St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1880-06-26
soUTHDoWN SHEEP.

JOuluuOhh SlCCD are CdpdDIc Vi
doing more for the nation in sheep
breeding than Shorthorns in cattle
husbandry. The Shorthorn is adapt
ed to only favorable localities.
while the Southdown will flourish
wherever native or scrub sheep
can live. As soon as possible the
poor natives should become extinct
by crossing the ewes with bucks of
pure breeds, aud preferably tho
Southdown, at least for this region.
After long experiepce with pure
bred animals, and careful study, L
lay down these general principles:
.First-That only pure bloods re-
produce their types with certainty.
Second-Pure breeds may be ell
tirely lost by the continued infusion
of prepoEderance of foreign
blood.
Third-How many crosses will
make pure type is unknown.
The Shorthorn IS made-up breed,
but its type is HOW fixed, and may
be called pure. The Suuthdown is
u pure breed from time immemo-
rial.
Fourth-It is better to stand by
pure types, and not to venture be-
You'd first crosses. If certain nor
NAL types do well in certain habi-
t;tts, stick to them and improve them
by food and ludicious selection; or
take the natives to the manor born
and improve them.
| venture to say that the South
down is destined to he the sheep of
this continent. Because it has n
long antiquity Of pure blood; it is
hardy; the wool IS fine, warm and
strong; it IS prolific; good mixer;
it takes OH fat well, the fat misel
with lean making the best of mutt
ton.
1t is true that the Cotswold and
some other breeds have more wool;
but | deny that it is of equal
quality; and it yet remains ques-
ton whether the same expenditure
viii produce more wool III Cotswolds
than lii SOuthdowns. Wool aside,
the other superior qualities of the
Southdown TO all other sheep remain
unquestioned.
l now make few suggestions in
regard to some of the details of my
first article. Ieive two .ills or less
of indian corn day to each sheep,
and they have as much winter grass
as :hey can ear. [ do not object to
oats, turnips and other feed, but
deem Il variety an advantage. A
smaller quantity of corn is better
than none, as 1t also acts as a tonic
to the stomach and intestines, and
always shows itself in the life of the
sheep, and the compactness and oil
of the coat.
The flock being under cover. it is
advisable, perhaps, TO catch the eve
that disowns her lambs and force it
to such; but where the sheep are at
pasture, as III my system, to drive
up the whole flock, which would be
necessary to eaten one, surely wonld
do more injury TO the flock than
good. Hence the labor of hand
raising must he substituted. 1t il
not generally known that ram out
OF the ruttng season is MS good NUT
ton rs II wether, when us fat.
Some years ago / bought preni-
lum ram at the Bourbon county
Iair, and thoughtless'y turued him
into . flock OF rams, who fought him
and broke him down in the fore
legs. l at once butchered hin. then
four years old, and found him as
tine mutton as | ever ate. Nv rule
is to castrate only tho ve,v inferior
lambs, us then ] have I'll the best to
select iter IS breeds and for sale. (.
the remnant can go to the butcher
when year old and upward.
The Merino has beer improved IN
The weight of the fleece; the same
'an be and has been done to a great
extent with the Southdown. The
Duck No. It." which I imported,
and bought Of Lord Walsingham, of
England, has wool almost as long az
! Cotswold, yet fine and very com
pact. And his fine mutton quail
les are OF the first order. Ircpard
bucks one and two years old MS the
best breeders, yet lambs dropped in
March have at times impregnated u
ew OF my ewes, before being taken
'ut III October; but the use of buck