Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-11-27
SHEEP HUSBANDRY.
Things to Be Considered In Counting the
Income From Raising Sheep.

Things to Be Considered In Counting the
Income From Raising Sheep.
During the last three or four years
prices of wool have been SO low that
many farmers have become dissatisfied
with sheep farming. and have deter
mined to give up this branch of their
business. Some have already done this,
and others are trying to sell their sheep
upon a depressed market; and it is prob
ably true that the foeks of a majority
of those who are not trying to sell re-
ceive far less careful attention than
those focks would receive were wool
worth from forty to fifty cents per
pound Thus focks which might be
made to yield fair direct profit with
careful keeping, become Improbable
through neglect. 1t is quite natural
in almost any business to give the
greater care and attention to that
branch which brings in the greater inn
mediate returns, but it NAV not be al
WAYS wise to do SO.
1t will be found that taking any
period of ten successive years sheep
keeping has averaged as well in appre-
ciable returns as has almost any other
branch of farming, and there
seems to be no good reason for sup
posing that this viii not be true of
the next ten years. The wool mar
ket is depressed. but SO is the wheat
market Potatoes form a large part of
the farm products of this country, and
farmers think the price of potatoes too
low to pay. Oats and hay are selling
for prices below those which farmers
feel that they ought to get for these
staples: and there are other farm prod
ucts which are selling at figures which
producers are ready 10 declare too low
to Weld living profit Yet it would
be only folly to refuse to plant pota-
toes. or corn, or SOW oats or wheat this
wear because prices are low In farm
ing operations il is especially true that
it is the general average results which
must decide as to the profitableness OF
any given crop. and not the result of
one or two years
It NAV be well to look carefully into
the sheep growing branch of faTlning
before deciding that It is improbable.
Even when mutton is supposed to have
comparatively little yalue-and that
place can scarcely be found where sheep
keeping forms but one of several branch
es of work sn the farm-fair considera-
ton of all the advantages arising from
sheep huSbandTy viii doubtless convince
the farmer that the ..hoof of the sheep
is golden still" Liberal estimates place
the cost of keeping sheep at 81 per
head per wear At current rates fair
fieeces will average about 3 each;
lambs NAV be estimated at 81 each
when weaned- If it be assumed that
the number of lambs carried safely
through weaving be equal to fifty per
cent. of the number of sheep Ia the
flock. the direct annual income viii be
s. each for the sheep kept, or 81 per
head profit To this should be added
the profit which comes from the con-
version of the forage of the farm, the
brush and weeds, the grain and roots.
into rich manure and into marketable
mutton and wool. The exact value of
the work done BY the sheep IN keeping
fence rows and other places free from
weeds, brambles and brush, cannot be
easily calculated, nor can that of their
services in spreading rich fertiiizing
material evenly over the land; butthese
all have a practical and by no means
small value. which should be eonsid-
cred in counting the income from sheep
bandry.-H Pittsburgh StocknaGn-