The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-03-20
SOIL FOR SHEEP.

Henry Stewart writes as follows to the
New York Tribune:
Many a shepherd who has done well
with his flock in a certain locality, hav-
ing become experienced in the care Of
sheep, is surprised to find when he
moves to another place that his flock
wastes and comes to grief. Such case
was recently made known to me by a
friend. % well known breeder of Merinos,
who left Illinois a few years ago and
moved to another stpte where land was
much cheaper, and he could enlarge
his business without increasing his IN
vestment. This is tempting prospect
for shepherd no doubt, but it is full Of
risk; for sheep are especially depend
ent for their welfare upon the character
Of the soil upon which they are kept.
This might not be apparent at first
sight, but thoughtful man might easily
perceive that as the heritage upon which
sheep feed has everything to do with
their prosperity the nature of the soil
upon which the character Of the heritage
necessarily depends is prime factor in
the problem Of the welfare of a flock.
Experience teaches" and must teach
in this respect, for one mans life and
opportunities are not sufficient for him
to learn all that needs to be known in
regard to keeping sheep successfully.
Therefore the shepherd may we'll study
shepherds lore" i'll regard to many
things appertaining to the flock, and not
despise it for It's ancient flavor. Old
shepherds firmly believe that some
localities are unfit for Strengthening
and avoid them because the sheep
"pine' upon them. Such lands are
often called "pining' land on this &C
count, and sheep farmers in Scotland
and England would refuse to occupy
such farm rent free. Perhaps we
have in our own country no more no
table instances of such a condition of soil
than that afforded in the comparison
of the limestone blue grass region Of
Kentucky and the adjoining sandstone
country which stretches away to the
northeast corner of that State.
For cattle, sheep and h rises, the for.
mer region is perhaps the finest and
most productive in the world in quality
and extent, while the latter is. so poor as
to have remained g, wilderness up to
this day. Similar instances exist in
England, where the finest mutton in the
world, the South Down, is produced on
soils that arc underlaid with chalk (lime)
and overlaid with the sweetest and most
nutritious pasture. Lime and phos-
phoric acid are indispensable to the
welfare of an animal, because they
Isupply the necessary element for the
growth Of beef, and flesh cannot be pro-
duced unless the bony frame for it is
first laid. The natural heritage of soils
rich in lime and phosphoric acid differs
very much from that of sandy soils de-
rived from granite or quartzite rocks.
These soils may be rich in DO ash, bit
this alone is not sufficient, and when in
excess it tends to produce irnutriuious
heritage, and the cultivated crops upon
such soils, even, are found by experience
to be unfit for feeding sheep, and to en-
courage disease.
In our own country we find Vermont,
Western New York, Western Pennsyl-
vania, Iowa, parts of Kansas, Kentucky,
Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan, all
Astounding in limestone And in th ese
localities we find sheep thriving and
shepherds prospecting. On the granite
and sandy soils of Long Island. Southern
Mem Jersey, and other localities, very
few sheep are found, and farmers who
have worried for years with their focks
have at last given them up. Facts are
for wise men to learn wisdom from, and
all the facts in the history of sheep hus-
bandry prove that sheep do best on
limestone soils and the worst on soils de-
rived from sand and flint rocks, and the
latter are precisely the kind which
abound where my friend has had
most unfortunate experience with his
hocks, and it might be a useful warning
to persons intending to keep sheep in
3 new country to avoid all localities
where he cannot find lime within reason
able distance.