The Newtown bee., 1891-01-09
Sheep Culture.

The fattening of cattle is out of the
question entirely now. If the farmer cam
not keep sheep, what shall he do with
those useless, outlying fields? The
bushes are coming up, the fences going
down. No revenue whatever is coming
from them, and to make the matter still
more unsatisfactory the tax account,
which is constantly ticking against them,
must be paid.
Gentlemen, there are thousands of
such acres in our commonwealth that
are to-day burden to the owners. Ma
ture seems to have arranged these rock
bound fields for sheep and sheep alone.
Nothing is needed but protection and
those hills can again be covered as in
days of yore. If this be disputed, ask
the owner of any such field his opinion
of sheep, and the usual reply will be: III
would like to keep them, could make
more out of them than any other stock,
but the dogs have beat me Il have given it
up"
This, gentlemen, is no hearsay tale,
for am personal sufferer. Twice with
in the past three years has my own flock
been assaulted, once almost totally de-
stroyed. Surely the beast, which can
furnish nearly all the necessities Of life,
the animal from which, if all others were
swept from the face of the earth, still
we could fare sumptuously and be cloth
, ed in splendor, deserves better treatment
at our hands.
I We find in 1871 there were in this town
2,492 sheep; at the same time there were
Is farm mortgages.
In 1853 1854 sheep and % mortgages
In 1869 604 sheep and 81 mortgages
In 1887 only3O9 sheep and AZ mortgages
Now do not say that the decline in
] sheep hnsbandry has had all to do with
the increase of farm mortgages noticed
because there are many other reasons
which may be assigned for this. But
cannot but think it is suggestive. have
in mind a small territory-it does not en-
brace much more than school district
in our State-in which the inhabitants
have always kept sheep quite extensive
ly. The moment you enter this neigh
borhood, you will discover an air OF
thrift in the neatly painted buildings ane
well kept fences that is pleasant to lool
upon Bear with me for a moment ane
l will give you the return from ITO Mich
| igan ewes from one Of these farms:
These sheep were bought in Septem
Der, 1888. Cost no sheep So so, 1886
sales, 1889, 100 lambs, $500; $50 pounds
wool, at 80 cents, $1G5; total sales, $685.
And the original capital was as yet un
impaired. These lambs were contracted
the first of June, to be taken from tn,
if you please the ease with which tn
: product was marketed.
: it did not require daily trip of one t.
five miles to station or creamery, no dan
ger of an over supply and the return 0
the goods in damaged condition, n
middleman needed, but the whole bus
ness consummated within sight of hi
} own house.
Reports being in order, allow me t
mention another from town near m
own. His annual average receipts fo
, seven years have been $112 70, and h
has better sheep to-day than when h
started.
TO you who never gave these MAJ
} tiers thought, it will be surprising t
! learn how quickly flock can be estaf
: lished. In proof Of this will repeat {
5 you statement made by gentleman
my township. In 1852 he came into POI
session of two eve lambs and remarke
to one Of his neighbors that he would
' five years realize 5000 from the tw
8 sheep. Let US follow him and see no
e he succeeds. The plan adopted was
sell the wool and male lambs and col
vert them into lamb-producing sheel
: This course he followed for four year
!, when he found his flock becoming tc
large for his farm and he was obliged
sell. He made sales to the amount ,
: 1862 IL and had ~ sheep left. Nv
/. years after, dogs worried his flock |
I much that he was obliged to close the
out. Entire sales from two sheep in q
years, &505 S4. Could he have carrie
!. this out as he commenced, with Il
same ratio Of success, he is conflde
that he could have realized $500 fro
h his Two sheep. Can you say there is ]
q money In sheep in Connecticut Ere
erick Chsmbers.