Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1879-10-04
Raise Sheep.

Raise Sheep.
According to promise. We again refer "a
this important subject. We hear OF reports
daily where sheep on the farm give grand
records-one of the best OF which We gather
from An American Exchange. In 1856, E.
and c. Brown, bro'hers, entered into an
agreement to buy Is good Cotswold ever,
continue the partnership for ten year,, re-
tain the eve lambs and sell the wool and
male sheep each year. The original ewef
cost them S15S cash. July Is, 1876. they
had cold 81, 500 worth of wool and sheep;
last year they sold s., 500 worth, this year
5000; and now they have on hand 100 head
of sheep that 81, 800 cannot buy. The net
sum Of $40, ITO, realized by ewes and their
produce is equal to lending money at nearly
the astonishing rate of $50 per cent. per
snnum. This must, of course, be taken as
of the past period, when combing wool
was bringing high prices, and Cotswold
sheep more than at present, but neverthe-
Lees, nothing even now pays as well ss sheep
on the farm.
The Western Agriculturist says that "a.
T. Stewart, Monsterrst, johnson Co, Mo,
has had remarkable success in breeding.
He got over 60 lambs from 81 ewes; five
had three each. twenty had two each, and
the balance bad one EACH"
There is no doubt but that sheep husband
~ possesses far more interest for the aver.
sge citizen not Immediately engaged in i,
than does any other branch of live stock
culture. This, for the reason that both food
and raiment enters into Its consideration.
Men eat mutton from choice, while they
wear wooden clothes from necessity. The
double demand thus made upon the products
of the flock brings its economical culture and
thrift home to the freside Of every house.
hold. These demand wool and mutton oil
good quality, and the successful fock.owners
Of the future will be those who appreciate
these facts and adjust their business accord
ingly.
Some people claim that It is better to
keep sheep than cattle, and certainly We
must admit that the shepherd does possess
aevantages over the herdsman, - follovs:
In the first place, . stock Of sheep cost
less than one Of cattle. A farm which will
carry twenty COWS will carry about eight
times a. many sheep. and to stock Q farm
with twenty COWS and necessary 6xturef,
will require An outlay Of large sum OF
money. An equivalent number Of sheep
say one hundred and 6fty-can be purchased
for about half the sum. Again, flock Of
sheep demands much less care than terd
of COWS. The latter must be MIXED daily,
and the work Of the dairy in making butter
and cheese Is constant and laborious, de-
mandipg also skill Of high order to make
il eminently suecesful. Then eheep will
live and thrive where cows would starve or
at least make poor returns. These nimble
animals will climb over rocks and hedges
where COWS would not venture, and almost
every herb that grows, even down to Cana
da shistles, suf6oes them for food. Pastures
are greatly benefited by bsing cropped BY
sheep. They not only keep down the weeds,
but have more fertilizing material in their
droppings than do cows, besides, the manure
of cows and also pigs rssists decomposition
for much longer time than that OF the
sheep and horse-the latter being dryer than
the former, and decomposing more readily
in the soil.
A flock Of sheep always multiplies much
more rapidly than . herd of cows, and this
is especially true Of the large mutton breeds,
which often produce twins. Sheep also fat
ten more easily than cattle, and when
slaughtered they furnish not only meat, but
wool "a well.-[ Farmers Monthly Asricul.
tural Record.