The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-01-23
SHEEP RAISING.



There are few methods in whic., the
small farmer can more easily increase
the profit derived from tn. farm than
BY keeping sheep. 1 do no, mean that
the farmer should dispose of his excel
lent ard profitable brood mare and re-
place her with sheep. l In not mem
that the dairy should be disrosed of and
tn, farm devoted to sheep husbands s.
DO not even suggest that the ii Ids OF
grain. corn and potatoes should hc con-
verted into sheep pasture. DO not
moan that sheep-growing should bc
considered the most imp 5rt:.at OF I'll
the industries TO which 4 farm may be
devoted Notwithstanding. a small
flock of sheep will. ii properly man
aged. be found a most Useful y; unct to
the o'her industries of the farm. and on
the whole q very profitable investment.
Wooden blankets and many different
articles of underwear are lscc, sary in
families residing in the Northern States.
No method ot procuring these necessary
articles OF wcolen goDcs car he so salts
factory or economical to the farmers
family, as To keep s-cep and produce
the wool Oh tic farm. There Is no
question but that this method is the
cre pest, besides being more apt TO fur
ni>h satisfactory quality wit less risk
of the always uadas rable shod ~ The
farmer may keep she, p producing wool
OF = medium degree of tincucs=, which
Is NJ t 10 give the hon cwife mgcn better
:. TT elton than the very fine wCul or
the coar. err staples 1t will nc lou d
more eccnomic;,I TO keep sheen urs-
puc;ng wool best adapted 70 hone con-
sumption. if it is not desired to produce
wool for rl:rket. If wool is produced
for market and home consumption, of
course the requirements of the market
must lie observed: and again. the farm
er keeping flock of sheep can in the
fall. when TIE weather is cool. supply
his family with excellent fresh meat.
The necessary wedding out of old or un-
profitable ewes from the fiocl will be
generally found to answer this purpose.
GoJd mutton (and there are very few
people who really dislike good South
d3wn and Cotswold mutton) is tully as
cheap meat as the farmer can procure.
One word in regard to the source ot
profit to be realized from the flock of
sheep. OF course wool NAV bc sold,
and so the old and improbable ewes
may be disposed of to the butcher and
always at good prices. The Most i'm.
rortint source of profit consists in the
sale of spring lambs. The earlier and
larwer these lambs are, of course. the
better prices can be realized. Il is
always .lfa to expect from 500 t.
500 per head for lambs, according to
their quality and the market where
they ere sold. There is one other item
of p- lit to the farmer due to the keep
ing of sheep which all intelligent farm
ers Will appreciate. l refer to the econ
omy of pastUring and wintering sheep.
Saeep may be kept on rocky and sterile
pastures. They may be kept where
cows would starve, and hence a pasture
should not be overStocked with both
COWS and sheep. Sheep are very USE
full in eradicating weeds and suhdUing
briers, and thus are most excellent
aid to clean culture. They may be well
wintered on bean and pea straw. or
other fodder that is not well reiished by
either cows or horses. Ii should be re-
membered that, although sheep are
very convenient subject for economical
measures. yet at the same time they re-
spOnd quickly to generous treatment.
Warm shelter and generous feeding will
pay with sheep as with other farm
stock. In the meantime. farmers. pay
a little more attention to the small
fiocks of sheep.-F. 4. Noreidnd, he
Er,fdgr's En-efte