The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-02-27
COTSWOLDS IN SMALL FLOCkS.
From the Nep England Farmer.

Several months ago, our valued cor
respondent, Mr. Whitaker, of Need
ham, contributed an article commend
ing this breed of sheep to the notice of
those farmers who can give them the
care and attention needed for producing
the best quality of wool. The follow
ing letter to the COUNTRY GENTLEMAN
upon the same subject, will be of espe-
cial interest to all who are engaged in
the breeding of these beautiful animals:
Mr.. Thomas Whitaker, of Boston,
an expert in wool matters and sheep
growing" as the New ENGLAND FAR
MER represents, after writing some SEN
sible truths, says: Bear this in mind
that the long-wooled sheep emit little
yolk, and their wool does not shed tie
rain like Merino sheep, hence the neces-
sity of having them housed during
rains" &c. Afterwards he says that
roots are remedy for the scab, and
sheep are liable to diseases of the skin,
also asking farmers to bear in mind
that a flock of thirty of these sheep
is enough for one farm" l was raised
in the midst of Cotswold sheep; Lei
cesters, Downs, &C., being also more or
less kept in the vicinity in fact one
could not GO out of doors without see
ing double the above number of sheep
in every field which had any in it at all,
and it seems extraordinary to me to
find it stated that thirty are enough for
q farm
Take Stow-on-the-Wo on the Cots
void Hill, as centre, start north and
60 fifty miles: and you will leave the
Cotswold sheep behind, and get among
Leicesters go east and you will get
the Oxford Downs and their crosses:
go south, and Downs of the old, origi-
nal breeds will be met with, and go
west and southwest, and other varie-
ties will be found. In either direction,
twenty miles will take you off the Cots
void Hills (proper); although Stow is
near the northeast borders, but should
you go over the whole space indicated,
there is not one farm in ten with less
than 800 sheep upon it, and not one in
the whole region with less than 100.
If the numbers are any smaller, it does
not pay to have shepherd Git is as
much out of place to have sheep with
out shepherd as team without a
carter,) and it must be recollected that
these farmers rent the land, and make
more from sheep than aught else. Talk
about thirty sheepto the poorest tenant
farmer in England and he would laugh
at the idea. Although shelter from
Winter weather and cold Spring storms
is necessary in northern climates here,
yet in England, where, as every one
knows, it is raining twenty times as
often as here, there is no housing them
during rains, for there are no houses
for them; no barns or sheds of any
kind for sheep on any of the common
farms, and rarely any shed for the lamb
ing month, an open yard or temporary
pen being all that is provided to put
the ewes in at night
1t is pity such statements are made,
because it discourages sheep husbandry.
What can be done with only thirty
sheep? Such number would not be
worth attention. 1t seems wonderful
to me there are so many drawbacks
mentioned in regard to sheep husband
~. had never less than several hun
dred of sheep when in England, and
never had any diseases of the skin, or
any kind of check to prosperity with
sheep, and never saw any casualties
which could not be accounted for by
bad management or from causes outside
of any tendency to delicacy of condi-
ton in sheep, or liability to disease.
Here in the United States | have had
hundreds Of sheep in my charge and l
positively declare there is no truth
whatever in any statement about the
sheep or wool being injured by rain in
any mild weather, or any weather in
mild climates. 1t is the coddling and
close confinement which Injuries sheep.
Of England to soak and wash the sheep
which have been lying in the turnip
fields all Winter, and to do this in
March, or as soon as the muddy soil
dries up so that the dirt can be cleaned
out from the wool before it becomes
dried in. These sheep suffer no incon-
venience, for the wool soon dries next
to the skin; and where any long-wooled
or short-wooled sheep are fed regularly
and have good shepherds in attendance
rain does not hurt them. In fact, | be-
lieve it is injurious to cattle as well as
to sheep to be kept dry always, and l
am quite sure that in any mild season,
the very best provision for horses, cows
or sheep, is shelter that they can re-
sort to just when they please
Sheep are not at all liable to skin dis
eases unless mismanaged Scab is cas-
lily cured by dressings of various kinds,
but it is a contagious disease, and