The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-01-09
0he farmer.
SHEEP RAISING.

Il
farmer that there is no more profitable
stock than sheep, provided they are treated
with the care and attention bestowed on
other animals. In the southern and east
ern parts of this State, they are turned out
to pasture and shift for themselves, brows-
ing upon pine or cedar bushes and crop
ping whatever comes in their way. They
are rarely housed or peuned, aad as sell
dom fed, but permitted to run in the
woods or in thickets Of bramble and briar,
picking up a scanty subsistence, and leav-
ing portions Of their valuable fleece ad-
herring to the bushes and briars, wherever
they &c. Thus they often pass the entire
winter, seen only occasionally by their
owner, who gives them, now and then,
few bundles Of corn blades, or few BUSH
els Of turnips or other roots, and perhaps
little corn meal, if the snow cover the
ground. To house them or pen them un-
der shelter he never deems necessary, and
only rides out to count them occasionally
to sec if the dogs have made meal of
any Of them, Or if any have fallen victims
to some prowling thief, too lazy to work
but ever ready to levy upon his neighbor's
sheep for a subsistence Now, sheep
should be placed under some better shelter
than that afforded BY bushes and thickets,
in winter. They should be housed or
penned under a shed or other shelter and
properly fed during the winter months
AT other times they are fully able to take
care Of themselves Their increase of
wool and lambs will pay better than any
other kind Of stock; but their manure, if
not wasted, is quite as profitable as carcass
or fleece. To save this, they should be
penned, each night, summer or winter. A
portable fold or pen is the best for this
purpose, for it can be moved from place
to place about the farm, where the manure
is most needed, or where it is the most
convenient. Besides thus saving the ma
nure, the farmer thus saves his sheep, for
dogs viii not attack them in fold or pen,
especially if few bells are attached to a
buck or wether or two in the flock. For
their better security against dogs, some
farmers pen them with their cattle, or de-
tach one or more cattle from the herd and
put them with the sheep. If cared for
and attended to in this way, they viii be
found to be the most profitable of stock;
for, not only win they pay, by the ready
sale Of carcass aud fleece, but nothing will
enrich the land so soon, and at 50 little
cost. Farmers may clamor for dog lows
ms much as they please. and good dog laws
ought to be enacted for their better secu-
rity against loss; but laws will not change
the nature Of dogs, for they will killsheep |
if hungry and poorly fed. The NANCY |
ours that belong 70 poor people scarcely |
abls to feed themselves, are the dogs that
are most destructive among sheep. A
law taxing dogs, the money to be applied
to pay for sheep killed by them, would
cause the greater part of these hungry and
worthless ours to be killed of, (their own
ers being unwilling or unable to pay taxes
upon them) and the valuable dogs remain
ing would be well fed and cared for, and
have less disposition to kin sheep. While
mutton and wool are 80 valuable as food
and clothing for man, sheep viii never de-
preciate, and their manure for wornout
land is one Of the best and cheapest fertil-
izers for the growth Of all kinds Of crops.
Indeed, poor farm may be made rich and
kept rich, by proper attention to sheep
raising. And, not only the farm viii be
made rich BY them, but the farmer also.