The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-16
A Plea for Merino sbeep.

Galen Wilson. writing in American Gull
tiuGtor, says: Over forty years study Of the
sheep have resulted in views, some of which
are very much at variance with the beliefs
Of a majority Of fockmasters, most Of
whom assign some reason satisfactory to
themselves why they grow the breed they
have IN hand. Come 20 question them
loosely, it 10 learned that a very large ma-
jority acknowledge that for the faith that
is in them they are ind bted to "hearsay,"
and not to their own observation and ex-
peTience. lt is to this class, who are en-
gagged in general sheep farming, that this
communication is addT essed, free from iu-
terest or prejudice, for the writer ia not en-
gagged in sheep husoandry in any manner.
Several comparisons will be adduced
which may surprise some and result in their
benefit. The rule of the scienti Is that,
other things being equal, il costs as much
| to grow a certain number of pounds of car
cass OF one breed as another will be- one OF
| the bases of these comparisons; aud another,
| that on the average it costs about 2 cents a
pound annually to maintain a sheep car
cass. With thls data true comparisons can
be drawn.
"The little Ohio Merinos'' have long been
spoken ofsneeringly by breeders of larger
| sheep. It is proposed to see now IL this ad-
verse criticism is justifisble. This average
Shropshire weighs 100 pounds and shears
6. It, therefore, costs IL 40 to maintain il
year. The wool sells for so cents, or 81 80.
The Ohio Merino weighs 50, costing 81 60
for maintenance 1t shears s pounds,
which sells for IS cents. or So. Thus the
Merino costs 80 cents less for maintenance
and yields 90 cents more FOR 10. wool, plac-
ing it just 81 ahead Of the Shropshire
There IS not much opportunity here to
sheer at the little MeriDo. IL cannot be
objected that the comparison is wrongly
drawn, for the figures are about as f1ocks
average, as generally kept by farmers, and
as see them all about me. Nor would the
claim hold good that lamb production of
the Shropshire Is the more valuable, for in
this calculation the Merino, being one
third smaller, would be entitled to credit
for lamb and third, which would GER
taialy equal the value OF the Shropshire
lamb.
Nor can it be urged that Shropshire NUT
ton is worth more Ter pound, for the plain
reason that it does not bring more. The
idea has been industriously circulated by
interested persons that the mutton of the So
called mutton breeds is better and more
valuable than that OF the wool breeds. Hon.
j. s. Woodward, former secretary of the
New York Agricultural Society, and who
is one Of the best sheepmen In the state, said
at a farmers institute on Jan. 8, when
discussing this point, THAT is mistaken
notion. The quality of the mutton depends
upon the feed, and you can grow lust as
good mutton under Merino hide as under
tie hide of Southdown." He NAV have
added as truthfully. cor under any other"
The Shropsnires are not singled out be-
cause there is any antipethy TO them, for
they are an excellent breed and valuable in
certain places. They possess only the OBJ
lection that all medium or coarse woods do.
The idea Is generally prevalent that the
more sheep produces of wool OF mutton
the more valuable it is; but the cost of what
it roduces is rarely factor in the choice
Of breed. "a shee is sheep" true
enough; and so is horse horse Or a COW a
COW but the profit to be derived should
guide in the selection Of either.
OF late years much effort has been ex-
pended to increase the size OF sheep. breeders
Llindly thinking that size enhances profit,
when the contrary is the case. Wool is a
material factor in sheep husbandry, even
where mutton is a principal object. Mutton
costing the same aud bringing the same pro-
duced on the carcass of any breed. it fol-
lows that the breed which produces the
greatest per cent. of wool to carcass must
be the most profitable for the average sheep
farmer to keep.
Granted that the wool is Of equal density
any length, the smaller the sheep the larger
is the per cent. of wool to the carcass, be-
cause the small sheep has the greater proper.
ton of wool-bearing surface. DR..
Randall, recognized authority on
sheep, in his practical Shepherd"
quotes approvingly the follow
ing from Gil address of Hon. Robert r. Liv-
ingston, who was the first president OF the
first agricultural society OF the state OF New
York: "A sheep whose live weight shall
be sixty pounds, and who, Of course, will
require but one-quarter OF the food of a
sheep that weighs $40 pounds, will, not
withstandin9, have half as much wool as
his gigantic brother"
This is not 60 be construed literally. II
was announced only 10 set people 70 inquir-
lug about this principle. Other things being
equal, there Is little doubt that an S0-pound
sheep posse .Ees one-third more wool Der
pound Of carcass than a sheep that weighs
100 pound.