The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-01-04
The Sheep for Texas.

me Sneep IOf leNaS.
a correspondent Of the Texas Wool
Grower, writing from "On the Pecos,"
speaking of the discussion regarding
the best sheep for Texan breeders, says:
For myself, | am one of those who,
without desiring to be called non-pro-
gressive, IAN rather slow to experiment.
| shall be averse to go from the beaten
path, but | am open to conviction. In
the present, | stand by the Merino I'M
der tie circumstances in which | am
placed, and stand by the Mexican, too,
which, if bought cheap enough, is the
best foundation for our western flocks.
| speak alone for myself and my locali-
ty will show that | am where the larg-
er flocks run, where we herd together
as many as possible, where we feed and
pasture only bucks, and shelter moth
ing. Our profit is in wool and our
wethers, as wool bearers, are equal in
profit to ewes for wool and increase,
when we consider the difference in
handling and the increased clip of the
wethers. Muttons we sell when oblig-
ed and eat as many as we need. We
rely solely on the grass, and the sheep
we breed must live ON grass alone in
summer and winter. In the eastern
counties and farming sections the con-
ditions are so different that another
type of sheep may be the most protita-
BILE. 1t may be more of a mutton sheep
or higher grade of the Merino than
we can use, but here we must handle
the Spaniard in his disgrace as a Mexi.
can and in his full fleece as the Ameri-
can Merino. The one finds us quantity
and the other furnishes quality; both
are ruStlers, both are easily fed. The
tight fleece turns the storm better than
amy other, and hot or cold are stood
with ease, provided shade is ample in
summer and they can be kept clear of
scab in winter. When we grade too
high we lose some of the Mexican con-
stilution; when we use a coarse wool
sheep TO cross, we open the wool and
let in the rain, and when we put on
carcass we lay ourselves liable to re-
qulre what cannot be purchased and is
difficult to raise. We must suit the
grass. the climate and other conditions,
and while seeking to do the best we
can must depend on the wool for sup
port until we are brought nearer mar
kets and the trans pOrtation charges are
materially lowered. | am afraid, too,
of the French Merino, believing that
time will prove them less profitable
than the Spanish because our pastures
will not support them as well as the
smaller animal; they have the carcass
hut no more wool, and that carcass
must be sustained for years before the
butcher will get them, leaving the adj
vantage in using the smaller bodied
sheep that Will furnish more wool on
the same amount of food. The Merino
cross on the Mexican is my opinion the
best we can handle in large numbers,
and we must not ask too much or grade
too Tine; we must have good vigorous
rams, without much grease and furnish
ing as long staple as possible. Such
sheep We know how to handle; so long
as pasturage is reasonably good they
are safely renumerative in hard times
OF drouth or storm there is less danger
of loss, than If the bodies were larger
and, take them altogether, they are a
good sheep when the flock is up to a
uniform standard of third cross. It,
is pity we cannot hold them at that:
If we could we should have what all
Western men want, hardy. good herd
ing sheep, shearing fairly long fine
wool, and with good constitution.
Higher grading takes some of the latter
away. think seven pounds of wool
is all sheep can carry and rustic for
its own support. When we have to
farm to feed our sheep the flocks must
be cut down, and there will be no more
profit in sheep-raising than there is
now. These are my views at present.
l have no hope of finding anything bet
ter for this country than the Mexican
Merino cross, but if there should be, like
many Others wish to find it out. Go
on with the argument and you will find
that nearly all Western sheep-raisers
will agree with me in substance, if not
entire.