Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-11-16
AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN.
Interesting Letters From Hancock
County Farmers.

Interesting Letters From Hancock
County Farmers.
The eighth annual bulletin OF the State
board OF agriculture for the season OF
1898, is devoted largely to discussion of
sheep raising. 1t contains the following
letters from Hancock county farmers:
BLUEHILL-The prospects of the sheep
business seem to be very good, and the
market for wool will doubtless be i'll a
satisfactory condition for the producer
for some time to come. Ia this State 1t
will hardly be necessary to encourage the
people to engage III sheep-raising. Our
climate and our farms are specially adapt
ed to the business, and with the return of
better prices many who have abandoned
the business, either wholly or in part
will devote more attention to 1t. lntelli-
gent direction is needed more than en-
enlargement. Those who are willing to
give their time to the business can do
well with early or dollhouse lambs, but
this calls for more work than the
average farmer is willing to put into
it, and for such, sheep shearing a heavy
fleece and producing fair-sized lambs,
will be more profitable. For lambs, would
prefer hampshire Downs crossed with
Oxfords or Shropshres. While Merinos
are profitable where wool Is the chief OBJ
ject, it will be u long time before the
farmers of this State viii breed them very
extensively. Probably soIliug would pay
where pasturiug is limited. In winter 1t
plenty OF redtop and clover, with plenty
OF ensilage or few turnips for a succu-
lent feed, viii give good results. Would
feed grain only after lamhing
II. b. GRAY.
DEER IsLE-in this town very few
sheep have been kept for some years past, ,
but with the advance in price of wool ana
good demand for lambs and mutton, more
interest will be taken. II one has proper
pasture there is no stock that viii pay
better for the amount OF labor required
than sheep, but without that requisite
they are property of very doubtful sdvan-
tsge. Is there any way TO prevent the
spread OF tie bean Weevil for another
year? A man in this neig h Dor hood had
quantity OF beans stored in his chamber,
and on looking at them found them
swarmlng with something which he had
never seen before but which proved to be
weevils. He carried the beans out OF
doors and many weevils escaped before he
knew W hat they were. Are they not likely
to cause trouble with the next years
crops? and how can this be prevented, IL
at ALI? r. 5. WARREN.
NoTE-Wc should not expect any serious
difficulty from the wecyils which might escape
in this way Mt this season OF the year, prov ided
the beans which contain them are all destroyed
Secretary.
SOUTH PENoBsCoT-1 think that the
farmer that keeps his sheep in small
iocks with his other stock, is about
right in this section. Those that have
stuck to their sheep right along are in 1t
now; those that sold their sheep are try
ing 10 buy some. | think that it would
not do for the farmers OF this section to
keep more than thirty sheep in one flock.
Our pastures are small and rocky, and not
fit 10 plough, but are very good for sheep
in small tiocks. IN this section a
good many pastures are near the
salt water, and this is good for sheep.
They viii get their living earlier in the
spring ana later III the fail. For ticks !
have tried salt and sulphur, kept in u
trough SO they can 90 to IL at all times in
the winter, and have found but few ticks
at sheariug time. | would have pure
breed male. | think the Oxford Downs
would be rs good as any for all purposes
Good fine hay j. good enough for my
sheep through the winter until they drop
their lambs; then | give them small
quantity Of corn or meal.
y. F. NORTON.
FRANKLIN In the first place let every
farmer XII of old scrub stock that our
grapdtat hers had, TINT has been handed
down from generation to generation, and
start with pure blood il he can buy one,
aud III few years he viii have flock
that he can look on with pride. There Is
no stock that Will bring run-out farm 10
high state rs quickly RS sheep,
and no stock that the farmer can
get so much money from as he
can from sheep. Every farmer should
keep good flock OF sheep, OF pure blood.
| prefer oxford Down. Their meat Is
fine grained and brings good price, and
they have good fleece OF wool. When
commencing to lamb, feed one quart
ground oats to each sheep, until turned
to pasture. The State OF Maine affords
plenty OF pasture for all the sheep that
can be kept. GEO. |. Dl En-.