The Hillsborough recorder., 1877-06-20
SHEEP TIE MAINSTAY or AG.
RICULTURE.

II is useless for farmers 10 attempt to
ignore the necessity Of sheep busbandry in
conjunction with any good system Of farm
ing. Although in modern days ideas differ
essentially from those held in olden times.
At least in many respects, yet in regard to
the value u sheep there never was rural
people in any age who prospered in the
hong run without q flock Of sheep and
shepherd to 10 take care of them. Jacob
served Laban for bis wives by attending TO
sheep. and become possessed himself Of
immense focks. aud all through the histori-
cal part cf the Bible sheep are repeatedly
alluded TO. Abraham and Lot had many.
and sheep-shearing was commonly ended
with considerable feasting.
In the New Testament. too. the shepherds
were the first 70 be apprised Of the good
tidings. and tie good shepherd and bis
socks 50 represented as 10 show that
sheep we're valued and cared for and Thought
a deal more Of than BY the present inhsbi-
tants u this country.
.tl,out century ago Mr.. Coke, Of Nor>
folk. England, owned large tract Of land.
and made up bis mind to improve il By
bringing sheep permanently into notice.
Annually be had q great time at bis sheep
shearing. add induced his tenants 10 To-
crease tae numher of their sheep. thereby
enriching bis estate and himself till. at the
age Of 20. be was created Earl Of Leiees.
ter. Il is probable that many who read
this will have heard Of his being wido~er
with three daughters Of middle age. but no
son to inherit the title, and how be married
. young lady Of 26. who had three daugh>
ters by the time the Earl was so years old.
snd then had one son who succeeded TO bis
fathers wealth and houors.
The Norfolk domain is ons Of The finest
enltisatsd es.ates IN England. and has the
character Of being TIE best managed. This
may be attributed. in great measure. to
the excslleat system Of sheep husbandry
established there. Again. to show the ef-
fects Of sheep on roor soil. 6fty-two years
sge the writer's boy with bis father, mo-
ther, etc moved from Northamptonshirs
into the Coiswold bills. At that time only
partially in cultivation, and where CON |.
parxtiyely few sbeef we're kept. Year BY
year. however, their numbers we're increas-
ed. and roots we're grown upon The improy-
cd system Of ridging in rows. called. then
the Scotch way. because Scotch bailiff
frst introduced it.--As this system pro-
sressed crops became heavier till, al the
present dag. the sheep has become q re-
sewned breed. aud from having been made
MP by 9ashes Of other blood. not only have
they been used 20 improve other breeds
as the Leicester and LiDcolns-but they
have also been the means Of establishing
entirely new breeds BY crossing. as. for an
stance, the 0xforddowns.
At the time mentioned, half o century
oDly ago, The Ce,ssold ass2 wasa great.
eoarss. big headed. clumsy animal, very
difficult 10 fsttsn TO nice ripe mutton !.
Knowing thr. and seeing the Cotswolds
and 0zforddowns u the present moment.
Whist an encouragement 10 20 vigorously in
70 The breeding and improvement Of stock
IN the United Statesl
The Leicester sheep we're improved and
broaght preniDcntly into notice long be-
foro the cotssold sas thought much %,
sod the COED, old-fashionsd Soathdowp was
an es.ablished breed. the origin Of which
y ss remote ss the black welch cattle and
welch mospssin sheep. As everybody
knows Ellnsn. Webb. &c; improved upon
ihe native stock the same ss Bakewell did
on Lsiessters, aud be historical 10 agrieul-
turs 10 England, % the great improvers Of
fns- sooled sheep in the United States, will
10 here.
As the long. wooled and short-woolsd
Englizh sheep become scolimated in the
United States. they will gain favor; bat
The manner in which theS are confined IN
ths winter and the small quantity Of roots
givsa % shs tegs 10 their grouiag state.
cause them % fail sadly in che round. bar
,sI-liks SHAPE. asd 10 ibe weight Of the
hsces. ...a.. d.
The grade Of common sheep 10 The Unit
I'd States. are like dungbill fowls, easily
improsea; bccsuse. like them, ihsre II q
mixture Of Dlood. and they are susceptible
Of giving ysry great influence 10 thoroug-
bred male; hence !: Is easy fCr the common
farmer q bring bic HOck % he what is de.
aired By buying his rsms from the pure
breed Ne sdmirss. and continuing 70 use
none but pure-brsd ones.
As the wealthy families 10 cities aud the
frss-elsss hotsls siii give price in pro-
portion 10 sbe quality Of The meat, there Is
always sale for prime mutton, and %
Down mutton bss peculiar dark shade oi
lesn, which Is we'll kBo-nsto the caterer
for the spieure. this meat commands q
higher figure than the very finest Cotswolds
Lineoln or Lsiessier;a fsct which may
tesd 10 eventuaIly be the means o. making
the 0xforddswps The fsyerite breed. For
although 4 Is ssdmifisd that . Two or three
yesr old wsther " the pure Soutbdowu will