The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-29

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The advice given 10 newcomer IN the
Northwest d to keep sheep BY Ill means.
More money with less risk can b realised
with . fair amount Of capital in sheep
raising than in any other branch Of agri-
culture. In this industry there are many
encouraging features coming to light an
nually, which makes Il clear that with
good intelligence and perseverance sheep
raising Is not only profitable now. but It
has . future. In Great Britain sheep
raising has been one Of the leading indus
tries tor many years, and With the con-
slant Improvement In the character and
value of the animals there are good pros
poets of long continuance Of the pront-
. able work. Sheep improve the farm by be-
ing on it. and they bring in money at sea-
son of the year when the farmers need it to
pay current expenses. that is between the
months Of April and August. The wool
season mean. as . rule. that the animal is
paying about two hundred per cent, and
nothing more than this can be expected
from any farm animal If one is to be-
lieve some Of the stories from the sheep
raisers in favored sections OF the country,
the most puzzlinR question OF the day is:
Why do not more farmers 60 into the
sheep businessf With capital varying
from $500 to 5000 sheep raisers have
built up an industry paying an annual in
come Of $500 to $500, besides doubling
their stock, and showing good prospects
OF continual increase. Ali this in two
years. i i not always safe TO take such
exceptional cases a. rule to Judge the
business by, but they serve to show that
with intelligence and perseverance, there is
room at the top for those who understand
the art Of money-making.
Canada is rapidly coming to the front In
sheep raising, and many Of her products
are sent to the states by the car loads. In
heriting the propensities for dealing In
high-bred sheep from the mother country,
the Canadians have the advantage of
good country in which to expand the in-
dustry, and they are rapidly taking adj
vantage of their opportunities. In the
case OF the Shropshires Canada raises
many Of these sheep. and sends them by
they are sold upon their merits. She does
not, however, register these high-bred
animals TO any extent, and breeders in
this country find it to their advantage to
register their lambs intended for sale as
breeders. The demand for this stock to
cross upon common docks is unceasing,
and there 10 little danger of overproduc-
ton, notwithstanding their rapid increase.
The Shropshire is comparatively new
sheep in the Western hemisphere, but to-
day the annual product Of unregistered
Shropshires amount to about 20, coo. They
were trst introduced in Virginia in 1855,
but they did not extend rapidly, owing to
the war. The breed has now been taken
up by Western and Eastern breeders,
owing to the high price of wool and NUT
ton, and the multiplication of the breed
has been unparalleled. Very high prices
can usually be obtained for recorded
Shropshires but as more are rejected than
fnd for rie<o x,-sf
be seen that there is reward for high
class careful breeding.
Undoubtedly for many sections of the
country this breed cannot be surpassed for
breeding purposes They have pedigree
OF long standing and undoubted correct
ton, prolific breeoers, good wool, fine dis
positions, and an adaptability in crossing
with other breeds. Animals with these
good points are well worth raising, and it
pays to use the utmost care in selection
and breeding, and then in recording the
lambs. The registered Shropshires are
always superior animals, and they bring
higher prices in the market for breeding
purposes. e. p. SMITH.
PROTECTING THE ORCHARD TREES
The most important question to fruit
growers is how to overcome the numerous
insect and fungus foes to roots, stems, leaf,
limbs, blossom and fruits of the orchard
trees, and though every year various meth
DDS are tried and recommended, COM
plants still come in that they are all in
effectual Now, many of these remedies
are effectual enough, but they are not tried
until too late. Many fruit growers wash
the trunks of their trees with soaps, soda
and other substances, or grease them over
with bloody meat to protect them from
borers, mice and rabbits. A simpler, and
in many instances superior method to
any of these, is to use paper for making
bandage around the trunk of the tree.
Remove the earth at the foot Of the tree
several inches down, and fold newspapers
several times around the trunk, making it
ut into the creases and holes of the tree as
well as possible. This wrap should ex-
tend about foot above the surface of the
ground, and several inches below. Tie
string around the newspaper wrap, max.
ing it tit snugly, but make the string frail
enough so that il will snap by the expan-
sion of the tree-growth when 1t presses out
1t should not beeUstrong that it will cut
into the bark when the pressure comes.
Pack the earth up around the bandage,
and see that the paper is crushed closely
against the bark.
For insects and grubs this bandage
should be put on early in May, and If
neglected much after that time 1t will be
useless. The protection should not be re-
moved unLu ABOUT the same time next
year, when a fresh one can be put on. In
addition to keeping the mice and rabbits
away, this newspaper wrap will shield the
tree from the evil effects of the hot sun and
drying winds. After the bandage is re-
moved the trunk will be found to be in
splendid condition.
For young, newly-set trees this protec-
ton from the sun, winter winds and cold,
mice, rabbits and borers is almost indis-
pensable. The protection against the
changes in winter of the temperature is
very essential. and should not be neg
lected. The trees will not be girdled by
the mice and rabbits, for they will not
gnaw through the paper to see what is be-
hind it.
The wrap is protection against the
borer also. 1t is we'll known that the
borer never gets into the stem otherwise
than as the result of an egg laid bye
winged insect in a puncture made by ha
in the bark at or just above the surfaceer
the ground, usually in May or June. of
the egg never gets there the borer If
never develop in the tree, and the nwill
paper wrap effectnally prevents the Jews
from reaching the bark to lay its eggs
G. s. WALTERS. 8
Even the Prohibitionists Stsggef.
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