Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-07-03
agricultural,
From the Manchester Mirror.
CotSlCoid Sheep.
Letter from the Superintendent OF the
College Faria

| have Just received the following let
ter from a gentleman in Maine:
III noticed in the MIRROR, an article in
regard to Cotswold sheep on State farm.
VIII you please write ii you have any to
sell 1t so what price? How much
wool DO they shear apiece? What do
you think of the Cotswolds for farmers
to keep on their farms in Maine? Should
be happy to hear from you through the
MIRkoa. ABEL CHANDLER"
Upon the subject of sheep husbandry, |
claim no special information, and shall
not attempt to speak with authority.
Although the question asked is in re-
gard to Cotswold sheep for Maine, yet it
Is closely allied TO the question What do
you think Of sheep husbandry for New
Hampshire for western Maine, | Judge,
Is very much like our own State, and the
Co,swold sheep would need locality and
heritage where sheep in general would
thrive.
Character OF soil, which in a very
large measure determines character OF
heritage, has very much TO do with the
prosperity Of this branch of farming, and
thus the question Is one OF great impor-
lance. Then the question in effect is, Is
our s1ii adapted to the production OF
sheep?
\ steady and prolonged decline in the
exten, to which an industry is carried on
would BY many be considered an unerring
indication of want Of either relative or
absolute prosperity. Such decline most
certainly has taken place in sheep hus-
baudry in New Hampshire, if the census
can be relied upon at all, even TO Indicate
the drift Of our changing system OF hus-
baudry, Number Of sheep in 1890, Isl
100: 1850, SIC, 5S4 and IN 1870, only
23-.-00. only % per cent. as many by
the last census as by the one Of twenty
years previous, and | Gnd that all New
England and 4 part Of the Middle States
have about the same pyoportionate de-
cline.
As every effect has It's cause, to what
shall We aScribc the cause Of this rapid
and continuous decline in this branch OF
farming? No, markets, surely, for We
have better markets than formerly, and
the best Of the country. DO other de-
ya-tmcats Of farming pay better, or Is
our soil and vegetation il.-adapted TO sheep
husb-niryt
Stewart il his recent work entitled the
Shepherds Manual" considers TIN, ques-
ton quite fully aud says "The land
most suitable for sheep is one that is natu-
rally drained with sandy loan or gravel
IN soil and subsoil, and which bears spon-
,aneousy short, fine, heritage, largely
mixed with white clover; it should be
rolling and may be hj.iy in character
rather than fat and level"
"Ce.tain soils, such as those consisting
OF decomposcd granite aud teldspar, and
which are rich in potash, are not general
ly favorable for sheep This soil, spok-
IN OF as unified for sheep husbaudry,
Represents well 4 large proportion OF our
sol. and, in fact, Of New England Again,
be adds, the soils most TO be preferred
are sandstone and limestone. \ very
large part of the sol. Of Vermont viii
represent this class OF lands better than
any to be found in New Eng,an to any
extent, probably; therefore 1t may be
interesting to compare the numbers OF
sheep 10 the acre in New Hampshire aud
in Nermon; perhaps it would be more
Indicative to compare the number to the
improved acres. For every 100 acres OF
improved land IN New Hampshire there
are 1915. in Vermont lSS In Maine :
sheep.
The geological survey OF New llamp-
shire by Prof. Hitchcock shows that quite
q number Of our Connecticut river valley
farms are caleareous, or contain a large
per cent. OF lime, while another proper
hon are slaty. which also contains quite
a per cent. OF lime. Among the towns
are Lyme, Hanover, Lebanon in the cal
careous formation, aud Walpole and the
towns 10 the north and south OF it on the
river are On the slaty soils. Now these
towns are notedly the best towns for
sheep aS sheep-raising Is carried on to
4 larger extent than III any other section
Of the State and it may be observed that
Merinos take the lead, but few long-wooled
sheep being found in the towns 10 the
north or south of Hanover. Several
focks in Hanover shear from nine TO eley-
en- pounds OF uhwashed wool, and the
wool from these towns at the Centennial
carried of the prize. From what We
know Of the history Of the Cotswolds aud
Southdowns in England, We know that
they have thriyen best on chalk or lime
stone soils, or on soils that rest on them.
For these and several other reasons,
should Judge that sheep raising would not
become d leading feature in our system OF
farming. But | would not by any means
discourage sheep raising in our State or
Maine that is | would not exclude the
sheep from the farm. In mixed husband
~ it may be an important factor in the
system, without being the most important
one. Our broken country, swept by pure
cool breezes in summer, supplied BY an
abundance Of cool pure water, make our
locality very favorable for sheep husband
r. in that respect; so much so that sheep
in small hocks, with ample pasturage,
have and will continue to thrive here.