The San Saba weekly news. (San Saba, Tex.) 18??-1???, 1891-09-04
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
THE GREAT SHEEP INDUSTRY
AND ITS PROSPECTS.
fho American Merlno Is tho Finest
sheer-A Flea For the Blind
Horse Dwarf Dees-Farm
anI HousehoIl Hlnts.


UeaI.h in Ncrino sheep.
In the sheep industry Of the United
| giaie1. varied and checkered as it has
been. owing to political troubles, biz
! ards and ignorance the Merino sheep
has figured more prominently than
any ether breed. and while trouble
a1d drawbacks have beset the farmer|
these fine type Of animals have been
steadily adding millions Of dollars to
the national wealth of the farm. The
American Mcrino has become so close
~ identified with the country that il
is almost the national animal and its
riai-e5 are heard wherever sheep rails
ing has leon carried ON with any in
lelligencc. There are other breeds Of
sheep which possess many noble
qualities in FAR greater degree than
the Merino. better wool producers.
better mutton makers better mothers
and nurses of young lambs but no
where has the breed yet been dIscov-
cred that answers all the purposes re-
CURED for typical American sheep
that wiz thrive in wide ranges Of
country and in climates so varied and
cQGugeable Us to make life constant
battle against the elements, so well as
thu American Merino.
The sheep industry in this country,
rs whole teaches a wholesOme
son. It reflects the uncertainty q
unrcast nable vicissitudes of American
life in lbs early stages. It has been
boone and inflated to such an ex-
tent as to make it ridiculous, and it
has also reached the other extreme,
the lowest stage of depression. At
one time sAeep-raising seemed to
promise fortunes for all. and then it
was pronounced a dead failure. It Is
a wonder that through such vicissi-
tudes even one fine breed of sheep
could be evolved and developed up to
the standard which the American
Merino can safely lay claim to to day.
The original Mcrino sheep imported TO
this country from Spain is as far in
ferior to- day to the American Merino
as mongrel cur OF the Indians is to a
full-blooded mastifT of registered
breed. And this development and i'm
provement has been accomplished by
the intelligence of a fe : flOckmasters
in the face of great opposition and
Encouragement. Probably no other
breed of sheep could pass through
what the MerinO breed has and not
lose its high qualities and depreciate
in value. Worried by dogs, neglected
often, killed of for mutton after the
price of wool fell. and in thousand
other ways retarded in its full develop
men;, the breed has succeeded through
all in maintaining its purity of breed
and in advancing in excellence.
We find to-day the American Merino
stands foremost among sheep for its
fine wool. writes f. P. Smith in the
American Cultivator. and in new
countries especially it is in great de
mand. Whenever crossed with
other breeds it always improves the
quality Of the wool, and Australia
nockmasters eagerly seek Tor such a
cross to the countless focks. a we'll
bred American Merino is a tall, noble
looking animal inheriting superior
qualities from "a line OF ancestors. and
possesses such hardy qualities that it
can readily adapt itself to great ex-
tremes OF climate. 1t IS scarcely ne
cessary to say that the majority # the.
sheep hocks in the County aSal com.
posed of this breed and in localit
where siiv sPvvi5l breed has 40 y
been found the American Merino do
better than any other There are
other breeds that would probably de
better in certain peculiar sections OF
the land. but uztll experiment hzA
shown ghe. 5Tgeds 10 Nss>tbe-.44lnnesi-
can Merino must do.
The American Merino has proved
such fine animal TO the farmers that
everything possible should be done in
return. The breed has not yet reached |
its highest perfection, and there is
ample room for making the animals
moro valuable. The breed has reach |
ed its present type through uncertain
treatment and with good careful, IN
telligent devotion it may be brought
TO a much higher type The effort is
well worth the trial. A uniform pub
lie policy toward sheep husbandry is
needed and then wise, intelligent
study from the farmers. Evils to the
industry must be removed. and sudden
mutations ana depressions should be
guarded against. Thev never benefit I
any business: it is the even, steady
growth that tells.