Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-06-17


Mr.. Richard McCay, ono Of the most
successful farmers and stock-raisers Of
Warren county, Va, in letter to the
editor of the Warren Sentinel writes !; -.
Having promised to give you the result
of this years sheep clip, it affords me
nIeasure to communicate the following !:
One hundred and twenty-five feeces of all
kinds averaged 5pounds to the fleece. We
had come native sheep that sheared less
than 3 and several did not reach 4 pounds,
which reduced the average of one-half and
three. .fourths Leicester-many of which
went over G pounds. Native and grade
Leicesters averaged pounds 10 ounces !;
high grade and full Leicesters averageG 8
pounds, whilc the popular Southdown
only reached pounds to tho fleece.
IL am somewhat disappointed at the
general outcome, as had heavier feeces
in other years. When the very severe
winter is remembered, with time of yean-
ing a number of lambs, it is not to be
Food Was utilized in sustaining animal
heat instead of growing wool to an extent
that milder winter would not have called.
We averaged two lambs each day from
January to March IL am glad to say
they were living lambs. We have raised
1s6 lambs from 1O4 ewes. One Leicester
eve. from which we have living tliplets,
clipped pounds and II ounces of lustrOus
combing wool.
eve lost only three sheep during the
winter, which proves that Leicester sheep,
if sheltered as all sheep ought to be, arc
among the most hardy and prolific. Why
should they not do well? We have the
r. Ia: md
herbage upon which they thrive in theii
native England. l am satisfied from years
of close attention to the subject that no
variety of sheep is more profitable for the
valley farmer than tho Leicester. If they
do not fatten their lambs quite as rapidly
rs the Southdown, they have the adj
vantage of finer limbs and smaller heads
in short, Oike the short horn among cat.
tle), the least amount of offal to given
weight of meat. They arc models of gen
close keeping as we'll as any, and they arc
least, in every respect except as mutton.
"As shown by the above figures, the
Leicester clips over so per cent. more than
the SouthdOwn. l keep the Southdown
for early lambs, as b9chers like the black
I6CHS, UuL WOuLu uOL AutlSC OtO plsSCO1Stt
farmer to take into general use sheel
that produces SO little wool. will retain
the Leicester until find a more pro:itabls
sheep.
"Of late years tho Cotswold has super
seled the Leicester in improving native
sheep to large extent. Where q farmer
has large range to enable him to mature
wethcrs, the COtswOld is doubtless use
full animal, but for carly maturing lambs
Leicester and SouthdOwn, or crosses OF
these breeds, will he found preferable.
Gas accessible as the people Of Warre;
and tho Shenandoah Valley generally ar
to Eastern markets, selling lambs at fror'
three to five months old will be found i;
the main profitable business. Bad win
ters such as we have just passed through
will sometimes takc the profit away, bu
no business is exempt from its casualties
If the number of lambs we raised, with tn
temperature at times q degrees below zero
will stimulate flock owners to erect shed
or winter protection, will be more tha
repaid for writing you this letter."