The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-09-23

Merino sheep are chiefly valuable for
wool. and greatly improve orr common
native sheep by crossing with them.
This breed fatten slowly. Any breed
whose wool is desired to be improved.
can be profitably crossed with the Me
rinos. The Leicester sheep are noted
for their long wool, not very fine. aver
aging seven or eight pounds to the
fleece. These sheep have no horns.
male or female. They are good for
mutton, but they are not particularly
popular. A cross with the Merinos
makes them valuable sheep. In an ex-
pertinent made to test the iattening
qualities of the Leicester in comparison
with Merinos, sixty sheep of each breed
were fed forty-six days on the same
quantity and quality of food; the Lei
cesters gained zoos pounds, and the
Merinos only $50 pounds. This shows
the superiority of Leicesters for NUT
ton. The Lincolnshire sheep are large
and bony, having rather thin fleece.
They need crossing to be profitable.
The Southdown is a popular breed,
both in England and in the United
States. BY crossing this breed have
been produced the " Hampshiredowns.
Stropshiredowns.' and "Oxford-
DOWNS" all being good mutton and
wool sheep. The Cotswold is very
popular and valuable breed. They are
docilc, and take flesh easily and rapidly.
All things considered, they are the
most profitable sheep that can he kept
in most States of the Union.
The thrifty farmer so husbands his
resources. and pays such prompt and
strict attention to details, constantly
seeing that the little necessary fixings
of his farm and buildings are attended
to, that he is enabled to keep his work
well in hand. He is never overturned.
and can find time for q DAYS leisure
without being driven by his business.
His fields are smooth and productive,
his fences and buildings in good repair.
and everything about his premises con-
veys the impression that the owner in
tends to have, as far as possible. every
thing about him in good order.
LIME AND SALT.-PrOfessor johnson
recommends, for fertilizing purposes,
to mix one bushcl of salt and two of
dry lime under cover; allow the mixture
to deeompose gradually, thus forming
chemical union. For this purpose the
mixture should be made six weeks be-
fore use, or better still, two or three
months, the heap being turned over oc-
casiOnally. This salt and lime mixture,
when applied at the rate of twenty or
thirty bushels per acre, forms an excel
lent top dressing for many crops. 1t
acts powerfully on the vegetable matter
of soils; fifty-six bushels applied to
turnips have produced as large crop
as barnyard manure. 1t is destructive
to grubs and insects in tine soil. Like
salt, it attracts moisture from the air,
and is useful against drought. Its de-
composing power is remarkable, and if
three or four bushels of it are mixed
with load of muck, the latter will be
thus thoroughly powdered.
AGRICULTURE is an employment the
most worthy the application of man; the
most ancient. and the most suitable to
his nature. 1t is the common nurse of
all persons in every age and condition
of life. It is the source of health,
strength, plenty and richness, and of a
thousand sober delights and honest
pleasures. 1t is the mistress and school
of sobriety, temperance, justice, reli-
gion, and, in short, of all virtues, civil
and military .-iS0crates.