The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1897-03-26
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On the properly developed sheep.
pound of muttop can be produced as
cheaply as can pound Of beef on the
average steer. and II will sell for as
many cents, II the cattle grower can
fatten his steer With some profit. be-
lieve the flock owner can do as well
with the sheep, and have In his favor
the advantage Of one or more heeces'
while bringing his animal to maturity.
But 1t Capnot be done with scrub an
imals, no matter how fashionable their
breeding. how high sounding their
pedigrees. 1t can only be done with
sheep growing the most des.raolo
fieeces On we'll developed and rapidly
maturing Carcasses. And this Is true
of the entire flock; they must all be
good. The history Of those lean and
valueless animals of ancient Egypt that
devoured their we'll fattened contem-
poraries, is not the cay instance OF
disaster attending the mingling OF
worthless and superior stock. The
same thing has been repeated in Me-
rino flocks, so far as profits are con-
cerned, ever since sheep husbandry has
been pursued with a view to profit. II
Merino husbandry is to progress and
become as permancntly profitable as
any other we'll conaucted business, the
work of eliminating inferior animals
cannot too soon begin. Let them go
into market just as soon as they can
be put into REASONABLY fair condition.
They may not make very good mutton.
but they are better for that than any
thing else. They ore to progressive hus-
bandry Of the future what the stage
coach OF our boyhood days would be
to the transportation demands OF the
present time They may have had
place in the past, but to-day and here
after they are but clogs upon the
wheels Of Progress, and must be cast
aside. 1t has, FREQUENTLY been urged
that there are not many farmers VINO
might not make small flock Of sheep
profitable. This, believe. to be true;
and as the fact becomes more generally
recognized, the tendency will be to In
crease both the plumber OF hocks ana
the number Of sheep throughout the
country. Heretofore when sheep hus-
bandry has been referred to, our minds
have usually reverted to those partially
settled LOCALITIES where fiocks are made
up of thousands. There will be less
reason for this each year. as the logic
of events Is certain to diminish the ex-
tent of ranges. apd popularize smaller
flocks among farmers.
In this transition the Mc.lno Is des-
tined to be an important factor. IL
offers an upriyaled base for crosses by
larger bodied types, where such a
course is found desirable. No other
breed is So cosmopolitan. 1t will thrive
where any other breed will get liv-
ing, and will live under privations
where few others could exist. No
other sheep will SO certainly and SO
rapidly improve the fleeces OF breeds
with which they may be crossed; and
under suitable conditions, such crosses
will in no wise detract from the merits
of carcass. With this hasty survey of
the situation, it may be concluded that
a progressive Merino sheep husbandry
is the only one that is likely to survive
against the pressure of low prices ana
increasing competition. The flock own
er, who is not ready and determined to
take long stride in advance of the
standards and policies which obtained
in the past, is already out Of the race.
and the sooner he comes to realize the
fact the better. The procession OF
men who are to achieve success is now
moving, and those who feel themselves
unable to keep step with the quicken
ing march are to be left by the way
side. The system that will hereafter
succeed will NECESSARILY leave behind
some of the men, pany Of the animals
and many of the practices of the past
A. M. Garland.