News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-04-14

Otner farm stock, and / think Tf75lT'
SO. believe that theannual product
of the same number of sheep now
kept IN Vermont can be very nearly
doubled in five years by good feed
and care alone; and / know IL can
with judicious breeding at the same
time. 1 believe the Shropshires. with
their long bodies, broad backs. short
legs, heavy heeces of medium wool
and splendid constitutions. to be the
coming breed, and the best for all
purposes. Now, then, will give a
few reasons why believe sheep-keep-
ing to be better adapted to the aver
age Vermont farm than the dairy.
even if the profit is the same: Our
steep hillsides seem to be the natural
home OF the sheep-they thrive there.
They keep the pastures clear from
weeds and bushes, and help them
to gain in fertility. Where sheep nre
kept the women of the house are en-
tirely relieved from dairy-work and
other care connected Herewith. and
it is much less work and confinement
for the outside workers. Except
about a month at lambing-time the
care is almost nothing compared
, with the dairy. The cost for tools
and iixings is nominal-a pair of
sheep shears and a iack-knife are
about all the tools necessary: where
as the dalryman must have n separ-
ator, creamer, or some other high
toned and more or less high-priced
accoutrements, besides churns. cream
pals, etc, etc. or if he is fortunate
enough to live within reach of n but
ter or cheese-factory he must hitch
up a team every morning TO take his
milk there. There are many more
reasons why | prefer TO keep sheep.
but / don't care to tell all / know
the first time.
The greatest difficulty | have ex-
perienced i'm keeping sheep is TO pro-
tect them from the dogs. | havehad
my Hook worried and one or more
killed by rambling dogs every year
except one for six years The laws
/ providing for payment OF damage in
such cases is entirely inadequate. /
/ would as soon n man would 90 into
my field and shoot a sheep, being
! careful not to scare the rest. as to
have n dog go among them and
frighten them out Of their senses,
even if he does not Kill any. Why il
is that dogs are allowed to roam the
country at will any more than other
domestic animals is more than | can
understand. Perhaps next year.
when we get our farmer Legislature
and Victor | Spear for Governor
things can be fixed so that some of
the worthless "pups" will be either
kept at home or otherwise disposed
of. Let us watch, and wait. and not
forget to work to that end. IL will
in my opinion be a greater help to
sheep-raisers than even an increased
protective tariff, which, by the way,
would be of immense value to us
individually and collectively. IL
would require about sixty millions
of sheep to produce the amount of
wool imported in 1890. And il in
stead of importing Swedes and wool,
or advertising deserted farms. we
could be encouraged to raise that
wool, the deserted farms would again
be occupied-not by foreigners but
by good live Yankee boys who are
hOh tNtiN Ntati iiOAklAlH W llt flllfN
because farming does not pay. If
we give manufacturers free access to
the cheap lands of Australia and
other semi-barbarous countries we
we may say & Jod-bye TO what re-
mains of our fiocks, and expect more
deserted farms.
Now, then, ! will close by making
n protest against what looks To me
like an unjust rule, made by some
body. notice of whichis in Morrisville
items of last weeks News AND CITI-
ZEN. i know of no reason why any
one having good and pure-bred
sheep, or other stock, should be
Obliged to join the society, with head
quarters at Morrisville, or any other
association and pay accompanying
fees, etc, in order to compete ON
equal terms with his neighbor. |
have personally no obiections~Sa.u
joining said orgaRi.at tiaSasnia
went to Morri
the express pur
for various reasNg1S
and | do not wish TO be con'IJsPr'
do SO now, although il has been my
intention TO join when ! get ready. |
have some good sheep from import
ed stock and registered in American
Shropshire register No doubt their
pedigree is fully as pure as any regis
tered with the local organization;
an. Il i. 4 n.