The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-01-10
POINTS IN FAVOR OF SHEEP.

ITO1N1o In FAVOR OF SHEEP
A Spanish proverb says: "Sheep have
golden feet; and wherever the print of
them appears the soil is turned into gold"
lhe history of farming in every country
IN the world shows that the raising of
sheep has an important connection with
the Keeping up the fertility of the soil For
retaining worn-out farm there is no
stock SO good as sheep. The manure they
makei is seldom reckoned among the prof.
It's OF sheep husbandry, but is in reality
one OF the chief sources of income Most
farmers realize this who have abandoned
sheep raising at times when wool and
mutton ruled low. Sheep are vegetable
scavengers. They will eat and digest
very large number of plants that horses
and cattle will never touch. They will
make very comfortable living on little
more than the leaves of bushes AS rule,
one sheep may be kept to every cow and
horse in pasture without detriment to
the feed these larger animals consume.
Such is their desire for variety of food
that they will often leave grass to feed on
the leaves of bushes and weeds. Sheep
will search higher and lower for feed than
horses or catrle. They are the last to leave
the pastuaes in the fall, and the first to re-
turn to them in the spring. For seven or
more years of its life a sheep will yield
fleece equal in value to the body from
which it was taken. During all this time
the increase in number will pay for the
keeping. The difference between the price
of wool at the place where it is shorn and
where it is marketed is less than for any
article produced on farm, with the ex-
ception of cheese. If the price does not
50 rrroxryorfc ,ha,, AL Al
it.may be stored year at per cent of its
value, and it is quite sure to increase that
amount in weight. In all old countries
where agriculture has made the greatest
advance, sheep raising has constantly
grown in importance. During the past
hundred years the number of sheep has
dovbled, while the price of mutton has
more than quadrupled. This has been the
case, notwithstanding the fact that wool is
now so cheaplv produced in Australia,
South Africa, and other countries under
English rule. No branch of farming in
Great Britain is in more prosperous con-
dition than the production of wool and
mutton. The demand for mutton as COM
pared with beef, increases every year. At
present mutton retails at higher price
than beef. AS to spring lamb, it is dainty
lllfil dlW d1 q lduSt pIlCC. ~
fan ner who has the conveniences for
raising very early lambs has a source of
income superior to anything involving the
same amount of capital In this, as in al
most everything dependent on the season,
the earlier in the season the higher the
price. Sheep are the best adapted to fur
nishing meat for farmers family of any
animal he raises. The carcass being small,
it can generally be eaten fresh, without
any of it being liable to injury. Mutton
can be kept much longer than beef under
the same circumstances, and its flavor is
improved by its being kept reasonable
length of time. No meat is superior to
mutton when cured with salt, boiled, and
eaten with vegetables. Cold roast mutton
is superior to beef, owing to its fine flavor
and excellent keeping qualities. A nice
mutton chop is the finest breakfast dish
that can be found for the same cost. The
health and the bill of farmers would both
be better if fresh mutton more generally
took the place of salt pork.