The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-05-11
SHEEP HUSBANDRY.
Valuable Suggestions Hs to Most
Important Industry-GOlden Feet
of the Sheep-A Most Interesting
Letter From Col. James III. Rice.

of the Sheep-A Most Interesting
Letter From Col. James III. Rice.
Editor Press and Banner:
You are a farmer and a stock farmer. Will
not call you a husbandman, because you de.
test puns, and this equivocal word may
make bachelor tremble. But you are Ger
tainly deeply interested in agriculture, as
your paper has long shown, and remember
a year ago agriculture took large Interest In
you and your paper.
friend Eldred S. Addison, walking and riding
over his mag nificent farm. 1t IL three miles
from Ninety-SiX, in Edgefeld county, lying
on Beaver Dam and Ninety-Six creeks, In the
most fertile uplands In the State. The plan
tation contains $40 acres Is beautiful for situa.
tton, abundantly watered, thoroughly Fenced
with wire and plank and shows here
tail, and besides, the owner is a modest man
who stays at home and successfully handles
and drives his own business am intent %
tell you and your readers about his sheep and
MIR. Addison carried $50 sheep through the
winter. March 4th he sold to an Augusta
butcher = wethers and IA lambs, averaging 60 60
pounds, for cents gross. He has now ~ ~
pounds, and probably none as low as so.
They are all ready for the table and / really
believe would compare favorably with an
equal number from any fsrm ar rT 10 tns nnn, Enion.
and tempt the most fastidious palate In any
land. He will keep some Of the finest for bis
own use-table and flock. VIII sell many Tor
to Sa who Sesre 70
er. But for this he could mark ct every lamb
today for 50 per head for the table.
am facing the important question, does
sheep farming pay here In our county? Mr..
addison thinks It does, and presents the
proof. Some years ago he bought this place
badly run down from cotton culture and un-
wise tillage and grazing. He has at least dou-
bled its value, and although he has a reputa-
tion for fine horses, keeps large herd OF cat
tie and many hogs, and has sold pure red oats
throughout the State, he believes the prime
factor IN this development Is the S sneepi p,ch,,v
and with them alone, he annually makes
very rich eight acres OF land, moving his pens
about every ten days. The money value OF
knows what cow pen means, and sheep
droppings are richer than cows. 1t means
heavy crops of barley, which can only be
made TO perfection on Penned land, oats, rye,
clover and turnips, and Is good for q life time,
II properly graded and titled.
His sheep are large and heavy wooled. as
you can judge from the crosses named. He
begun with grade Merinos and Cotswold ewes
breeding them " the best Broad Tailed rams
he could buy In the country. They combine
size, wool and mutton flavor to perfection.
His flock of old sheep will probably shear six
pounds per head. They are large, @ very fat fat
bis wool will command the highest prices:
Sheep give annually three returns when
properly manaRed-wool. mutton, lands en-
riched. They are close teeaers aSstpcs n, noe ps.
deem the bald red hills Of our splendid coun.
ty, gutted by a century Of cotton culture, and
scaided by blazing suns on lands without coy
ering. We need sheep on every farm. We
covered thousands once and now have pens,
and these left to the tender mercies Of wealth
er and dogs. Not the darkey, for he does not
love mutton-hls affections are centered on
the pig.
1t Is very remarkable that the only book on
sheep husbandry in the South, and particu-
larly in South Carolina, was written by MIR.
Randall. famous sheep farmer from New
pressed with The superiority OF our soll, Gil
mate and natural range for sheep that he
published a book which will be u revelation
clures that line IRON Georgetown TO Mem
phis is the diameter OF the finest sheep range
in the world-america, Europe or Asia.
Read IT.. This industry Is peculiarly suited
TO his death he needs such constant care as
only q white man can and will give. The
lambing, the watching In pasture, the careful
tending and penning, the shearlpg, the nne
ART OF 6utchering, and 1 shall never omit the
cooking and eating OF them, is emphatically a
privilege and duty OF the white race. 1t Is
easily first OF meats for health or pleasure In
n hot climate Roasted, boiled, chops most most
for tie gods. But ain not writing treatise
on gasLronomy. though the contemplation
even is most delightful.
l believe sheep have golden feet: 1t is SO
written and sung in old England for hun
dred years, and they have aided largely to
make her garment Of green which catches
every visitors eye.
have, sir, written thus earnestly because /
believe sheep should be on every farm In our
county, and take the liberty to append to
this article q statement Of estimates showing
profits on Mr.. Addison's flock. spent happy
and profitable years In It's pursuit. and If
can say anything to draw our people into
this most pleasant and profitable channel l
shall rejoice.
not put all his eggs in one basket, but he and
I would be pleased 10 know that many OF
them In the shape Of sheep were in the bas.
kets OF every farmer. Serve notice on Col
Watts, the veteran sheep man, aud you and
he come TO see me. will carry you without
notice to Mr.. Addison's farm. and you will be
pleased and maybe instructed. Please add
the table OF DR.. Cr., showing profits, and
oblige, Very truly, j. d. kice.