The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1884-03-06
SHEEP EUSBANDRY.
Correspondence of the GOLD LEAF.

Among the industries Of para
mount Importance TO the farmers Of
Vance county, aud ranking III prot
ITS far above cotton, aud falling but
little (if amy behind tobacco, ard
which is almost entirely neglecte
is that Of the production Of wool
aad mutton. Some of the advan
ages OF Sneep-ral,Iny are Woud"r-
tul Improvement IN the lands where
they range. 1t has been SAID ia
res ard to this, that the snecp's
foot is goIden,' and though We
cannot entirely coincide with this
idea, yet it must be admitted that
they are more valuab bis as rsnoya>
tors of the soil than either horses
or cattle, as their excrement is
dropped in small quantities aud
distributed over the whole range.
'lhey produce two crops in a year
land even three, when 5heared
twice., one Of wool and one OF
lambs, 18th Of which products al
! ways corstnatta the cash III market.
With good range, especially il
well set ia Bermuda grass (bctter
knbwn IS wire grass, bot little ex,,
pense is incurred in their susie
nance, merely a l.,tle corn and a
lew turDlps IN winter, and perhaps
cents worth Of salt. Ot course,
the better the care the more the
returns, bnt with reasonable feed
and attention it Is very poor
sheep that will not return to her
owner at least three dollars per
year. 10 sum up the profils IN
such & way as that our readers can
not tail to understand, we Will re
peat the assertion made by a prom
lnent writer on Southern agricul-
lure, that "a pound Of wool can be
made AS cheap as pound OF cot
ton.' Now look at your market
reports aud note the difference III
price. North Carolina ought to be
one of the greatest wool-producers
among the States but to show
where she actually stands, let US
compare her with New York.
though that State is much behind
some ot the others New York
Sheep, 1,715,l 1870; wool, S,e27, ,l95
pounds ll,tIe over 81 pounds per
head. North CaroIlna-oheep, 46l,-
G39 WOOL, 9l7.756 pounds; less
thaa 2 pounds per head. "Slars
and garters - what d showing
Such result as the latter would
bankrupt a n. Y. fockmaster The
first year. We certainly can get
better returns than the sheep own.
ers Of u. Y. if we will only go at
work in the right way, and the
most important item to ne attend
ed to Is, to have enacted and Ell.
I1Orceu a proper dogysass~- Des,ts d III hsst az
We tear Is a long way off, un ess
the farmers rise up in their might,
(as they have done in Some othe'
States, and as we must here or be
crowded to the WALL and say to
our weak-backed Legislators, I'VE
will have our rights protected, -
you are our servants, not mas
,ers." 1t seems like new version
of the "splder aud the fly 20 invite
shepherds to our State with their
flocks, and then turn loose thous
ands of worse than worthless Ours
to worry and devour them.
AS we quoted in an article on
neat cattle, Blood will tell" but
In this the expense Of Improvement
is not so great and returns much
quicker. The first clip of wool,
from so lambs by increased weight
will pay tor pure bred buck, to
say nothing ct the improved quail
ty of both wool and carcass. As
to breeds, Cotswodls have been
! tried and found wanting, ranking
among sheep, as ohorthorns among
/ cattle, thriving in small hocks on
rich pastures Our preference be-
| fore giving them a trial here turns
| 4 |