The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-11-13
Sheep HuSbandry.

Sheep husbandry is the most prom
ising pursuit, in an agricultural ana
stock raising sense, that we know OF
to make money rapidly. 70 the man
who has only few hundred dollars,
and is willing to wait few years,
sheep husbandry presents an inviting
field to operate on. But to be highly
successful, to attain the best results,
i'm fact to make the business even toll
erably successful, it is absQl utely neces-
sary for one to be well posted upon
points chiefly allied to the manage
ment, breeding and rearing of sheep.
We repeat, that very good knowl-
edge of the business is absolutely ne
cessary. The impression that is so
largely abroad and is making its dele
FERROUS impression upon the minds OF
many that any one can, without much
experimental knowledge, Tor much
theoretical knowledge, for that mat
ter properly manage large flock of
sheep, so as to attain highly satisfac-
tory results must be abandoned. No
class of stock require more careful or
constant attention than sheep. Proper
w managed no stock will pay so well.
10 one who intends following the bust
ness as a special feature in his farming
or stock raising pursuit, we would adj
wise him to begin on small scale, ana
A. his knowledge of observation, read
ing and practical experience increases,
in the same ratio might he increase his
flock or 1Ocks. Hundreds, yea thou
sands OF men have failed to make
sheep husbandry profitable, and in
disgust have abandoned it, only for
the true reason that they knew moth
ing of the requirements OF the bu,i-
ness; utterly ignorant of the aims and
ends 80 necessary to insure success. y
man that buys 100 native ewes to COM
meuee on, in one years time ought to
double the size of his flock. Say he
uses full blOoded rams (and he is stand
ing in his own light if hedOes not, he
should own one hundred native sheep
and one hundred half-blOOds. These
half-bloOdS, if ewes, should be worth,
eve for eve, double the value of the
natives. Every successive year the
entire stock of breeding ewes can be
graded up higher and higher, until
within a short time the whole flock
are for all practicable purposes equal
to thOroughbreds. Old sheep and rams
should be discarded az early as posi-
b e. They can be fattened and sold
to the butcher at a fair price. Every
year the average quality Of the graded T.
sheep will be increased and the wool
being of a better texture, will command .
a better price. We have just read of a .
Texan who invested 500 in 800 Next I
can ewes, five years ago, and who /
used only pure bred bucks. The above /
constituted his whole amount of
money. To-day that man is estimated /
To he worth over go, 1000; all made .
from 500 invested in 800 common I
scrub sheep five years ago. similar .
examples of prosperity, derived from .
sheep husbandry, are published weekly .
Throughout the agricultural pareTs of /
this country. Where the land and .
sheep are adapted 10 each other, and
where the owner exercised the knOwl-
edge and prudence requisite to sue
cessful sheep husbandry, we have 4
never known a single individual to /
make failure. But we have per-
sonal knowledge of many failures
where there was local causes for fail
ure; where the land was unadapted
to sheep husbandry; where the at
tempt was made to keep too many Of
the Larger mutton breeds in one flock;
where ample and good feed and shelter
were wanting, aud where carelessness