The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-11-30
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

Wool ON A LIVE SHEEP.-The Trade
Journal tells US that generally the finest
and softest wool is on the shoulders of a
sheep. But not one person in ten thou
sand is aware of this fact. Let us watch
an expert when he is about to pass judg- |
ment on sheep concerning the value of
the animal for producing wool, and it
will be seen he always looks at the wool
on the shoulders first. A writer Of ex-
tensive experience in rearing fine wool
sheep and in handling wool COMMUNE
Gated the following suggestion for select
ing fne-wooled sheep: Always assum-
ing the wool to be inspected is really
fine wool, we first examine the shoulders
at the part where the finest and best
wool is usually found. This we take as
standard and compare it with the wool
from the ribs, the thighs, the rump, and
the shoulder parts, and the nearer wool
from the various portions of the animal
approaches the standard the better.
First we scrutinize the fineness, and if
the result is satisfactory we pronounce
the fleece in respect to fneness very
"even." Next we inquire into the
length of the staples, and if we find that
the wool on the ribs, thigh, and back APP
proximate reasonably in length to that
of our standard, we again declare the
sheep, as regards length of sample, true
and even. We next desire to satisfy
ourselves of the density of the fleece, and
we do this by closing the hand upon a
portion of the rump and of the loin wool,
the fleece at these points being usually
the thinnest, faulty, and if it again gives
satisfaction we signify the fact by desig-
mating the wool "even" as respects
density. Now to summarize these sep
arate examinations: If you find the
fleece of nearly equal frmness from the
shoulder to the thigh, of nearly equal
length shoulder, rib, thigh, and back,
and density on shoulder and across the
loins, you may conclude that you have
a perfect sheep for producing valuable
wool. Selecting sheep for valuable
feeders is quite another thing.
Two SIDES TO THE BEE STORIES
Floating here and there through the
press arc stories of extravagant profits III
Bookkeeping, and many who have little
or no capital are captivated by the fig
ures, and led to believe that they, too
can reap similar reward. The truth
may be spoken in majority of these
, statements, but too often generalization
, are made which lead to gross errors. Ev
identity in print we usually get but one
side of the picture.
In Moore's Rural Mew Yorker, of Sep
J tember 2, we find the following from ;
. correspondent in New Jersey that is no
: to be carried away by figures:
There is a bright and dark side to bee
: keeping. A great deal depends on TIT
= locality. Where white clover does no
exit extensively Bookkeeping would be
: hazardous business, and even in the hes
Localities it is not business that an,
= person can depend on to make living
r Cne may succeed, and he may not. ii
: may prosper for some years, obtain
q large number of families of bees, and
}, very severe winter may destroy nearl
t, all of them. Even warmly-built winte
l. bee.houses are not safe in very col
. winters.
s Now, suppose that we, in imagination
!; call on one hundred men who have bee
q or now are keeping bees in movabl
o comb hives in good locality for bees
g men who keep from five to fifty families
D We find that ten of them have lost
y their bees, and have given up the bus
i ness in disgust. Twenty have fewe
:, families now than they had five yeal
., ago. Thirty "hold their own" fror
d year to year 10 year, the increase of eac
d season abo equaling their wjntt
r. losses, and the balance have increase
70 their stock somewhat.
:. "What is the cause of your lossesW
o. ooh, sir, our cold winters"
a9 "Have you made money by bce-keel
!: ingT .,...o.,. ,,.o ,,,,,. ,;,,,o -,
6 in other seasons nothing. Mr.. - an
% !" Mr.. - are very successful. They ha
~ about a thousand pounds each of Gu
d hone last season, each having abo'
fifty families"
I'd We will now call on Mr.. -, wi
20 has six hunded families.
elbow many differently located api
a, ries have you, sirY'
100 81 have eight keep man to after
40 to each in swarming time"
40 40 "Do YOUR bees increase much p
"I get good many swarms son
,S7 seasons, but / don't increase my stoc
ID taking out winter losses. In fact, to t.
an the truth, / had more bees hve yea
tic ago than have now"
he "What are your annual net profits
hi your six hundred hivesT"
an "Year before last cleared about o
s aa thousand dollars; last year was pc
." season for bees, and i just came o
'whole; this year shall probably Gle
five or six hundred dollars. Bee ee
We ing, sir, is not the fortune-making bu
&c. ness that we read 1t is in the papers,"
an Probably trip among the bee-ket
hn ers would result somewhat as represe