The Portland daily press., 1878-12-18
SHEEP RAISIN G..
Am Important I'm iussry for Main +.

Mr.. Robert A. Barnard OF Bridgton, in this
county, is engaged in an enterprise that he feels
confident will result not only probably to him.
self. but may be the means of becoming an
important Industry for the State. Mr.. Bar
nard is native of Bid yton, bat has been for
many years engaged in sheep raising in Cali
fornia. There he owned large ranch, but was
necessarily deprived of the society and COM
panic nship that bslong to wellssttled States.
He came home the last of June, and found all
the requisites for the location of large sheep
farm near his old home He proposes to es-
tablish large ranch-large for this State-in
Brighton, and has already imported some 280
fine Leicester sheep, and expects soon to in
crease his flock to 500 animals. These Lsices-
ter sheep are white faced, no horns, and clip
from s to Is pounds of wool from 10 to Is
inches long, of fue texture. They coma to
early m aturity, are very hardy, aud are excsl
lent mutton. Some of Mr.. Barnard's lAmbs,
five and half months old, weigh $50 pounds,
and much of his mutton will dress 81 pounds
to the quarter. 1t will be noted that our steam.
ers are now taking great quantities Of sheep to
Europe for mutton Last winter at least
1900 sheep were exported Aud Mr.. Barn,rd
sees no reason why Maine should not supply
agland with large quantities in tie future.
The wool is available for che lsrga numb or of
wooden mills throughout the State. Again,
nice mutton has always been a scarcity in our
markets, and there seems to b. no reason why
we should not have as gooi as our neghbors in
Prince Edwards Island.
Maine now has many 1ocks Of good sheep
but they are chiefly raised for stock purposes.
Among them we may mention those of Gen. G P
Mattocks at B aldwin, J. W. Jones at Riverton,
c. D. Tuck at Pennington, n. R. Routalle at
Watervle. j. R.Hawo5 at South Vassalboro,
Gen. Tilton at Togus, Mr.. Eigscombe at Or
nish, who bought the Csntenual prize sheep
The sheep raised By these geatlemen are of va
rious breeds, Cotswold, Leicester, Soath Iowa
and Merinoes. La an admirable paper on
''Wool Production aud Sheep Industry pub
lshed by John L. Hayes, secretary of the Ma.
tional Association Of Wool Manufacturers iu
the Maine Agricultural report for 1877, that
gentleman speaks of the advantages derived by
farms in increased fertility attained By keep
ing sheep. He says market can bs
obtainedin Boston for all the Cotswold
in Maine, but what is especially wanted is q
good mu ton sheep. 1t is a new field he says,
and Maine has the chance for it. There ara 3D.
100000 sheep in England, and Scotland, not
SO large as this State, has 100000 of them II
has been demonstrated scientifically that when
sheep are fed gu land it does not run
down. Even if this experience Of raising anu
exporting SHEEP should MOI grow iato great
industry it would result in a soil for the state
which would yield az i'm mense grain crop. Lat
US suppose the focks, mostly of ewes, are year
ly changing. Selected 10 August at cost of
from $3 to So head, pastured 10 the early
autumn, served by the rams, fed we'll during
winter, the clips sold early in spring, the lamb,
are turned off in May or June, at s4 to So each,
ard the mothers fattened to follow their off
spring early 10 summer. Within twelve mon tbs
fleece. lambs and mutton ace converted into
cash, and from Sc to $40 per head received for
feed and care besides supply of valuable
manure. Here are quick returns and good
profits