The Osceola times., 1878-02-02
sheer Hasl,a ndry.

sheep Hasbandry.
II IL useless to try 10 deceive anyone
With regard TO the sheep which are gen.
rally slaughtered in the United States.
such mutton would not sell at all in
England, and Americans are beginning
o find out that they like the common
rrade, Cotswolds Of Canada, much better
han Merino grades, and great many
,heep pay the heavy taxes the United
states put on the Canada live stock, hav-
ing been purchased by New York agents
for the best firrt. class hotels and also for
ZONE of the private families on Fifth
avenue.
II Is not intended to run down Meri.
nos, for they are acclimated and will
ais bear neglect aud hard times better
than any other breeds, but 1t is decided
TO recommend the crossing Of Merino
ewes with Cotswolds or other rams OF
mutton breeds, and 90 on breeding with
mutton rams, which will
then bring into existence q very hne
quality of mutton and good wool, both
Of which will be salable in any maket at
top figures.
The expectation of beef and mutton
will do a great deal toward the improve
ment OF meat, and very soon the ex-
hausted soils of the eastern states will be
bought up for sheep-walks, as also will
be the case, even to q greater extent,
with all tho southeastern states. Capital
lists In this country are extraordinarily
ignorant of the extensive field now
opened for speculation in real estate, or
they would take the advantage Of the
present opportunity to possess themselves
Of the old cotton plantations, and
thereon grow mutton and wool, for they
could make ten times more by wool than
cotton, and get all the mutton a. q
second and extra preft.
l am positively certain, If ! had the
control OF q large tract sf land, that,
without the aid Of a single white man
and without any assistance in buying or
selling, l could stock these deserted
plantations with sheep and put them in
charge of the negroes, 80 as to have sheep
husbandry established on 10000 acres,
and In twenty years make more money
than A. T. Stewart, Jacob Astor and the
VandeEbilts combined, for l would ex-
tend till millions would he made annu.
ally. There would be great advantage
here over the English colony of Aus
trslia, yet there sheep are more numerous
than In this much earlier settled country.
Statistics have proved that in the
South during the last three years wool
has paid go per cent for growing, while
cotton has not paid more than five to
seven per cent, and then it must be
remembered the sheep have been man.
aged on such poor, miserable system
that double this amount of profit could
be made by an enlightened treatment,
and mutton Of the very best quality sold
annually, which would enhance profits
far beyond anything the present western
sheep owners have any idea of; mutton
and wool would produce more millions
than cotton ever did.
BrsSm Corn In Nebraska.
My informant spent fully a month
among the broom-corn raisers in the
field, cutting, threshing, shelving, belt.
ing, etc. The crop was nearly all grown
on sod broken in May and early June.
The seed was planted in drills, two
rows at time, with horse power
by a machine that cut through the sod,
dropping a seed about every eight inches
After the seed was planted no farther
attt ntion was paid to the crop until the
time came for harvest about the middle
Of September. The cutting force wal
three men to each two rows; one bend
ing the hills over and across each other
forming the table; two cutting and lay
ing on the table. Each days cutting
was invariably shelved under cover fol
the night. In this instance the she'd
were made by digging into the side of ,
bank, the bank forming one side, 9 SOC
wall forming the other side, and the two
ends were left open, admitting a curren
of air. The corn was placed " layers
one above the other, TO the top of thu
shed, without being stripped of the seed
When sufficiently cured the seed wa
stripped Of by a cylinder filled with
spikes, run by horse power. The cylin
der was long enough to admit of two
men holding one brush at time. Ths
The gangs of cutters averaged about al
acre per day. The utmost care was OK
ercised from the time the corn was cut
until cured and baled for market ready
for sale. The sheds were carefully exam
ined to see that there was no heating
The straw, cured under cover, came ou
as green in color and fine in quality a.
any broom. maker could wish. Buyers
even from New York, were on the grount
and through the sheds long before tn,
crop was all cured. The competition fol
this particular crop was brisk, and a
last accounts the bids ran up to SIS PEI
ton on the farm where the crop wa
grown. F-F
When II Is remembered that as gen
eral thing raw prairie sod is permittet
10 lie over year before any crop is taker
of, and that acrop of 25 tons was grown
on 1870 acres of raw land, it may Be in.
ferred that, counting the cost Of break
ing, planting and harvesting, and deduct
ing this from thspsoceeds Of the crop, i,
Is certainly paying one. regret In
this instance that / cannot give exac,
figures, but give the estimate in round
numben:
breaking lSo acres, 70 50 per acrs. IS s2r
Planting u days, man and team -. 80
Seed, bushels at two dollars. IA
Cutting and shedding, 10 men l2 days. los
Threshing, men II days....,..A......... 7.
Morketang-. .......-........, '3s
boarding nands..-.... 80. los
Cost Of baling machine ................... 81
Cylinder and power cost.................... As
Tots! outiay..::.:...":........ ...-..... 1884
Males 70 tons at eiehty-hve dollars.....e2, 1875
DeductlnG COST. ..........n. ..n........ 81