Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-03-07
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Sheep Culture.

Sheep Culture.
The honorable I. Crutehfeld,
of Chattanooga has delivered
an essay or Sheep Culture from
which we append some extracts:
(9entJene1aof the Stock Breed
era association:
Your President, Mark S.
C0ci,rill, has done me the hon
or Of imposing upon me the
duty Of preparing an essay on
sheep husbandry in Tennessee,
to be read before your Conven-
fiosa. ] would have much pre-
G'rred that duty should have
fallen upon some one more COM
petept to do justice to the sub
ject, and of greater experience
than / have.
The BEST BREED. Each
breeder must determine for him.
self what Improvement lie de-
sires, or for what purpose he
shall breed; whether for wool
alone, and if for wool alone,
whether fine, medium CT comb
ing wool, or whether for wool
and mutton combined or for
mutton aIone-or for whatever
purposehc may desire, and Sc
lect the breeding ram accord
ingly, and breed continuously
for the purpose desired.
INGLAMBs.-Many breed
crs, particularly in Middle Ten
nessee, rely for Il portion OF
their profits upon early lambs
for Northern markcts--the
lambing season (from Noyem-
Der TO February, on account of
our mild climate, being months
in advance of our less favored
Northern borders, enables our
breeders to get the cream Of
the market. This branch of
sheep husbandry has been very
remunerative to those breeders
who have adopted it, breeding
the comparatively inexpensive
native ewes to some Of the I'M
ported English breeds.
The BUSINESS FOR SMALL
FARMERs.-Increase the num-
Der of sheep improved to the
capacity of the State, and give
to the sheep raiser proper pro-
itection by law, and the benefi-
,cial results would be almost in
.caIculable. In one sense of
the word, sheep husbandry may
be classed among the smaller
industries Of the State, because
it is so economical in all its bear
ings, and so little capital is re-
-quired to engage in it, even on
an extensive scale. Yet in the
aggregate it is, or ought to be,
one of the greatest industries
of the State.
CARE OF THE FLoCK.--I give
my flock good attention. They
have access to an open shed,
and salt all the time. l change
their grazing ground often, and
.endeayor to keep them in uni
form condition, as that makes
uniform wool. Any sudden
change from a fat to a poor con-
-dition, and cice UerSa, strength
ems or diminishes the fiber OF
the wool, which detracts great
" from its value, frequently
rendering the long woolvalueless
as combing wool. If the sheep
becomes poor when the fleece is
about half grown, and then fat
ted, the wool inevitably tells it.
Without any knowledge Tor
very little) of the industry, ex-
.cept what l could gain by read
ing the authorities on sheep,
and the experience of others as
expressed through the agricuI-
.tural press, | began sheep hus-
.bandry in 1864, by the purchase
of twenty ewes, for which | paid
s$100-war prices-the same
could be bought now for S25.
PRoFITs.-My ewes are now
;lambing, in which they have
heretofore been very proficient.
At one time % ewes brought
consecutively, AZ lambs; y hav-
ing twins and the 23d triplets.
In 1877, so ewes raised 10 lambs.
Since 1866 l have received for
sheen and wool sold. So, 974.00
7 have now on hand 100 head which
/ could not replace by purch-
sysIus Of Cock and increase from i;S5, 474.Oo
Il have expended for breeding ewes
and rams. ....-....-......' o"f.oV
Shaving a gress profit for - years ofSi, $3.50