The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-03-31
Sheep Husbandry.

There is DO branch of farming that
yields such steady, large, and certain re-
turns, i'll proportion to the capital invest
ed, as sheep husbandry, and by reason of
this very fact, we find it pursued with
very little tact, energy or judgment.
Were it possible to make it profitable
only by dint of the exercise of all these
requirements, we should at once see our
farmers seeking information as to improv-
ed breeds, and the respective merits of
the various families OF blooded stock.
But so long as the rearing of scraggv,
long limbed, light weight sheep, whose
yearly fleece will weigh from three to four
pounds has paid fair profit, they have
been content. AS a consequence, while
IN the last twenty years our breeds of
horses, cattle, and hogs, have been vastly
improved, our sheep show no such i'm
provement, either in weight or quality of
fleece, or in respect to mutton. This is
especially true of the Eastern part of this
state. Many who are desirous of bringing
this branch OF stock raising to the degree
ul excellence which it deserves to reach
are often at a loss to decide what breed
of sheep is best adapted to their particu-
lar wants and circumstances. In some
instances it would be most profitable to
make mutton the prime consideration and
wool the accessory while in others, wool
should he the prime and mutton the ac-
resscry. The Size of the flock one wishes
to keep, the acreage of pasture, and ma
ture O the soil. are few of the points to
he considered
IfWOol be the chief object of the breeder
the Spanish Merino has no competitor
There has been, and is to-day a wide
spread prejudice against these sheep, aris-
ing trom the fact tha. what little kn0wl-
edge We have of Merinos, was derived
from occasional experiments with the
American. French or Silesian varieties
Bat the true Spanish Merino has never,
uGi veTY recently, been introduced into
iris country. Ii is not unusual for the
ms TO shear 20 lbs. Of wool per head
MR. E}ihu Lawrence, Of Fairfield, Me-,
uNu~ Il buck that in April. 1879, sheared
q IbS and in April, 1880, BOT lbs This
Am exceptionally fine animal, weighing
= JS.. while their usual weight is from
lao 10 l5u. The ewes shear from 10 to II
.9. each, and their average weight at
maturity from 40 to I20 lbs They
thrive Oerter in large tiocks than any
other sheep known, This is an important
consideration with those who herd a large
number in one enclosure, especially in
aiutf. They are pcaCeahle, tame and
ady, good nurses and good mixers
hey are also Industrious, hence. we'll
Apted TO rocky bill sides and rough
Is. They will do equally well on rich
au paSturage. but | apprehend they
".I.d not thrive on wet clay intervale
Ids SO well as some coarse wooded
sleep. 1t is objected that the lambs do
mature rapidly, so that they cannot
ilpete in the market with other breeds
1T four or five months Old. This is un-
a"u3redly true, but they compensate for
this in two ways: First, their wonderful
t'cgc will handsomely pay keeping until
-.go years Old, when this objection is re-
moved. Secondly, they live to greater
t-e 10y three or four years. still retaining
tIlT excellence
The following are some of the points to
.e observed in selecting for breeding pur-
"useS: The body should be of medium
round and deep. The back should
r straight and broad; the neck short
aai thick; the legs short, straight and
we'll apart. The skin should be elastic
aG ot a rosy color. There should be
-.avy folds or wrinkles on the neck, and
me smallish ones from the base of the
ti downward on the back edges OF the
chs, but the body should be without
wrinkles sufficiently large to obstruct the
hears or to show on the surface of the
III grown fleece. The wool should stand
l1rht angles to the surface, and should
rseut compact, smooth, even exterior
LIQUID reach downward almost to the
Ks. The quality OF the wool should
inform as to fineneSs, all over the
r.aI While there can be no doubt
that it will be found most profitable
lse pure bloOds. our common sheep
~ be crossed with these to great advan-
-e. The grades thus obtained lose
ilng in size or early maturity, while
-- Increase Of wool is at least one third.
e>e sheep were first imported into the
-a.e OF Vermont, where they are now eX-
l~ively bred, and are attracting the at
"tlon Of shepherds and husbandmen all
"r the country. The next twenty years
bring about a revolution in the sheep
.s-uess, and We. here in Maine, ought
|tI. fin nm, wit III