Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-12-26

Wnlenng 100 sheep M2.GO per head, 10000
Total cost, 3IlOo
100 neeccs q AZ lbs EACH $50 lbs.
lao lbs wool a 81 per h., Sl57-iO
~ lambs a l 10 each, 1000
227.5O
Loss, $3.50
But this is not all. When II flock is kept
IN such manner MS to produce this result,
some of the number will not survive the
winter. The showing is sufficiently bad
without taking into account the deprecia-
ton Of the flock by reason of this loss.
Now | propose to give some general
hints as to the care necessary TO produce
the former result:
Commencing with the month of Octo-
Der, by which time the barns should be in
readiness for the flock. Barns should be
warm, dry, well Uttered and we'll ventilat-
ed. Racks of such length should I've pro-
vided that the sheep can all eat without
crowding, and so constructed that the fod-
der can be kept clean. During this month
sheep should be housed from cold storms
and fed ON early cut hay-thus making
gradual the transition from grass to hay
from green food to dry.
November. The first of this month the
rams should be turned with the ewes. For
Il few days previous TO this time, and also
during this month, the ewes should be fed
q small quantity of grain. This will cause
nearly all the ewes to be in heat in about
eighteen days, and us u consequence the
lambs will all be dropped at about The
same timo.in April.
December, January and February.
Sheep should be kept well housed, and fed
as much good early.cut hay us they will
eat Good hay will keep them in good
condition; but if it is poor hay by reason
of late cutting damage, or from any other
cause, grain or roots must be fed In pleas
ant weather the animal should have plenty
of exercise in the open air, and in the sun
slime. Air, exercise and sunshine should
always be given to animals in coniine-
ment.
March. Same treatment as during the
lhree preceding monlhs-but in addition Il
feed Of grain once IL day. This should be
continued till the grass is sufficiently
grown to render further feeding unneces
sary.
April. A warm dry place should be
provided where sheep which are expected
to lamb can be placed by themselves.
There should be no holes or corners into
which young lambs can crawl away from
their dams, and no water tubs into which
they can tumble and be drowned. AS soon
us the ground is bare sheep should be al
lowed to run upon it during pleasant
weather.
May. Sheep should be shearcd us early
in this month us the weather will admit
A warm pleasant day should be chosen.
After shearing they should be housed al
at night for II week, ut least; and must be
protected from storms. if severe, during
the entire month.
June and July. These are the most i'm.
portant months of the year to him who
would succeed at sheep raising, and may
say they are the most important TO the
farmer whatever branch of husbandry 1t
pursucs. And this is so, because during
these months lie must make preparation
for the winter by securing his supply o
| hay. AS have said, good hay will pu
: sheep in good condition. Any grass which
! grows in this region will make good hay
) if cut early enough-but for one ton cut ii
season one hundred are cut too late
, Sheep will eat great variety of plants
) when they are cut in season. AS far ~
practicable, different sorts of hay SHOULD
be stored separately, and thus change o
feed can be provided. If any hay has beel
injured by storms it should be placed b,
ITSELF then, when it is used, grain can b.
fed with it.
Lambs should be weaned in July, Aug
: ust and September.
: For three months no special work i
5 needed. In September sheep should b.
d sheltered from cold storms. Salt shoul,
Z be given once week during the year,
Now we will see how the second resul
is produced. First, l will describe tn
man he does not believe in learnin.
anything new-does not believe in "book
farming not take agricultural pa
4 pcrs;-if he takes II local paper, doesn
: read the agricultural experimentation
9 can village Or city chap tell him abou
. farming? lfhc goes to the farmers clul
, he wants to know how to make sheep en-
+ straw, etc. The rams are in with his eve
, occasionally from September to December
He does not protect his sheep from coll
: storms,-does not feed them hay or grail
l until snow falls; he tries to believe that b
is saving hay by so doing. His sheep com
i to the barn in poor condition, and abou
midwinter his troubles begin in earnest
= His sheep arc weakly; he commence
i nursing some of them;-they do no
"winter' we'll He don't let them run on
; of their pens-it makes too much work
i He feeds grain to part of them all win
ter. Some of them die; by spring he ha
II pile of u dozen or more-h!S lambs com
= mence dropping in February; us matte
t. of fact they mostly die. He prepares NJ
place for his ewes to lamb; when fey
: lambs have got chilled he fixes warn
u u pen-when few have drowned he fixe
u : the water troughs. The lambs are weak
i the ewes DO not have milk, consequent
they don't own their lambs,n and hi
I family kitchen is made hospital for them
u The sheep and lambs are turned ava
> from the barn, without hay or grain, a
! soon as they can possibly get grass enoug
u to keep up the feeble life which is left i
ii them; they are sheared in July-are GOV
U cred with ticks; he can't afford to di
d them. He does not begin haying till a
. Of his hay is suitable to harvest II
u thinks it is best TO let his grass stand till
: is ripe enough to spend well; besides,
/ doesn't take so long to make " it. Iii
lambs are weaned in September; they ar
small, and the ewes are poor. So he CON
mences another winter You will hea
such man say that New England can
compete with the Western States in rails
ing sheep.
j. Is it any wonder that sheep raising {?
a doesn't pay in his handsP Would any
e thing pay? He might lose less ut some
n thing else He is trying to get som thin
= from nothing. He is trying to fool hi
u sheep into thinking that straw is drie
}, grass-perhaps they do their best to be
d lieve it, but the laws of nature are to
: much for him and them. Sheep raisin
pays, and pays as well in New England a
elsewhere, all things considered; but onl
n consistent, intelligent, well.drecied effor
1 can make a success of it anywhere. ..B
not deceived-nature is not Knocked; me-
T, lido no. gather grapes of thovns or fios r