The Bossier banner., 1892-08-25
FARMER AND PLANTER.
HoTHOuSE LAMBS.
An Industry That Would Bring Wealt
to Southern Farmers.


to Southern Farmers.
The growing of hothouse lambs is ex-
citing a continually increasing interest
In the eastern states, New York, Penn
sylvania, Ohio and Michigan. Consump-
tion of this product which was, until
recently, confined principally to Bos-
ton, New York city and Philadelphia,
has reached out to many inland cities,
and towns. Every year there is an i'm
creasing humber of well-to-do people
who are bound to have all the luxuries
the market affords, and among them
hothcuse lambs are one of the prinei=
pal. Production of these scarcely keep
pace with the demand. Last season the
call for these was persistent, and the
prices obtained as good as ever. There
is money in growing these lambs, for
the rich will have them. There is no
use infarmers catering so much for poor
people. Raise the best, put. it before
rich people in the best condition and
get all you can.
These lambs are marketed at from
thirty to forty days of age, and are
made to weigh about as many pounds,
as they are days old, and are sold at
from twenty-five to fifty cents pound
according to seasonableness and con-
dition. They are considered delicacy,
equal or superior to the broiler chickens,
snipe or woodcock in their sea- son, and
certainly this is not a large price Lamb
has an advantage over these, because
they are constipating, and lamb is not
H. Fra
sequently their rapidly-increasing use.
Lamb is a palliative to indigestion and
dyspepsia. AS regards the time when
they bring the highest prices, it is after
holiday poultry has been consumed,
and before broiler chickens come
in season, say from January Is
to April Is. A few lambs finG
ready market about christmas time"
and the season for them this year ex-
tended to the first of May; but the great
bulk of them are disposed of between
the first two dates named. These lambs
are grown at less expense than in the
usual way, where they are kept until
six or eight months old AS to the
profita bleness of the business, I will
cite the representative case of neigh
Dor who has, for several years, annual
ly devoted 100 ewes to the purpose. His
annual sales of the lambs and wool of
the ewes average $1,000. The most of
the business is done in winter when
there is little else to do, and the sheep
increase the fertility of the soil con-
tinually.
Such lambs can be grown with equal
success in Kentucky, Tennessee, West
Virginia, Virginia, and the hilly Sec
tions of North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia and Alabama; and on
any high and dry land within one or
two days of New York or Philadelphia
by rail or by boat, as these are the best
markets. for this stock Lambs are
shipped ''hog dressed" and at a sea-
son when refrigeration is unnecessary.
1t may be thought by some that express
charges would eat up the profits. To
this can only answer that expressage
is but forty-five cents a lamb, from
central Ohio to New York city, and
much of the territory named above is
not farther away from market With
this long preliminary, am prepared
to tell the novice how these lambs are
grown, giving all necessary information
to date.
Large grade Merino ewes and Down
rams give an excellent mixture of blood
for this purpose, as the offspsring
of such possess the desired qualities of
size and early maturity. The Merino
ewes give the richest milk. AS
some markets prefer lambs with black
legs and faces, and these are not OBJ
jectional anywhere, it may be advisable
to use rams that will produce such.
Dorset horned ewes have been sug-
gested; but their long harms are an OBJ
lection in necessarily close winter
quarters. The use of Dorset rams,
however, may be advisable; but in this
case lambs with black faces and legs
would not be secured. Ewes from two
to fire or six years of age should be Sc
lected; those possessing good udders
and mammary glands and known to be
excellent mixers and mothers. II they
are in the habit of producing twins, all
the better. They grow two lambs better
than majority of ewes will one, and
this is great gain. The best time
TO select ewes is at the spring shear
ing, for then they can be exam
ined and considered closely Dry ewes,
or those whose lambs can be weaned
soon, are the ones to select, for they
should be served as soon as possible
after the middle of June.
The serving of the ewes in warm
weather is accomplished by giving them
+ the range of a shady, well-watered
pasture and feeding them a light grain
ration OF corn once day for two weeks
before turning in the ram, and continu-
ing it until all are served The ram
also should be served in the same wav.
1t is advisable to paint the ram on the
brisket once week. The paint msrks
on the ewes show which have been
served land when the flock is yarded to
paint the ram, the served ewes should
be placed in separate field and
their grain ration cease The ami
mails Ebo,rld hovo