The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-01-20
Sheep Husbandry.

The business of sheep husbandry has
undergone such revival within few
years that it is now in the full tide of
prosperity, and having larger field of
operations than In its former successful
era, 1t is undoubtedly true that its ex-
tent was never so great as at present.
But there is far less noise made about
it than twenty-five or thirty years ago,
when the fabulous prices obtained for
individual animalsl and the enormous
Merinoes were objects ofgreat curiosity
and wonderment. 1t took the plodding
farmer long time to appreciate the
difference between his unpretentious
native flock and the thoroughbred that
left him 90 fer In the rear In the race
for wealth and popular favor. But he
finally came 10 understand and admit
that "blood will tel, and to-day, since
the revival has reached full headway,
II lie all an every day occurrence, with
nothing anomalous or startling about It.
Sales Of first class sheep are being made
daily, at round prices, and It occasions
scarcely remark outside Of the parties
interested. 1t IL 30 much Q matter of
course that few, II any, even among
the farmers themselves, hsve any adj
equAte idea of the extent ofthe bus
mess and Of the opportunity presented
to them for improving their financial
condition. We have lately made some
inquiries regarding this matter Of those
who are fully posted and confess that
the figures stagger rs. During the
three years about 1000 thoroughbred
Merino rams and ewes have been
purchased In this immediate vicinity
and shipped TO Maine, to the west and
the southwest, to be kept for the i'm
provement OF the focks OF those iocali-
ties. The average price paid for these
sheep In not 90 easy TO determine, but
those who knew most about II say that
II will not fall below e16. Let us call
1t $40, TO be entirely safe, and we
have the snug sum of e40, 900 paid to
our farmers In three years for breed
Ing stock only. Pot In this manner
the subject assumes an interest and
importance that no other method of
statement could give to II. TIE busi-
ness thus assumes magnificent proper.
tons, aud yet we are told that II our
farmers were better shepherds their
returns might be largely increased.
There Is a deman for superior ami.
mails, and everybody understands that
such cannot be produced without care
and feeding. That II will pay 10
feed these figures oonclusiveIy prove
then why not give tho grain 70 the
stock and double the outlay IN the
prices received for tho marketable
animal.
But there 10 still more to the ques.
ton. Recent statistics show that tho
wool clip Of the country 10 120, 900, 900
pounds short Of the amount required
for homo consumption, and II 10 esti-
mated that At the present rate OF In
crease II will take twenty years 10 sup
ply this demand, II tho population In.
creascs % II has done. Tho product Of
the country In 1890 wss 90 600, 900
and In 1881 II had swollen 10 nearly
$50, 900 900 pounds. UBdsr the prss-
eDt tariff and with prices whsre they
have been for some time the impor-
tation Of wool 10 not very renumera-
tive, and there 10 no reason 70 or.
pect from the present congress, at
least, any legislation injurious 10 the
American farmer. We do not soc
why this branch Of industry may not
look for = prosperous future II Judi
cloudy Observation-Disclosures Stand
ard. =