The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-04-18
0be farnl.
Sheep in England and America.

S.lGeD IL aIs AdAAO oHo
The main object in breeding
sheep | suppose to be for the pur-
pose of growing wool and mutton.
As to the value Of wool whether IN
this country or in England, the dIl-
ference as | said in February mum
Der was not material, but there IS q
slight difference, and that IS III Ia
vor Of the combing wool. la the Ia
BILE of prices which you quote from
theNark lime ErpreSs, the highest
quotation is for combing wool.
As to the weight OF fleece from
Merino hocks, a day or two after
my article was written, / met one
Of the leading wool merchants OF
Chicago, as well as n Of the oldest,
and asked what was the average
weight OF Merino feeces IN the
country and he said 3 pounds.
And when | stated that Of the Cots
void to be 10 pounds, spoke from
my own experience, and was under
the mark.
have been IA breeder Of sheep,
to u greater of less extent, for 80
wears, and during that time have
had experience with all the breeds
in general use in this country. My
first experience was with the Amer
lean Merino-a large and roomy
sheep. At that time my flock mum
bered about fifty head, and was
kept primarily to supply me with
mutton. | bought a very chelce
Leicester ram to ross on these
ewes, and from the cross | obtained
very good mutton sheep, and the
wool sold ut top prices. Ihls was
in Ohio and when | removed from
Ohio, ia 1886, | sold the flock fol-
about S, per head.
In Illinois | stocked with sheep:
and having with me a Vermont MAJ
at the same time, whose experience
had been with Merinoes, 1.-THE more
wrinkles the BETTER" under his IN
tiuence | became a Merino breeder
it was not my cholce-and IN
feeding out my older ewes and
wethers, | could not get a better
average than 90 pounds, nor a bet
ter average than four pounds Of
wool.
| made a cross with Southdowns.
buying my rams Of Hon. JOIN
Wentworth !; and they were gooc
ones. From this cross | lost IL
weight of fleece and somewhat IL
areas | then made a cross witt
Cotswolds. which gave me Il larger
carcass and a heavier fleece, giving
me, on the whole, satisfaction. AnC
this led me to adopt the CotSwolds.
made several purchases of whaI
were claimed to be thoroughbred
Cotswold: but the produce did no
show that uniformity which purlt,
of breeding ought to give, SO tina
IN 1876 | cleared them out ant
started anew, with undoubted pu
ritv of blood and a high STANDARD
of excellence. | find the pure-breC
Cotswold a hardy sheep, with larg,
body and heavy fleece, and tina
they carry their wool to a create
d8c Ildl SOllt Quiet DIOOuS. " III
obtaining this experience, | hay
endeavored to find what others hay
done, and from this standpoint
speak.
| believe that due care will sccur
good returns from with the MerIn
or Cotswold: the want OF this Wi
result in a loss from either breed
Through negligence, | think, it Is
that three-fourths Of all those VIII
have engaged in sheep breedin
have lost money. Sheep will ne
thrive with siipshod management
they are dependant on the shepher
more than any other stock on the
keepers. These propositions al
true of all breeds. The careful an
experienced sheep breeder alway
makes money with sheep: and I'll
care necessary is not burdensom,
It is a care such as an invalid wi
is not able to attend to ordinal
farm work may give, add find +
creation and pleasure in giving
Z. l.. NiIler,in National Lire St0,
J0urRal.