The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1890-12-25
FARM, GARDEN AND
HOUSEHOLD.
Farm Hints.

The last person In the world to get the
panics should be the farmer. He can the
least afford it. Yet he does. Three or
four years ago farmers had the sheep
panic. and they had 1t bad. They all said,
''Sheep don't pay" and then they tried to
sell out, or rather gave out
After the panic. like fever had had
its run, men and women too began to
think sheep we're useful on the farm, and
II the wool did not bring much 1t sold
readily for cash and at a good time. 1t
has been found out that a good eve will
rear q lamb, and this lamb will bring from
50 to 81, with ordinary care, and with
little extra attention 1t will bring from -
to So when four to six months old.
Almost every farmer needs sheep to
help to keep down the weeds and bushes.
They are busy partners In this business,
and have found out that there Is gain
In turning weeds into mutton and pork,
and bushes into mutton. These are little
economies, but they count. Every farm
or can manage to have some clover hay,
and the more the better. And with this
he can winter his sheep and convert hay
int, valuable manure.
We must stop right here and hold lit
tie meeting. Call 1t a Farmers Institute.
II farmers held more Of these meetings
within themselves and among themselves
1t would be better.
The chemists toll US that ton of Glow
er hay has about as much nitrogen, phos-
phoric acid and potash as would cost 80
In the market. Let US accept this state
ment and assum that we might save half
Of this sum on the farm iE the form of
manure 30 much needed, and we have a
result Of saving by feeding the clover hay
Of 81. 80. This 10 saved and made means
of making other gain In wool and lambs.
OF this much We are sure.
Let rs look at the other side. Thous-
ands Of tons OF hay were sold last year
from farms. and hauled miles to markets,
which actually paid nothing to the own
ers. This hay was sold for an average Of
not to exceed 05 per ton. Out Of this
must be taken the cost Of bailing, haul
Ing and other expenses. 1t does not pay.
There is one thing farmers should know
more about, the net amount received for
. product over and above cost. Take the
average amount received by the average
farmer for hay the past year, and there
has not been . dollar of net gain, taking
into the account the loss of fertility to
the farm and the coat OF getting the hay
harvested and to the market. More met"
put into the account would lead to the
use Of more hay on the farm and an in
crease In the number of sheep.
The popular taste now Is for lamb NUT
ton. No bill of fare, they tell me, ever
says mutton, but it's "lamb." This gives
me notion that we should try to produce
what people want. Another reason Is we
can make lamb at about half the cost we
can mutton. 1t takes only half IS much
food for q maintenance ration for . lamb
as for sheep, and as the gain all comes
after the support Of the animal Is provi-
ded for, 1t IL plain we can reach the point
for gain In lamb at much less cost than
In sheep. There Is not doubt of this.
II, then, we can make growth in q lamb
At less cost, and much more rapidly than
In old sheen rsss ahnnld mt on. teA.. -
Tore lambs. am sure Of this.
once fed lot Of grade Merino sheep
all Winter with very little gain. They
fattened inside and then stayed so. fed
II they had neen lambs partly grown,
there would have been . rapid and COM
pensating gain. The same is true for
Summer feeding. 1t Is true that An old
sheep thin At the start will gain fast, but
never at 30 little cost and profit as lamb.
because 1t costs more to keep the sheep
before any gain is made. The same thing
Is true with hogs.
Farmers have got the panic now on
butter. They want to quit. l say stick.
The girls say stick. We are going to
stick. Stay In when everybody wants to
get out. The butter business does not
seem to be fully understood. The butter
made IL not all there Is to 1t. There is a
value In the milk aud buttermilk which
can be made to add to the other incomes
Of the dairy.
1t Is queer how queer some people are
Take lots Of farmers, they have pasture
which hogs relish and where they can be
happy, but they persist In keeping their
hogs In pens and depend on milk alone
for their food. This Is not economy.
Some grain food with the milk would
make the milk 60 further, and the past
ure would enable the farmer to double
the number Of pigs, with nothing like the
doubling of the cost Of keeping. The old
rule was - pig to q cow; my rule Is two
pigs to COW, with the aid Of the pasture.
With middlings as ons-third food, three
pigs could be kept to COW.
We must try to get - much Is We can
out Of things, and get our sheep into mar
ket IS young Is possible, with q good
weight, and also our pigs and cattle.
Sheep are now worth double what they
were few years ago. and no doubt we
have touched bottom on butter, and we
can hope for better results. We must try
to extend the diaries more into Winter.
Farm Journal.