Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-05-22
from de Bdii,m6re Gazette.
Sheep Raising in West Virginia.

KABLsTowN, Jefferson County. West Vir-
cinia. May G-I have devoted nearly thirty
Years Of my life to the practical study OF Sheep
Culture aud It's successful application 10 this
locality, with results that have justified The
thought, labor aud expense attending i.
The increased value Of wool has recently
made sheep cultures snbjec, cf gscs, general
interest. The benefit Of increased home pro-
ducticn Of wool becomes apparent, when it is
understood that We annually import largo
quantities to meet the demands of our manc-
hc,ures anl ihs; the carcass, if ia excess CT
the home dcmSud aud faycrably situated for
Transportation to the seaboard. ike our sur
plus beef. finds ready market abroad. There
are two conditions necessary, 10 the profitable
production Of sheep on the Atlantic slope or
iorders. where, as a general rule, lands are
hi.h. Thorough practical knowledge Of tho
different breeds. their constitutions. diseases.
needs and characteristics, constitutes the Iirsi.
Quality of laud and climate. that forti(y them
against diseases and are e: The same iimn
bouniiful in the production OF The grasses and
cereals necessary 20 sustain them. are the Sc
cond. During a period Of ten years. preced
ING tie war,i 4 devoted myself 10 the cultva-
ton of a aocl; Of sheep suitable 10 this locali-
~ ly constitution and profitable by their
,ncreasei production Of wool and
weigh. Of carcass. Experience demcn--
s,ratcd that the wool product can he increased
in few years, at leas, one-tllrl in weight.
length and value Of staple. and tie carcass ia
the same proportion. Under all crcnmsian-
ces. the merino sheep with Sigh, uaiivo.
Son,hJoyn OF COiswod cross. are tho mos.
proftsbls and most hardy, only recruiting ac-
cess to open sheds and plenty cl iocd 10 win
ter. consisting under my system oi manage.
ment Of hay stacked around strong poles
plsntel ebou. three feet in the ground, to
prevent the stack from falling over, an. the
sheep permitted TO run 70 them and about
half piut Of the mixture OF she!led corn and
bran, ia equal quantities. twice day, spfead
in trousLs Of sufficient length 70 accommo.
dato the flock The Acck should not exceed
one hundred in uumbcr, and ore good man
can attend 20 one thousand head d4rlbg any
cycens ,he .emting period The cost sos 10
bor Is ,herclore comparatively iritug. Tho
sale of the carcass is held 20 he q secondary
consideration by me- Wy object is to produce
the hea, lest aud most valuable lleeces. selling
OF, as set, only tho males not retained for
bucks after two shearngs and. tie tniliugs @!
the nock, resulting usually from age.
Before the war had about 500 bead or this
class that had been raised 10 "a very high
standard Of production in both wool aud oar
eass. but my culire flock was destroyed by tho
different armies. Since 1872 have pursued
the same policy and now have about .. 100 Of
nv own raising or breeding. independent OF
of tie lambs Of this spring from about 200
ewes. The average weight Of the tlCcccs
washed on the back for the las, thrce years
Las approxmsicd six and G-half pounds. a.
bout ouc-half ot which was clssse,. a gIst
quality of combng and delaine. the rsmaioder
IN tie next highest class, and all selling At tho
maximum rates of the class 10 which it il
placed. and securing an average weight 0f a.
bout l25 pounds for tie welhers after two
shearings. While my treatment and juJicious
crossing have greatly contributed to this un-
common result in 80 large flock. freedom Of
disease is 10 a large extent attributable 10 tuD
character Of our lands aud the grasses and
grain produced by them. For tue culture oi
ine sheep 10 my judgment this valley has no
parallel on the Continent. IL il certainly ne
well adapted TO the culture aud Development
of sheep for both wool and mutton as The iich
blue grass lands of Kentucky ase 10 tho &c
yelopment Of the celebrated shoft-h horn caiilo
OF which she so justly boasts. They will pro-
duce annually 20 per cent. oo lands Of ,be
value Of one hundred dollars per aero lwhcn
faised to high gradel with good care. oves
all loss, at the same time securing durable
fertility 10 the lands by their deposits for lhs
production OF either grain or grass-oqusled
\ ty no other fertilizer. Oao or , per cent Vill
/ annually cover the loss in my njok from dis'
ease, while, perhaps, ovcr.iecdiDg ~ winter.
/ severe storms aud accidents may increase il (,
three In building mp my flock have At ds-
(erent times bought small lOls Of high grsia
merino bucks and ewes from Ohio and West
ern Pennsylvania, and in almost every instance
they were moro or less affected with foot rot
which was easily cured by The application u
a saturated colution OF tho snip plate of zinc
and iron, applied BOT, and lIec use Of tho
knife 10 cutting away the diseased parts 49,
( While bave never had case o. occur among
nis own raising, il is easily transmitted froni
diseased llock to any kind or sTado u Shesp
by permitting them TO run upon a pasture
that the diseased flock has been rccenlly re-
moved from One or two treatments baye
succeeded iu relieving the diseased ones in all
cases that have occurred in my purchases. and
IL has never occurred again ~ pei;od u ten
years.
NJ conclusion, therefore. is that our soii
and climate are hostile to this greatest Of al
enemies of sheep culture. The average 10
crease from lamb. bearing ewes Is fDll 20 per
cent The lambing, as q Fuls With nc IL 10
T Ayrl, fOr the reason that 20 eve lambs ars
sold byme, and the weihcrs are kep, until
after tv-o sbeahngs, this being 10 ny Judg
ment the most profitable policy. Ny purpose
is wbep my flock of ewes reaches proportions
/ 10 stock ny farms. 10 annually sell, 10 small
+ lots, choice brood ewes 10 sueb as desire 70
cultivate like Gock And believe The tine
+ i. not far distant when our bomc-bred mcrinp
eve will rank among the frat IN value for al!
purpose aud its production for sale 10 oiteF
localities will become az important branch Il
industry.
LoCAE 0,BURs,
LITTELL's LIyIyC ACE-The num-
bers Of The Liring Age for the wcess ending