The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-02-07
COTSWOLD SHEEP

The present prices of wool-thsg
steady advanced during the past year
| and the increasing foreign demand fer
mutton have very mutually given to the
sheep interest fresh impetus Farmer
who have paid hitherto little OF no attea
| ton to sheep, have added this branch o.
| husbandry to their livestock operation.
and young farmers, just stating for them.
selves and considering what will be most
likely to help them on, have had Their
attention arrested by the situation OF the
of the wool and mutton interest. An in.
quiry comes to US from an enterprise.
beginner for information pertaining to
Cotswolds, and while he is evidently no.
without some knowledge of these sheep
he desires further information which /,
Irhnnrfnlls, fr1-r7izl,AI G. - II
to supply it. If we rightly understand his
purpose it is not alone for the fleece and
carcass that he intends to go into sheep
husbandry, but also to raise and sell an.
mails tor breeding purposes. 1t is, there,
fore, Of especial importance that the start
shall be right, else delays and disappoint
ments are inevitable, CotswOld are his
choice, and he could hardly Rave made
better selection of breed for his purpose
Among the long woods, the Cotswoh
is the dominant breed Of sheep in the Uni.
ted States as well as in Great Britain. Is
mutton sheep, its size as well as the
quality of its flesh, are among its chief
recommendations, while it is hardly nee.
essary to say that its wool enters so large
ly into very desirable fabrics, that it hes
become indispensable TO vast class 0,
manufacturers engaged in the wooden in.
duStry. Beautiful and elegant styles Of
goods for ladies wear, as well as plain and
fancy styles for men are made from the
same staple obtained from this breed
while the combing woods are used in
shawls, fancy cloaking, knit goods, serges
alpacas, cloth, lining mohair, lusters, last.
lngs, damask for curtains, in fact almost
numberless varieties and style of goods.
of which the annual consumption amounts
to many millions of dollars. And here
the suggestion is pertinent that it is not
prudent to change breed or kind q
sheep when once a choice is made, be-
cause of a temporary decline in any par.
ticular style of wool. A great variety f
wool is needed to meet the Requirements
of manufacturers. The behests of fashion
sometimes create an enhanced demand for
certain style of wool, and it may contn'
ne for sometime, but it is not prudent TO
change flock with the shifting fancies OF
the people for different kinds of goods.
The best way is to get a good flock Of
one breed and keep it.
To start right, we repeat is of the first
importance. 1t may and will, cost some
thing additional to procure sheep tof
hroaIipr etoc1- F~o,-, t,a hest
breeders, but it viii pay in the Outcome,
especially if the intention is to make the
rearing and sale of breeding animals a
part of the future operations of the busf
ness.
This justly renowned breed furnishes al
excellent carcass of mutton. 1t has some
times turned the beam at 900 to 80
pounds at eighteen months old, and at t"O
years old 400 pounds-the strongest pos,
sible evidence of its fattening habit anu
early maturity. The hardness and COZ
stitutional vigor of the breed is ProvefO.
lal. These sheep are very docile, the eve
are prolific breeders and excellent motherS
They shear large fleece when judiclous
ly bred and cared for, yielding sometlIltis
as high as Is to 20 pounds of unwashtU
wool annually, while the shrink IN scoui,
ing is but little-from is to 20 per CEN
Their chief characteristics are very lops
straight body, we'll rounded ribs fiankiIs
low down, broad fiat back, good full twlsI
low brisket, arched neck, neat he@o
tapering mouth, heavily wooded jaw, anS
legs, and long, wavy, glossy fleece. nes st
characteristics have given them their gre
prominence here and elsewhere-a pron,
inence that there is no doubt of their oeiu9
able, under good management, to man
tain for all time--Prairie Farmer,