preferable. If the outside has nC
coating of dark gum, but presents color
scarcely darker than the fleece when opened
all the better.
These are extreme views on the subject o.
yolk and oil, but they are the same that We
learned on a sheep farm when a boy, anc
long and unbiased study of the subject ha
never changed our opinion. Iu other words
we would say the fleece should be cOmpose'
entirely Of wool, For these reasons, yolk
gum and oil in the fleece are all waste to th
manufacturer. 1t takes much food to max
them. When in excessive quantities they
cause tenderness in the sheep and impair tn
usefulness of the fleece as a protection from
cold. If they are inside the skin in th
form of fat they make the sheep strong an
keep them warm.
The staple should be both long and thic
all over the body, of medium fneness, an
with bright, healthy gloss, no scot"
Iffarmers will procure such sheep as thes'
: that will cut six or seven or eight pound
Of washed wool, that will winter we'll o
, hay, and will take good care of them, an
; breed to good bucks, they will have prof
, able flock.
. We believe in thoroughbred bucks it goo
! ones can be obtained If not, use goo
grades. If those can be procured who's