The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-08-19
Practical Hints to Sheep
Breeders.

Let not this years decline in the pric
of wool discourage you in the least. Al
prominent cattle breeders in Great Brit
ain never allow themselves to become dis
couraged. nor to desert and forsake thei
business because of any sudden depres
sion in market prices They maiutail
and pursue an onward course constantly
For over two centuries they have hat
and maintained distinguished reputation
throughout both continents. Mr.. Torr
of England, one OF the most prominen
cattle breeders of Great Britian, sold, (
short time since, eighty We animals ior
S214 900, being an average of $685.
per head The highest priced beas,
brought over 10000. Its name wa
bright Empress No previous decline
in prices, which oftentimes occurs, evel
alarmed him, and caused him to quit hi
business. Let Vermont sheep breederl
copy his sagacious example.
Our Vermont sheep breeders at The
New England fair in 1875 took every
premium and diploma-eighteen in all
in the class of merinos. They also took
seven out Of nine on long wools; and
nine ont of fifteen, in the class denomina.
ted as middle.wools. 1t is pleasing
fact that Vermont has not lost her pres
tige in sheep husbandry, and it is to be
hoped and believed that she never will.
The present low price OF wool here, and
all through the West, will undoubtedly
prove to be a source of pesuniafy gain
an absolute advantage to Vermont sheep.
breeders. Indirectly, it will increase
their sales extensively within the next
two or three years. Many western
man starts and runs well for time. By
and By wool declines in price. while
wheat, beef and butter materially ad.
vance. Sheep are thrown in the shade !;
lacking the constituency necessary to his
future and ultimate success. he abandons
his idea as breeder, and barters off his
sheep at one.third or one.half their cost,
and then engages in that agricultural
branch which just then creates the ut.
most excitement, and promises the host
returns BY the time he has fairly EN-.
barked and made trip or two in that
direction, the wind shifts, wheat goes
down. beef falls, and butter is depressed
in price, while wool is up again to "high
water mark." Alas, he now sorey re.
grets that he parted with his sheep, and
resolves to reinvest ip the first Vermont
sheep that are offered for sale in his
neighborhood. The present condition of
the wool market will probably induce
hundreds Of the new western shecp breed.
ers to abandon it, and engage in other
pursuits. This fac, is an indirect cause
why every Vermont sheep breeder should
hold on, and continue to create new sup.
plies for them, when the wind shifts and
they decide to vccr about, and sail for
and enter again the harbor of sheep hus,
bandry. Vermont sheep breeders under
stand the best of all the art of sheep
breeding, which is to 80 couple the sexes
that it shall rule out defects aud propa-
gate excelences. 1t is a verify to add
that they are in advance OF all others in
the United States and will We trust main.
tain it, so that we can always offer them
much better sheep than they can pro.
cure at home Vermont for many years
has been, aud should for a century more
at least continue to be. the place OF re.
sort for every other state sheep breeder
to secure superior meIino bucks, to
enhance the weight of fleece, and valuc
Of every descendant Of their own hocks.
We candidly aud urgently advise the
sheep breeders of our county not TO be
enormously influenced by the present
wool market, but continue their useful
and important generative business. with
view to supply the western trade with
its yearly demands. You do this. Tor it
will doubtless be kept up for century to
come. provided we continue TO do as We
may, viz surpass all other states in the
production of superior specimens Of mer.
ino sheep. BE it known and remember.
ed that the chief and predominant cause
why wool growing and sheep breeding
should and doubtless will be yearly en-.
larged in the United States, arises from
the yearly increase of our population. In
1870 We numbered 3S5jS.37l which,
be it remembered. required five times
that number in pounds of wool 10 supply
the inhabitants with clothing carpets, etc,
that is, 1872, ,79l 1855 pounds OF wool. We
raised that year only trihe over 100.
100000 pounds We imported to sup
ply our deficiency 90.500,000 pounds.
Our present population now numbers
over 45 1000, 900. and consequently re-
quires FIVE times that amount. or 22j.
0OO,O 900 pounds OF wool, to meet their
yearly necessities The annual increase
Of our population Is ,223,32 Simply
aud alone this increase requires yearly
five times their number. i. c.. G,ll6,630
pounds to supply their wants. This
would require 100000 additional sheep
to supply the yearly increase of our pop.
ulation. But there is no such yearly al.
dition to our hocks. H,nce We have to
pay from fifty to sixty millions of dollars
for imported wool and woolens yearly.
This is now being considered a national
blunder. Hence the states Of Califoroia,
Oregon, Texas. Colorado aud others have
for the last few years engaged in wool
growing very extensively Geo. Ham,
mond, Esq, who has returned from Tex.
as, says many a wool grower there keeps
thirty. forty, fifty, and some even sixty
thousand head OF sheep. The same can
be said of California.
Sheep breeders Of Vermont, especially
OF Addison county, VIC exhort you 10 take