The Russellville Democrat., 1883-02-08
sheep for Renovating Poor Land.


 We cannot expect to get something from nothing, and Keeping sheep or any other stock will not suddenly re- store exhausted or infert;le soil to un- bounded fertil ty unless we go outside the farm itself for fertilizing material But there is no better stock to put on such land to assist in it's renovation than sheep, expecting at the same time to receive fair incc-ee from the in- vestment in stock. A very good way to begin is to bu3 as many sheep to feed as can be provided with fodder and shelter. Of course, grain must be fed, and if enough is not raised on the farm there is no danger of loss in buying grain to feed fattening sheep. They will amply repay for all they eat Be- sides this the farm is likely lacking the mineral elements in it's soil which can at the same time be obtained through the grain feed, and in this way a double profit may be made Sheep, if selected with reasonable care, are so sure to pay for what they eat that farmer may even run the risk of borrowing money to buy grain to feed them. Some green food is needed and for this mangeis are the best unless silo can be used and green food be kept in that for winter use. These crops will be light. but the land can be fed on what manure they produce and they will soon reach max mum yield. Sheep manure is the best usually made on the farm, because it is always made and kept under cover, and the liquid portion is absorbed and re- tained as is that from no other stock.
 Where the one great object in keep ing sheep is the renovation of worn out soil, probably the best method is to buy after shearing sheep to fat the coming fall and winter. Buy flock of thrifty common merino ewes with their lambs sired by long wool or Southdown ram, and both ewes and lambs can be fat tened to advantage, or if the market for early spring lambs is good and availa- ble, and proper accommodations are at hand to care for them. the ewes can be bred again to the same kind of a ram for early lambs, and with high feeding all can be disposed of in carly summer to make room for another lot, remem bering all the time that good feeding is what does the business, and at the same time produces rich manure for the farm. Or, if ewes and lambs are not desired or are not to be had, flock of mature, thrifty wethers. of any breed, will never leave themselves in debt for food consumed Still with good hand- ling there is undoubtedly more money for the amount invested in the ewes and lambs. but more care is necessary.
 Sheep are close feeders on grass land, and if heavily stocked will keep the grass down so short as to prevent it's best growth. This method of feeding will give the farm rest for time dur ing the summer, giving the pastures a good start for the fall campaign. The manure continually applied to blow land or meadow as fast as made will wonderfully increase the produetof feed, and each year larger flock will be needed to consume the crop. The start once being made the business will keep itself going and annually increase the fertility of the soil.
 Grain farms in this way can be kept constantly in high state of fertility wintering large ilocks of sheep to con sume the coarse fodder at profit and producing increased yields of grain each succeeding year.
 When sheep to be fed are purchased there seldom need be any trouble about overstocking the land as the season will be far enough advanced to indicate the probable supply of pasture for the bal ance of the season, but if it does not hold out grain should be fed as soon as there is any falling off from full sup ply, for the sheep must be kept gaining all the time. As to fall and winter treatment we cannot do better than to quote the following from a practical feeder of many years experience.
 As soon as the frost has injured the grass, place the sheep and lambs in pens for winter, not over twenty-five in each, and be sure to sort according to vigor. Commence feeding gradually on grain (corn, bran, oil meal or cotton seed meal), and give each day feed of mangels-all they will eat, if the supply will allow. He should not be afraid to buy all the grain as above that he needs for feeding purposes, for if judiciously fed with plenty of roots, he will get good return for it, and will have it near ly all in the very best manure to put back upon the farm, and this, after the first winter, will enable him to raise all the fodder, hay and roots he wishes to feed, and gradually large share of the grain, too.
 If there is no danger of flooding the meadow, as fast as the manure accumu- lates draw it directly to the field and give the meadow a good coating of manure, spreading as fast as drawn. Also manure piece for mangels next summer, and the remainder of manure, if he has any, should be scattered over the poorest parts of the pasture. In the spring the sheep should sell at "a good ad- vance over their cost, but he will no doubt find that the lambs have paid much the best.
 By buying fresh lot of sheep each year. and fattening them. and selling for market each spring, he will need to feed more grain than in keeping store sheep, and of course will make more and better manure each winter; and if he learns the business fairly well, he will have no desire to change it, but will soon be moving more and more of the fifty heres beside the other mead- ow, and will be growing larger field of mangels each summer, and pretty soon will need larger harm to accom- modate the sheep he shall keep; and he will be buying more worn-out land on which to put his surplus manure. --De- tr0n Iost and Tribune.