The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-08-31
flor the ADVANCE 49,
SHEEP huSB DRY

FLOR the ADVANCED
SHEEP HuSBAMDRY.
ANOTHER LETTER Fe0N1 Mr.. MORTON
SHEEP RAISING CLElLA1.E OFAKIN.s
~ NEso14 ffPBc1A LLY EyADAP q ~
STATISTICS OF snEEP nUsDANDRY /.
Unadilla County, Oregon. had. I'm
1873, over one hundred thousand sheep,
and their average yield Of wool that
year was stated in the National Live
Stock Journal "a journal that every
farmer in the United States should
take) at six pounds. A. Nj. Frazer, of
that county, from his flock of AGO Sc
cured an average Of eight pounds per
head. The market value of Mr.. F.'s
flock yield per head was not less than
$3.50, at 35c per pound though he prob.
ably realized a considerably higher fig
ure:, lnitlle same year w isconsin wool
(''domestic fleece'') was worth in Bos-
ton July market) 45c, while in 1874 the
Boston market, same m onths, was 5O(G
sic. A prominent Wisconsin sheep
farmer, who carefully and intelligently
keeps his accounts, SAYS that for the
eight years previous to 1873 his wool
''las averaged within a fraction OLA
cent fifty centsper pound at ho,ne.'' ;. I'll
MINNESOTA -FIRsTi4INe ADVANTAGES.
There are doubtless enough Wiscon-
sin: farmers among Your readers to
talk back" if 20 astray in nv. esti-
mates Of the real advantages Of Mime
sofa in sheep growing over not only
Wisconsin,, Tut any other Northwest
PROFITS. =:
We will set out with the generally
admitted fact that zone acre of good
land will keep three merino sheep per
year," summer and winter, and grow
all the grain that is required, except.
perhaps, the bran that is necessary for
the, lambs. For Il flock, then, of 800
sheep we want 100 acres OF good land
costing not more than $25 per acre
which will amount to $500; three
hundred good sheep costing say 81 900,
making tie total cost of sheep and land
$3,5W.. Estimating the average yield
OF wool perlleal 1T four pounds, which
is low enough for good sleep, and only
half tile average yield of the Oregon
farmer above quoted, and worth say
SOC instead of SIC, and We have the ac-
CONT as follows: g..
- Credit.
l2N pounds wool worth ut hom,, $ao
increase 1T least no,., 20 $50
Cost Of exit labor Occasional handy,
repairs to sheep barns, bran Tor ..s.
Interest on capital Invested Gin farm '''
and original II 'ck) ut l0per cent, $50 SIS
AMI va I,,ro , 90, ur.Gt If sas
For the farmer over and above Il clean
every dollar invested by him. This is
a reasonable estimate, because $500
in our State will provide 100 acres. of
good land with all necessary improve
ments III the way OF house, barn, etc.
THE RISK
In estimating the risk attending
sheep raising in our State think notli-
ing-absolutely nothing-is to lie con-
sidered except wolves and dogs: and
am not going to get up any argument
us to which, in the general run of
things i'll the Northwest, is the greatest
nuisance. All dogs are not sheep kill
ers. OF course, but enough are to quite
balance the wolf accounts, in nv opin-
ion, and yet / love good, we'll bred
dog probably as well us does anybody.
CHEAP BARNS.
Great care should be taken to have
dry, warm barns, or sheds, with I'LL the
protection possible from the north and
west, and the east, too, if you choose.
And here, again, comes in play the
millions Of wheat straw in the way of
long heavy ricks we'll closed up on all
sides except the south. These sheds
and racks so built, and divided off so
| that too many sheep are not allowed to
crowd i'll together, will enable you
easily to protect against boil, the pests
above named, and at the same time give
your flock the full benefit of the clear,
bright, sunny, dry days which to such
Il remarkable degree make up Il Milihe-
sofa ''cold winter.''
| TILE LANES.
! Another thing not to lie overlooked:
| With your sheep so comfortably quar-
tered for winter, it is the least trouble
to provide for their breeding and drop
ping their lambs ut the right time III tile
sprlng-not too early, or, what is nearly
as bad, too late. Couple so as to get
your increase on their feet as early lis
RO0oAOA0 b11A yCV ottV0 1.p IOptllys
and by doing this you have SO much
the better start for the coming winter.
SPECIAL ADVANTAGES.
And this brings me to consider
whether Minnesota is not really the best
adapted to sheep raising of any of the
Northwestern States. In MY former
letter gave quite fully my ideas Of the
effect Of our climate upon all live stock.
The advantages I then claimed for it
for successful, stock raising in general,
| do specially claim for sheep raising.
Sheep require 4 rolling, grass soil, :ln
abundance of pure water, dry climate,
and, in winter, protection from the
storms, and moderately liberal keep.
These can all he had in Minnesota
the three first more abundantly and the
two last as cheaply rs in any other
State in the entire Northwest. We
have a dryer climate than Wisconsin.
and there is no alk;lli in our soil as in
Dakota, west Of us, or a part of Ne
braska, and nearly all of Colorado.
| OUR GRASSES THE BEST.
Our native grass has more real
strength and nutrimeut than any /
have ever seen, and the best and most
! npO1trnvp,t lila oxy;,1nnoo &1,;. -,