The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1880-04-09

Live Stock Journal.
The article below which was pub
lished in the Southern Lire Stock
Journal November 20, 1879, Is re-
produced in compliance With "a spe-
cial request. The article isa val.
liable one, and will we'll repay a
second perusal:
ado you consider the climate,
grasses, etc. OF this coast county
(Hsneockl Mississippi, favorable to
sheep rAsingr
al do.n
"What number OF sheep have
YOU now in your tiocksn
~ pay taxes on 25o0.'
ado you advise the purchase of
native ewes thorn aud raised in
this section) aud merino rams Tor
crossingP
80 do"
"ln what proportion tin nun
hers) should the merlno rams be to
the native ewes ~
"One to tivef"
"What is the average weight of
the animal fleece OF the native
sheep, unImprosed by crossing ~
"Three pounds to the Sheep
"What will be the average in.
crease in weight of fleece in the
second, third and fourth generation
% the grades-native aud merino
crosses "
"First, 2 bs. second 3 lbs.;
third, 1 lbs. fourth, ) lbs."
" Starting witha hpca OF say 100
ewes, aud the proper number of
rams il ad'lition1 what, IN your ex.
perience, should he the natural in
crease in numbers at the end of the
first, second and third years ~
"With proper attention, 10; $40;
and 81 year, 275.'
"ls it proper to shear more tlian
once u yearV
alt il not.n
"Wbat has been the average
price for the past three years of the
native dmproved) wool ~
"Twenty.6ve cents.n
lis not the wool raised in the
coast counties of this State and
Alabama, known in the market as
"Lake wool, aud does il not COM
mand higher price than wool
grown in other places, from the
same grade OF sheep, and il so,
why ~
1T is; it commands better
price on account of the superiority
of our native sheep aud climatic in
fiuences."
"To what extent does the cross.
ing with merino rams improve the
quality. and price obtained for the
grade Tor cross~d) wool, as com.
pared With the unimproved ~
"Ten cents higher on the pound"
ado you advise shelteriug and
feeding in winter, or only in stormy
weather ~
81 would advise to shelter in
very severe weather, IN open sheds,
leave it to the sheep to 60 under
shelter at their will; and assist
nature by feeding, when the sheep
are not doing WELL"
"ln lands bordering on the sea
marshes, do the mosquitoes have
any injurious effect upon sheep n
avery little, it any,
Are native sheep in these co st
counties troubled with, or liable to
diseases, to any grave extent I"
"Very little trouble with dis
ease.n
"Does the crossing with merino
OF other improved breeds Increase
the liability of the grades thus
produced, to disease in any way !"
." TO cross with the merino im
proves and makes a harder sheep.
Tue Cotsu old proves a weakly and
timid sheep on this coast. The
soulhdown is harder than the cots
void but tar inferior to the meriuo.'
Scan you inform me where can
purchase young native ewes, say
500 or npre, aud what price | will
have to pa, for them per head I"
81 cannot; no sheep for sale IN
this county-worth about % per
head"
"How old should the merino
rams lie, and at what price are
they sold n
{" About two years old-worth
s25.p
"Are any steps being taken in
your neighborhood to press upon
the State legislature the passage
OF a dog law for the protection OF
sheep raisers "
"There is some talk of having
such law passed. The greatest
obstacle we have to successful
sheep-raising on this coast, is the
Wholesale destruction of stock by
the New Orleans and Mobile rail
road, and We earnestly beg your
ooperation ia cur effort to force
the company to fence IN their