The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-09-02
A LETTER OF INTEREST To FARn-
EaS.

The following instructive letter has
b~en received by . PsysIlup farmer
from J Minto, of Salem. Oregon. an
experienced wool grover and pioneer
breeder. 10 ;ha. State. OF pure-blooaed
sheep. Now ;hs, the farmers of West
err Washington are Awakening to the
importance 81 engaging 10 Diversity
OF industries, saitsbIe 20 the pecaliari-
sies OF thsir wooded snd broken coun-
try, il order 10 utilize its various re-
soarces, no brsach Of Industry can
more probably employ their as,eotion
than sheep raising. even Tn . limited
sc.le-especi,lly when followed in
careful. systematic and scientific nsn
ner. Even on the limiled PASTURE
ranges Of our valley farmers. quite .
nunbsr Of sheep could be kept st little
or No addition TO their usual farming
szpessss. and the receipts from wool.
mutton, etc, that could be turned of
would add very materially 10 each years
income. Bot like everything else, the
better il 10 done the better il will pay;
and - farmers here are crsmped for
room in which TO operate, they should
make the most OF their hole 10 the
woods by adopting Kaitum in Parpe as
their motto, and follow it mp by keep
ing nothing but stock Of high grade.
and IL unable to procure such in the
start. Mr. Minte tells how it may be
brought about:
SALEM, Aug IG, 1880.
DEAR SIR: Your letter Of inquiry Of
July 10Th came to hand sometime ago.
AZ 1t would take q large amount OF
writing TO fully answer oil your quss-
tons, aud ~ was much pushed With
business ct the time. ! put your letter
aside.
To begin with, I would recommend
700 II you sss entirely unused to the
management Of stock 10 subscribe for .
lev good papers like the National Lice
SfocE Journal. and to send for some
standard works on cattle and sheep.
have never been in the cattle business
- breeder, and can give you no par.
tieular information - n certais ami
mails 1t our State Fair. There WAS .
good show OF cattle. A to sheep, ~
you no doubt observed. j breed Meri-
nos. Ny market Is principally with
the wool growers OF Eastern Oregon
and Washington. In former years |
bred long wooded sheep to some extent.
but found it very troublesome to keep
control ot tho separats breeds kept on
the same farm. so - TO insure purity,
70 that for some years i have confined
myself 10 the Mer,nos. They. ss you
are no doubt aware. are prominently
the wool growers sheep for such situa-
tions - the country interior to the Cas-.
cade range Of mountains. For quick.
returns Of the greatest amount Of wool
and mutton. within two years. say, the
English long wooled breeds arc un.
doubtedly the best when . full and
constant bite Of grass or its equivalent
in succulent roots. such a. rutsSsgas or
mangel wurtxel, can b furnished. But
for short and dry pastures. the English
middle woods, the Down family. are the
best shesp for mutton. setting aside
early maturity. The Mvrino, however.
Will make more good meat and wool
from thsssme amount Of feed (esps.
eislIy from pas:arsge) than any Of the
English breeds. My stock Of Msrinos
are made up OF three different families.
| started twenty years ego with the
improved Vermont Spanish and French.
bred ia the same State, and imported
here BY Rolling Jones and y b Rock
well, Of Addison county. VT. to which
Was added some excellent specimens Of
Australian Aerinos. from the fock OF
tho Nocsther Brothers, Of Camden
Park. New Houth Wales. For several
ysars bred the two families Of span.
ish aud French ssparatsly. mixing the
Australian wsth The 6psniek. which they
closely assimilsts to. A. The same tune
was trying 10 combine the best points
Of The different families In what we
call the American Merino Taxing
the judgment Of others. | have had ;
good measure Of success. ! Vas looking
over the records Of the twenty annual
Fairs Of our State Secisty. few days
ego and Asd ] have received awards Of
premiums on pare Merino sheep and
wool. agsregatiug one hundred aud
ssvsntsen In nambsr, three sweepstake
prises included. Thee were al mooey
pssmiums, except Two silver medals.
This. from twenty separate committees
Of judges, / think ] may. without
charge Of eeosism. cay 10 . god show.
ing. ! should not write thus 70 you.
only you seem TO BE- beginner. and
whoever ron buy frem you ought 70
know where your stock traces back to,
- we'll that me particular animal you
start with 10 pure and good Of it, kind
Il 10 . good Merao buck that With fair
keeping. and taking the weather in
| this valley. win shssr sixteen pounds -
years growth. at three years old. The
bet ever raised hsse vas On Amsricaa
4esino that shsarvd evsn twcnsy
pounds at ave days Len than . yoss'
growth csch shssp viii shear. when
taken to good. fresh range east Of the
Casadsa. from tusnty y thirty pounds,
and With grain feeding and hoasins
en- - aAds - ytsld soeA weights here.
Dut I Asver tEiod that practics aud
usvss win. thoagA have suffered loss
| By The purchase OF sheep from Califor-
ME that have besa treated that var
Four ysars ego bought OF SsvsrAncs
= Pses. Of CAlifornia. choice ram and
| fang s~p>fwllw $1,000 na.