The Portland daily press., 1878-06-25
Does il Pay to Raise Sheen.


As travel through this section of the coun-
try ind but very few sheep, and the most of
those ind are very small and improbable,
The people are in fault in keeping poor sheep.
There Is not much profit in keeping poor sheep
any more than there is in keeping Door cows
or horses. Many have abandoned sheep rails.
ing because they have found it to be unprotit.
able. Why does it not pay? This question is
as easily answered as asked. Simply, because
people that deal in sheep sell off the latest,
largest and best lambs, and keep the smallest
and most inferior ones to raise. There is where
they make their mistake. To be sure, they get
more for their best lambs. If the reverse was
practlced SO many would not abandon sheen
raising, and they would find good sheep would
pay.
Let us see If they do not For instance, I
am possessed of large eve lamb. Now il l
practice what most farmers do that raise lambs
should sell it and others like it, and keep the
little, late, small ones for breeders. This large
lamb sells for about 81 90 when ready for mar
ket Had kept it until one year old she
would probably have given birth to one good
lamb ii not two. But without exaggerating
the matter will call it one. That lamb when
good large sheep, will produce nine pounds of
wool at forty-thres cents, amounting to 1887,
which altogether with her lamb, amounts to
$787, and have the original LETT. will now
lake the little, poor lambs and see what its
production will be. My experience in raising
lambs is that a late lamb in nine cases out Of
ten will not give birth to a lamb when q year
old, and if like most of the sheep in this vicni-
ty Will not yield fleece that will weigh over
IL lbs.-at AZ cents per pound will amount to
$l.5O IL, which is the annual production from
an ill-breeded. late lamb. Then the difference
between the production of good and poor lam 8
is only 1886 IL annually. 1t cost as much to
keep poor sheep as it does good ones. In
order to raise good sheep they must be properly
taken care of. Some people have an idea that
sheep and lambs can live and do we'll on pine
boards and butts of stalks. tell you that
much of the success of the wool grower de-
ponds upon the winter management of his
flock Sheep are animals which paw their
owners better for good care and keeping than
any other stock usually kept on farm.
But If fed with stfngy hand, or
neglected, If suitable conyeniences are wanting
taey pay, perhaps, as poorly as any. The loss
OF sheep in the United States annually is
imInense The promptings of sef.interest
wouiu seem sufficient to induce our farmers to
sqopt peter system of wiuter management
NO inteingent farmer, at this day, will attempt
10 oeny tle principle that warm enclosures are
variety of well-cOnducted experments have
conclusively demonstrated the fact. moi only in
raising sheep but other stock equally as we'll
If you let your sheep remain in a cold Mace.
you will find your flock in the spring look
poorly. Then if you raise the very best lambs
from good blooded sheep, keep them in a warm
place in winter and not to many in one pep.
Fed as people feed most their other stock, I
think that you will find that sheep will pay
better than raising colts or any other stock
raised by our farmers.-A. r. TynkhQD1 in the
Lewiston J0nrnQk