The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1882-07-07
Sheep Farming In The South.

tfh AhuAotf tco1 Ah oSAtN"A'NA"t - VIZ
stock journal published at Nash
vile, Ttnn.:
IL is gratifying 10 notice the
change which has lately taken
place not Only in agi icGltural jour
nals, but the press at large, against
the old time custom OF cnltivating
cotton iu the South at the almost
entire exclusion of any other com
modify. From the moment the far
mer becomes convinced of his for.
mer folly, the tide OF prosperity
will turn southwark. We have in
Mississippi, Alabama, South aud
North Carolina, millions Of acres OF
land, well watered, beautifully un-
luhting, and in many instances
well improved, that are today going
to waste, which With but little la.
bcr. could be put in grass, aud
upon them raised iucalculable num-
bers of cattle, sheep, aud horses.
In the majority oftbe States named
above, Bermuda grass grows luxu-
riantly, aud as pastorage tor cattle
and sheep, has no superior. II
will thrive on poor land, and enrich
il at thesalne time. For hay 1t has
but little value, though it grows
aud fouriShes all winter, and is
only temporarily injured, when an
unusual frost nips it. No portion
OF the United States offers a fner
opening for dairy farming; jersey
aud Guernsey cattle will do better
there than anywhere else, because
the climate is almost identical with
their native one. Sheep not only
Increase very rapidly in that,climate
but when fed on the Bermuda grass
their flesh is ol extraordinary qral'
ity aud favor. Creole mutton
has always been famous among
! American epicures, aud IL is ac
counted for by the above reasons
; As an evidence of the ease Will
, which a farmer, having but smal
capital, eau become well-todo Al
most before he knows 1t, we Cit
the following:
At the close OF the war, forme
wealthy cotton planter found him
self without anything of propert.
save few hundred acres OF land /
: Southern Mississippi. Being mel
!, The coast of Lake Borgne, 1t wa
! very sandy, aud covered with
growth OF piue timber. He had
portion of this dcadeued, and alle
supply running furrows close 4
!. getheI with a bull tongue pillow, an
: then procuring in the neighborhop
$ "A few cart loads of the Dermud
Il turf, he had ii chopped up an
n sowed into the drills; this WAS dor
n at first upon one hundred or mol
acres. The grass grew luxuriantI
and spread considerably, but IL
y second year more land was pr
pared and planted in the san
s way. A hock Of common shet
Il was purchased, aud with them We
put two or three well.bred ram
II The result of the experiment vi
:, that the owner WAS once more iId
It pendent, bought more land, aud
/ now one ofthe heaviest sheepraise
II In the land.
!, Mr.. Thompson, a wealthy me
It chant of New Orleans, has n stot
e farm in u similar character
= country in Louisiana, upon whic
., he says that his Jerseys and hig
.. bred sheep will compare favorab
e with any raised in the blue. gra
z region. Where these sandy phi
u lands are found, the country is b'
ID sparsely settled, and are in cons
y quence cheap, but as the facts stat,
'e already become known, the til
% of emigration will naturally tul
II that way. Therefore, it would
well for those prospecting for ne
1t home, to give the subject n dl
a amount of attention.