The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1879-06-20
Sheep Husbandry in America.

| Country Gentleman, that, with domain
| practically unlimited, we are importing
yearly from forty to fifty million pounds
of wool and are dependent upon Canada
for much of our best mutton Sheep
husbandry, in this country. has not kept
equal pace in its progress with other
branches Of agricultural industry. Dairy
products have 80 engrossed the attention
| of the farmers of the New England and
Middle States, that We now have sur.
/ plus OF these, and the prices are conse-
quently low-so low as to be scarcely re-
munerative. Tho Western and South.
western producers have concentrated
their energies on beef and pork products.
Beef has found an unexpected outlet in
Europe, and the demand for prime beef
is encouraging for further enterprise in
| this direction; but the production of
/ pork is great that farmers in some
localities are using corn as fuel, and
claim that II pays better 10 so use II
| than to feed il to swine. In this state of
things, would like 10 suggest that more
| attention be paid 10 wool and mutton.
/ Sheep hnsbandI.y had prominent place
in the early agriculture OF our country,
and received great impulse by the in.
| PRODUCTION of woolen manufactures in
the war Of 1912. At this time, German
and Spanish sheep were imported, and
Saxon and Merino wool was the objec-
tive point Of the shepherd. The produe:
tion of mutton was n secondary consider
alton, and well 1t might he, so long as
those little sheep were all the rage.
Previous to the war of 1919. the sheep
of the country natives" they were
called1 were large. healthy animals.
yielding five or six pounds each of me-
dium flneness, and mutton Of medium
quality. The wool was worked up. IN
| private families-one of the accomplish
ments of the women Of that day being o
knowledge of spinning and weaving. II
was certainly day of great thrift.
Every farmer kept flock Of sheep, and
he and his sons were clothed with home
made garments, while his daughters laid
up stacks OF flannel for sheets, blankets.
coverlids and dresses, against the time
of housekeeping. Mutton was not a
favorita meat with farmers, even before
the introduction Of the little Merino
sheep. though a lamb was frequently
killed in summer to furnish a change
from "potluck" TO fresh. With the
introduction Of the s"all.wool sheen" as
they were cailed-their bones seemingly
being covered with wool and nothing
eise-mutton was AZ greater discount
than ever; and the price of wool declin-
ing at the factories, and home made f"
being out OF fashion, il was no wonder
that owners Of sheep largely exchanged
| this stock for COWS. Another era dawned
on sheep husbandry in America when
the Leicesters, Cotswolds, S0uthd0wns
and other mntton-prodneing breeds were
introduced At the time Bakewen began
his experiments in breeding sheep, in
the middle Of the eighteenth century,
John Bull was not much more "a lover of
the Diahley sheep came q higher grade
Of mutton, which finally successfully
competed with roast beef at the dinner
table Of an English gentleman. Mutton
sheep we're slow in making an impression
upon the farmers Of this country. but
they are now fully established, and roast
mutton is found upon the dinner-tables
; in our best hotels regularly as roast
, beef, and q mutton-chop is asked for at
breakfast as often as beef-steak. Farm
? ers will do well 70 note this appreciation
Of mutton and lamb, and conform their
practice 10 the demands of the market,
: more especially as long wool is the
fayorite staple of the manufacturers, be-
! ing 30 extensively used for worsteds and
coarse woolen goods.
! The shepherd has some advantages
! over the herdsman which / will briefly
!, | note. In tlle n abpck Oh
!, | costs less than one of cattle. A farm
: which viii carry twenty cows, will carry
| about eight times many sheep, and to
: stock farm with twenty COWS and cor.
: responding fixtures will require an out
: lay of $1,000. An equivalent number oi
4 sheep tsay one hundred and fifty) can be
: | purchased for about half this sum
: Again, a flock OF sheep demands much
: less than herd of cows The latter
: : must be MIXED daily, and the work oi
the dairymaid in making butter and
!. cheese is constant and laborious, de
manding also skill Of high order to make
. it eminently successful. Then sheer
: would live and thrive where COWS would
! starve, or at least make poor returns
!, These nimble animals will climb oyel
! rocks and lodges where COWS would no
!. venture, and almost every herb tina
grows, even down to Canada thistles
/ suffices them for food. Pastures ar'
j greatly benefited by being cropped by
: sheep. They not only keep down thu
& weeds, but have more fertilizing mate
= rial in their droppings than do cows. Il
= the milk of the latter much phosphate o
!, lime and other saline as well as nitro
!, genous matter is removed, but sheel
|. n. carry off only what is on their backs. !
- flock Of sheep also multiplies much NOR
/ rapidly than nerd OF COWS, ana TINS
= especially true of the large muttol
e breeds, which often produce twins. No
- y to be too particular in the enumeratio
- of the advantages of the hoelImaster owe
:. the herdsman, will only add that shee
20 fatten much more easily than cattle, an
when slaughtered they furnish not onl
to meat but wool, the latter an article tbs
\. not only keeps indefinitely, but pays fc
av long transportation.
"a Notwithstanding these advantages {
Se the shepherd over the herdsman, woul
i not advise anyone to change his stock /
he sacrifice, or to go into sheep husbandi
or unless he has an aptitude to the bushes
in There is great advantage in pursuir
one branch of agriculture steadil
through life. Change in itself is an evi
lia We never knew farmers given to chang
lce who ever attained any eminent succes
he The temptation is, when wool and mu
Ith ton are depressed, and dairy prodnc
Vn, are high, to exchange hocks for herd
nd and vice versa, hut It is the farmer VI
sm sticks to what he understands, and do
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