Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-10-22
Sheep for Deserted Farms.
Evening Wisconsin. Milwaukee.


A solution OF the New England de
serted-iarm problem is presented by
the american Wool Reporter. which
advocates the purchase of such farms
in clusters by capitalists who can con
vert the at present subdivided en-
closurers into large pasture grounds
for the rearing Of sheep. The Report-
err says:
Many of these deserted farms can be
bought at from - to SIS per acre,
and there are clusters of them where
| 900 or more acres can be secured in
body. These arms can he stocked
with grade Shropshire and Southdowns
costing at from s. To So per head, but
these breeds OF course should not he
run in Hooks of more than thirty or
forty each. We have recommended
Shropshires ard Souihdowas because
of their superior mutton qualities. and
because they are hardy and early TO
develop. The iIampshire-down will
also please. perhaps equally as we'll.
and furnish some toothsome mutton.
The New England mutlon-raiser is not
only favored with sweet feed among
the limestone aud granite lodges and
in the green valleys ct his domain but
is also additionally favored hv close
proximity to The best markets 10 the
country. where early lambs need ncy-
er have to nunt buyer and where
prices for prime mutton are always
good
The idea is good one, hut i, MOI
new 1t has indeed been put iuto
practice by . MiIwaukeean with con
siderable success L. A. Chapman
who l. an enthusiastic and successful
amateur aglicnlturist. has for wears
been raising Southlnwns. Shrop,hircs
and other breeds Of bloodet sheep on
the oil Chapman homestead farm al
Gl,ea1. Oxford County, Maine and
has frequently expressed the opinion
that one means OF salvation for the
New England agricultural interest,
is the develop eut Of New Engsnd'-
possibilities IL the direction of sheep
raising. connected with the use Of en-
slagc. He argues that the South viii
not become great sheep raising sec
ton 30 long a. the present social CON
ditIons prevail there. These conditions
favor the keeping Of dogs. and dogs
ale death to sheep. la the West. he
reasous. the tilling Of the soil cannot
he suhnrdlnated TO the raising Of sheep.
Growing crops must he protected witt
fences, and fences in The country are
now generally made of barbed wire,
which tears the fleece of sheep. and in
fiicts damage that diminishes the re.
turns from them. New England has
negative advantage over both the
South and West. therefore, in these
respects, aud as the Htlcrfer states. il
has also certain po>itiy" Advantage.
Mr. Chapman makes sheep husband
~ in New England exceedingly pr fit
able hy carrying it on in conjunction
with the employment of the en-llage
process for preserving fodder. He has
sllo capacity tor 300 tons Of ensllage
Twelve acres planted to Western Vel
low Dent corn last year filled his silo>
TO the brim. Three tons Of this ensiI-
age are equal in value AS fodder TO one
ton OF good English hay, and the same
ground used for growing the corn. Ell
riched exactly As it was ior that crop.
would yield at the utmost not more
than two tons of English hay So that
by using eus'lage instead of hay as
fodder Mr.. Chapman has found it pos
sible to raise food for four sheep on
piece of ground that would formerly
feed only Que
Why should not owners of depreci-
ated New England farm property take
courage and improve the opportunity
to make their once fiourishing, but now
decaying, farms productive. The pro-
posed plan is the more attractive be-
cause when the sheep have run on the
land its fertility will be manitoldly in
creased