Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-06-26
SHEEP AND FRUIT



The Pomfret Farmers club held an inter
esting meeting in the town hall June 49,
After a free dinner served in the nall, Vic
tor |. Spear, member of the State Board
of Agriculture, opened discussion onSthe
sheep interests of Vermont. The success of
Vermont to-day is owing to our early i'm
porters, who were the best breeders in tho
United States. They raised and sustained
the sheep standard of Vermont. Ten years
ago men bred for fleece alone; now people
IRE breeding for larger and harder sheep
and more wool and carcass. In tue
" est there is an Increasing demand for
wool; in the East tho people must raise the
meriuo sheep rs superior animal for the
building up of other llocks We have two
markets for The merino sheep--frontier and
Australian markets, tho latter is very crit
col and takes only our best But the best
market for Vermont is the frontier. The
farmers who have continually bred the mer-
inc sheep are the ones who are making mon
ey When sheep are low improve your
flock, aud when they are high, sell. There
will always be demand for good sheep; the
West turns to Vermont for sheep TO keep up
and improve its hocks. Vermont can raise
the Spanish mcrino to the desired standard
better than any other merino. A. Il. Per-
They want sheep for mutton as we'll as
fleece.
Texas started with the Mexican merino,
shearing about two pounds of wool worth II
cents per pound but by crossing with our
merino they now shear S pounds of wool
worth % cents. He gave an instance of a
farmer in New Hampshire who kept flock
of sheep which sheared 10 pounds of un-
washed wool and sold the lambs when Is
months old to the butcher at 6 cents per
pound weighing about 30 pounds after be-
ing sheared.
Edmund Sherburue thought the present
financial depression was owing to the tariff
on wool
Revise the tariff ard place it so high on
wool as to shut out foreign comp etition and
if tho wool growers are prosperous all classes
of people VIII be. lie hoped the farmers
alliance would take up this matter and give
farmers better times.
c. Z. Thacher thought the tariff agitation
a humbug as concerning the farmeri inter
egts, did not believe in the government feed
ing any class of people. Let the farmers OF
| Vermont raise better cows, horses and sheer
and they will never want for good mar
| ket.
George Aitku said: 1t is impossible tC
llldhc ShttD pay " ~ GculbG IVA No'A NAii =
England early adopted the Southdowh a!
the standard for mutton; it is we'll adopted
to crossing with the merino. 1t is n good
plan for farmers to keep a few sheep to run
with the cows
Rev. p. Mcmillan made few remarks
Judge Miller thought more dep indel upon
the men than upon the occupation nnr
whether a business wouli pay aud thought
every man should choose his own occupo
ton. There must be a head in evory bust
ness for success il. w. Vail though
there was possibility for sheep husbandr.
in connection with tue dairy, he at least WA
about to find out for himself
5. II. Warren said, Oh fruit culture: !
complete farm IS one on which fruit
raised in connection with other crops am
herds, when other crops fail well KEEP
orchard will tide over the lard times an
keep the orchard well titled; raise beans o
potatoes in it: don't bank up the treos; fer
tilize underneath the branches; when set
tins out, don't cramp the rootlcts; trim til
trees in June.
The meeting closed with music by I'll
club choir.