The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-07-24
MONEY IN SHEEP.
Cnquestionably One of the Most Proiita.
BILE Branches of Agriculture.

One OF the Most PfOnC8s
BILE Branches of Agriculture.
There are few more profitable
branches of agriculture even on the
high-priced lands of the eastern and
middle states than sheep breeding and
wool growing. 1t is true that WOO
can be produced more cheaply on the
large plains of Australia and the cheap
land of our own southwestern states
Than on land worth perhaps from $50
20 500 per acre. But the question of
the relative cheapness of production
has little to do with the profit of sheep
husbandry on the higher priced lands.
While sheep can be bred and wool pro-
duced at a small cost in Australia, yet
as an offset to this advantage they
have no home market there sufficient
to consume the product, and when
farm products are obliged to cross the
ocean for market the profit of pro-
duction is materially lessened. In
other words, we produce in New Eng
land and the middle states wool which
sells in our market in competition
with wool grown in Australia. While
our cost of production is greater our
cost of transportation is much less, and
on the whole we average more profit;
and again, our fat sheep and spring
lambs never go begging for a market,
and on the whole there are few indus.
tries that will pay the farmer more
good money for lesS work than sheep
growing. If the farmer who keeps
q, c., g
to his flock and uses average intelli-
gence the profit from his flock can be
materially increased. Early lambs of
a good mutton breed will always com,
mand good price in the home market.
JudiciouS care at the right time will
usually prevent losses among the young
lambs. And again, unless the flock is
of excellent quality to start with,
judicious breeding and selecting the best
bred ewes to remain in the flock will
be apt to increase the average clip of
wool several pounds per head.
The one great draw back. however,
and it exists in all thickly settled
countries, is the ravages of worthless
ours. Two or three dogs in Il single
night will destroy good sheep and
lambs enough to offset the greatest
prospective profit for an entire season.
If there is any one evil that requires
more stringent Legislation than another
it is the dog nuisance. There is hardly
any family so poor as not to be rich
enough to own dog, and the pleasure
and comfort of that useless cur they
will protect by every means possible,
always ready to deny the possibility of
their dog doing any injury. One of the
best means for protecting the flock
against the attacks of dogs is by using
a liberal number of sheep bells. If
the flock numbers forty or fifty, at
least a quarter of them should have
each small bell, and as noisy a one as
possible, attached to her neck. If the
flock is small greater portion should
possess bells. The reason why bells
are a good protection is because sheep
killingdog are naturally sneaks. They
are afraid of detection, and the noise
created by flock of sheep wearing
bells will cause them to desist. | have
never known flock of sheep wearing
bells to be injured by dogs. We need
more stringent laws for the protection
of sheep.-Amcrican Agriculturist.