The Van Buren press., 1893-10-28
SOUTHERN WILD SHEEP.
NeeaeetsA Ylosks OF tAe Georgia f1n
WoOda.


In the great piney woods Of the South
Atlantic states peculiar race oi
sheep roam at large, almost as wild
and uncared for as the famoas south
ern srazor-back" hog. For many CEN
turies these sheep have existed in parts
of Georgia and the Gulf states, and by
adapting themselves 70 the climate.
poor food and inclement weather, they
have succeeded in surviving all OF the
vicissitudes of q wild and precarious
life. They are commonly called in the
south ..the sheep of the piney woods
they have no recorded pedigree, nor
even . breed name 1t is supposed,
however, that they were originally
brought to Florida by the Spanish ad-
venturers when they first settled upon
the present site of St Augustine. and
that at that time they belonged to the
ine-wooled merino breed. Turned
loose in the new country. they gradu-
ally lost the characteristics of their
breed. and degenerated to their pres
ent state. They possess even yet in
some respects the characteristics OF
the merino sheep. They have the same
general form, though less uniform, and
wool that is nearly as fine as the pure
bred merino. zet.2#s NJ
In the historical accounts of the
early Spanish visitors to Florida, there
are records of their bringing sheep AND
other domestic animals with them, and
after that time no subsequent large
importation of ine-wooled sheep to
this region was ever heard Of Wild
sheep were known to exist in the south
in the days of Washington and Jeffer-
son. who endeavored to improve their
condition by introducing fine breeds
from abroad. They recognized the
great advantages which the south Of
fered for sheep husbandry, and every
thing was done by them to establish
the business on a sound basis. With
the exception Of the low-lying regions
a.ong the coast. the whole country
from the Potomac to the Gulf OF Mex
leo offers advantages for sheep raising,
and it was with the idea of rearing
countless herds in this section that
these early statesmen encouraged the
industry by writings, speeches and
practical demonstration.
Bnt the south did not take kindly to
sheep-raising. King Cotton assumed
complete control. and crushed out all
other phases of farming. Cotton and
sheep were not supposed to go to-
gether. Sheep had to go with grass.
and there was no room for grass in the
great cotton-growing states. The few
sheep in the south were consequently
allowed to roam untamed and almost
uncared for in the great stretches of
pine woods To-day they are found in
nearly as primitive condition Is they
were 100 years ago.
The life Of this neglected breed OF
sheep is interesting to one who thinks
at all Of the sheep industry. They
roam through the pine woods in great
numbers through the day, large fiocks
feeding together on the coarse and un.
nutritious wild grasses and other vege-
tation. The grass in the pine woods is
very poor. The flocks move from place
to place according to the nature of the
feeding-ground, but at night they gen.
orally come to certain bedding-place
where they huddle together. Wild
animals, hogs and dogs roam through
the woods, and they frequently pounce
down upon the helpless sheep and de-
stroy many of them. Worthless dogs
are the great nuisances of the south,
and half-bred ours owned by negroes
and crackers almost live off the young
lambs and ewes. The half-wild razor
back hogs are not much better The
bleating OF young lambs from some
thicket is the signal for an attack, and
these strangely degenerated represen-
tatives of our domestic hog rush upon
the helpless creatures and destroy
mother and lamb unless the ram hap
pens to be within calling distance.
The latter will always rush to the res
cue, and whether the enemy be dog,
panther, or wild hog, the ram will offer
noble and determined opposition. 1t
is estimated that more than two-thirds
of all the born lambs are destroyed by
these enemies every year. The sheep
wild as they are, are all owned and
branded, but they are uncared for and
hardly ever watched. 1t is not at all
surprising that under such circum-
stances the solitary hunter, negro or
cracker dwellers in that lonely woods
frequently helps himself to roast NUT
ton and lamb.-N. Y. Post. sffU