Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-08-21
FARMER AND PLANTER.
SHEEP IN THE SOUTH.


palachian Uplands for sheep Culture
All the Conditions Necessary are There.
Any reference to breeds of sheep that
commend themselves to the aspiring
Southern f1ockmen would be incomplete
without mention of Merino, which, by
o great number of people, is deemed
best OF all for a general-purpose sheep,
taking into account all demands OF the
markets for wool and mutton. In the
need be looked to for a supply OF wool
fine enough to meet the demand for
such fine-fibered fabrics as have secured
for our people the credit of being the
best.dressed nation in the world. A
large majority of the three hundred
million pounds of wool grown in the
United States is of Merino blood, in de-
gree from pure to quarter-bred. And
necessarily very considerable proper
ton of the fifteen millions or more NUT
ton carcasses yearly consumed have
large percentage of Merino blood in
their makeup.
This is neither accidental nor tempo
rary. Reason for it is found in the fact
that Merino sheep will stand more hard
knocks than any of their larger-bodied
relatives, as turned out by the hands of
critical and competent English herders;
and every live American feels leaning
toward the hustler" whether found
among his fellow men or little lower
down the animal scale. From any such
general estimate of the Merino it will
be we'll to accept that highly artificial
type, with body enveloped in folds and
wrinkles, and fleece loaded with grease
and grain, in the proportion of three or
four pounds of the latter to each pound
Of wool. There are such sheep in plenty,
with admirers and advocates ready to
pay long prices for them, and they have
their place in our wool-producing econ
omy
But without in any wise abating my
appreciation of this life, and my respect
for the energy and success of the men
who have achieved its wonderful devel-
opment, ! admit inability to discover a
profitable place for this abnormally-
covered sheep in that husbandry of the
| South now under consideration. There
are places for them, however, in the
Southlands; if not in the mixed hus-
bandry Of the average plantation, then
upon the untitled Appalachian uplands
from the Ohio river to Georgia. Along
this line can be found many of those
peculiarities of heritage, climate, water
and atmosphere, under which the
Merino attained such eminence in Spain
during the eighteenth century.
What has been heret ofore achieved
with Merinos in some portions of Vir-
GINA it seems possible to repeat all
along that mountainous strip dividing
the Atlantic coast and the interior
States from the Potomac to the Allan
tic, where thousands of square miles of
nature favored territory still sleeps in
the quietude Of creations morning, SC
far as utilization of its Eerbage and
waters may be concerned. Right there,
in the neigh borhood of some of the ear.
Hest settlements, a richer promise has
long been held out to the wool-growers
than that which has lured so many tC
the Western plains. As to why such
premise has been so long UNDECIDED
there may exist some difference Of
opinion. That the time is ripe for util
izing these great natural advantages
there need be no question. That such
improvement will soon come, verify
believe.
The future historian, when recording
the marvellous development of Southern
resources-in mines, forests, manufact
ures-will need to reserve page 20
that other story of utilized heritage
equally creditable to the energy ant
foresight of the people who have, undel
adverse conditions, accomplished sucl
phenomenal progress as has character
lied those of the Southland. Not
new South, as some would have it, bu
the Old South under new dispensation
When this forward movement along the
whole line is resolved upon, the place
for the Merino will be found and util
lied and the rich heritage that now regu
larly contributes TO the fury of autuma
fires will come down from teeming hill
sides in bales of wool to swell the re
sources of people to whom nature has
been marvelously kind.
have for years believed that in tn,
belt of country here indicated, as
favorable habitat for the Merino sheep
is yet to be worked out the problem o
producing within the United States al
the fine combing woods required by gu
manufacturers, and for which they ar,
now mostly dependent on foreign coun
tries-principally Australia. For it i
a fact that locality, with its necessar,
changes in food, water and climate
vastly influences the wool fiber. Tn
same animal will show a perceptibl
change in peculiarities of fleece whei
: removed from Vermont to Texas an,
: subjected to resulting changes in food
temperatures, etc. In some instance
localities in the same State will sho,
marked difference in the fiber of wool
. from the same breed of sheep.
Shrewd buyers and manufacturer
7 long ago found this out, and hence thei
: preference for woods of certain sections
. as evinced in any market quotations tn
reader may take up. Ohio and West Vii
: ginia woods sell for more per pound tina
equally fine woods grown in Illinois O
: on the Western plains. Wien the manu-
facturer is asked to give reason for thi
| he tells us that woods from the first
I named region can be used for some line
, Of cloths the can not be fabricated fror
I the other woods indicated, because G
? certain subtle poculiarities of strength
pliability, adaptation for dyes, etC
5 These notwithstanding from geo
. logical or climatic influence, or wha
I ever cause-can not be recognized by tn
l ordinary observer, but with the expel
: Judge affect values to the extent of seV
I eral cents per pound.
8 So far as have been able to asceI