The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1878-07-26
SHEEP RAISING IN TEXAS.
Extracts from an Article BY Geo. W. Ken
dali, Esq.

espeCldli1 tuC ldulOs'3 bUtt1tiiuiI1
NTH tar, and SO far they have not
been troubled at all with grub in
the head. Last year, it may be re-
membered, lost few lambs from
this cause. The tar. certainly can
do no harm, costs but triiie, and 1
believe is beneficial during the
spring and summer months.
About the 15tllof August, 1858, /
weaned my lambs, over eleven hun.
dred in number, all on the same
morniug--as nearly allwere dropped
in the month of April preceding,
they were then about four months
old. The Merino buck lambs /
turned into my regular wetner flock,
where | kept all my bucks safe
during the short tipping season in
the fall. The eve and wether lambs
| have kept in a flock by themselves
up to this time, and all have grown
and thrived remarkably well-far
better than when the old ewes with
their lambs ran together, and from
one end of the year to the other.
Every one who knows anything
about sheep must be well aware
that long after a eve has nearly
dried up-when she gives but drop
OF milk-the lamb will hang on and
worry her forty times day for that
drop. 1t does the latter no good;
it pulls down and annoys the old
ewes-in short, Injuries both. For
aday or twoaiter they are separated,
of course there will be d terrible
outcry and clamor, lambs bleating
for their mothers, and mothers call.
ing for their lambs. But this is
soon over; both soon set to work in
earnest cropping their food. They
have the entire day to fill them
selves, and my experience has
proved that both commence fatten:
ing #i;hiu u week, after the weaning
is over. The old ewes have q
chance to recruit and strengthen
themselves before frost sets in: are
in fine condition for the bucks i'll
November, aud pass through the
winter in far better order. l know
that when a person has but Il single
flock of sheep, and that flock small,
it creates an additional expense to
separate and wean the lambs. But
| hold that anything that is worth
doing at all is worth doing well, and
the additional expense will be more
than repaid by the increased size,
strength, condition and constitution
of the flock. =. ~, t........
Ny last years ewe-lambs (those
dropped in the spring of 1851 L
shall put to buck on the 1st OF the
coming November, or when they
are some nineteen months old.
They will then be two years of age
when they have lambs, and l am
confident this plan is much better
than the one SO often practiced Ill
Texas, OF allowing yearling ewes to
run with the bucks aud have lambs
before they have attained their
growth, and before they are we'll
able to sustain their offspring. L
do not increase my stock so fast by
following this system; but l mate
rally improved it, both in size aud
constitutions, and that is what | am
constantly striving after.s We can
all afford to be patient intTexas.
| shall have some two thousand
ewes TO put to buck this fall. vi
these about one hundred and thirty
are full blood MeriHoes, which [
shall turn into u pasture with two
or the best bucks ] can find, on tho
Goth of October, Qn the 18th of
the sathe monthtU shall put half of
my grade ewes 10 buck, and on the
LIST of NovembeS the balance.
For six weeks only will the bucks
be allowed to run with the ewes;
[ never wish to see lamb come in
one of my fiocks later than the 18th
of May. | have proved to my own
satisfaction, that lamb dropped
on the 1st of April, when the grass
is young and fresh and the days
comparatively cool, will be larger
aud better formed the day it is
three month old, than will lamb
dropped On the LIST of July, when
the grass is apt to be coarse and
dry; and the days scorching hot,
when it is six month old ; and the
former will turn out the best sheep
in every respect. Many persons;
anxious to increase the number Ut
their f1ocks, may be loatl to be-
lieve all this; but let them try both
or all systems. The custom of al
lowing bucks to run with the ewes
the year round. and having lambs
come twice year, or during every
month i'll the year, cannot but
believe ruinous. 1t would worry
me more to see a buck among my
ewes i'm July, August, or Septem-
ber, or in February, March, or
April, than wolff tile latter
might kill half dozen, and there
end; the former would cost me
more real loss in the long ran. L
am induced TO give this statement
in relation to my system because L
am continually receiving letters
from persons just starting in the
sheep business. making inquiries
on the subject, | do not say that
am right; ask no one to follow
my general plan of management,
shall change it the moment l
hear of any one who has had better
success than has befallen me, but
not until then.
IConrludcd next week.l