Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-04-10
[From the southern Planter and rsvmes.l
General Ransom on Sheep Rnssandry


The advantages of Tidewater Vir-
ginia are so many and 80 valuable in
many industries, that 1t my be con-
sidered superfuous to make any any
suggestions in that direction; but obser-
walton and small experience lead me
to write a few lines upon one branch Of
stock raising, which appears to b.
entirely neglected in the Tidewater
region.
The caption to this article is suf-
fciently indicative without further il
lustratlon of its intent. but the means
and methods may aHd can be fully
demonstrated. All farming operations
are more or less tedious and full of de-
tail, and the quickest crop or production
requires half year to show results. |
purpose giving some data as to expen-
SEES and the same relation to products
upon sheep husbandry, and will begin.
as it were, "ob drO."
The farmer is without sheep and has
very little capital. l will begin with
900 cash and the forage usually found
upon farm of two or thee hundred
acres. This 800 will buy thirty ewes,
delivered in Richmond. and little care
can have them with lamb, to De dropped
in December. The ewes should be upon
the farm by the beginning Of November
so that that they may be fed and go. IN
fine Condition by the time the lambs are
dropped. This will insure the lambs
coming strong aud active, and likewise
that the ewes shall have large supply
OF milk. We must resort to figures and
calculations:
80 ewes in Richmand.. .sl00 90
Delivering upon farm. on
A surtp will consume three pounds
hay and one pint Of oats the day, IN adj
diuon to what grazing they may get.
THIS nil be full allowance. A simple
calculation will show that the thirty
sieep. in five months, will consume
$500 pounds OF hay and 20 bushels ol
oats, and these. hay al els the ton and
oats 40 CENTS the bushel Will amount t.
$50; salt will cost 81; here then the
actual outlay is sl59; interest six
months : per cent. 1888; total, sl6i.5S
Will proper care there will. ON the
Ii da, of August, be the thirty ewes
and thirty lambs at leas. three mouths
old. The latter will net IN the New
York market. even at the depressed
prices ofto-day. $50. Here. then. Is
clear profit III 6 months Of sl5 Al on
All outll of sl64.53, which is over 20
per cent. annually upon the outlay. But
that is not the profit. The farmer still
has his ewes free of cost and his twenty
per cent. uyon the Investment. The
ewes ought to be worth twO-thirds OF
what they cost.
Now add this to the sl5.47, and there
results clear profit Of s05.47 upon the
outlay OF sl64.53, which is over so per
cent. annually. The above, | trust.
will not be tiresOme. have put it in
the form easily comprehended, aud
which shows real results, and | have
suggested that method ofrealizing where
there is least risk. A few words more
and the reader shall be relieved. am
aware OF the difficulties attending sheep
raising in our vicinity, but know, too.
that there is no exaggeration one way
or the other in the statement above.
And let US look at another phase Of the
enterprise. Say the farmer wishes to
retain or cannot, during the spring, sell
his ewes. The lst OF June his ewes
would surely yield him clip Of one
hundred pounds Of wool, which would
be worth s25; and if the ewes were
fattened in October and November,
they would as certainly bring $500
round as that he had them. Here
would be another profit Of over one
hundred dallars, deductins the keeping.
which, upon an ordinary farm. should
not be over 81 per head. Let US ask if
any other operation pays as well upon
INV flrn nnw In Eastnrn Xirglnia