Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-01-07
FARM FAR AND FIRESIDE.
From the Southern Planter and Farmer ]
Sheep for Virginia.

to contribute anything of interest may
have seen, to the pages Of your maya
zine; for l believe 1 shall thus con-
tribute something for the welfare of my |
brother farmers Of Virginia an object |
am bound to seek. both by my obli>
cations as Granger, and my duty as a |
citizen.
In the first place, let me mention. the |
Charlottesville wooden mills-an insti-
tuition in the line Of manufacturing enter
prise, of which Virginia may well be
proud, and Of which Albemarle may
boast as loudly as she pleases, without
transcending the bounds of propriety.
Doour Virginia farmers know of the
existence of such a mandatory in our
own State? Do they know how per-
iectly all kinds Of fabrics ale nanufac-
tured there: Yes, some OF US do. And
we wear these homemade goods, be-
EeviDg them more honestly made, more
durable, and by far cheaper (though
costing few cents more per Yard then
the goods Of New ENGLAND-especial-
ly the New England goods sent South.
And it is feasible TO have our homo
made goods still cheaper. If we"will
resolve to wear no woollen goods that
are not manufacture, at home instead.of
taking The money out Of our own pock-
els TO pay the freight on it to Philadel-
phia, New York or even Baltimore and
thus compelling our manufacturers to go
there to buy their raw material and pay
freight on it back-both freights going
10 the Golfers of Northern transporta.
ton companies and out of Virginia and
away from ourselves. five will make
these resolutions and carry them out,
We will be doing as the French do, and
will grow rich ike France, whose vast
internal prosperity, both public and
private, has so astonshed the world in
the last few years, enabling her to pay
war indemnity to Germany that
England, with her worldwide empire
and unbounded domestic and colonial
resources, could not have paid in ten
years.
And 1 saw at the sample room of the
Charlottesville mills. most wonderful
production Of the loom, which is well
worth trip from Richmond to see be-
cause it is so wonderful and because it
is testimonial from Frenchmen of the
estimation in which the goods Of the
factory are held in that land, where are
wrought some of the most delicate and
costly fabrics. This superb and un-
surpassed creation of the shuttle was a
large portrait of Gen. Washington with
a fac simiIe Of his signature, done in
imitation Of steel engraving, from which
it can be distinguished only by the aid
Of a microscope. And the Lords
Prayer, wrought in old English charac-
tiers upon an illustrated card-all tout
ensemble the work Of the shuttle. If
such rare specimens Of successful germs
in the art of weaving are sent, from far
DER the ocean wide,' as a tribute Of
respectful regard for the excellence OF
the goods of a Virginia mandatory, it
seems to me Yirginians ought 10 con.
slider 1t a matter Of patriotic pride, and
make it a point OF honor to wear their
home made goods, and thus contribute
that part of their custom at least, to
sustaining the enterprises Of domestic
manufacturers.
They should see to it also, that these
home manufacturers are able to buy, in
Virginia, any quantity OF it they may
desire for their own use. This can be |
accomplished by improving the quality |
anl weight Of the fleece of our native |
sheep by judicious and liberal intro
duction Of the blood of English medium
and large wool sheep.
Here pans should be taken to avoid !
a great and discouraging mistake.
1t is not all Cotswold sheep that
produce the best quality of long wool.
There are Cotswold so.calld, whose
wool is coarse and harsh, aud resembles
hair rather than wool, and commands,
consequently, only medium price,
The most desirable and profitable Tor
wool growing, if people will grow Co.'s
wolds on pastures not fitted for them,
are the Cotswold which have a Slight
dash Of Leicester, which gives the long,
lustrous, soft, silky 1bres desired by the
manufacturers North who are engaged
in the production Of fine cloths.
Such sheep saw in Albenarls on
the fine estate et Dr.. John Il. Woods,
and also on the farm of neighbor off,
his who was guided by his advice in
selecting buck for his very fine flock +
Of Cotswold aud grade Cotswold ewes. {
Such can be found with Mr.. p. B.
Jones Of Orange. DR.. John II. Wood.
ranks high believe, if not highest
among the pioneers in the introduction l
OF improved breeds of English sheep in
Virginia, both long and medium and |
shortwools. He is not given 10 dreamy
reYeries over long pipe, as you mis-
takenly insinuated last spring. (He
never used tobacco except as q money {
CROP After 40 years. experience In
breeding sheep and testing the merits
OF the different improved breeds he is d
justly entitled to great weight as an i
authority in such matters. Especially c
is he entitled TO such consideration a
when it is remembered that it has been t
his bonoef op1 oorroef <Aro.t A =. $500, q