The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-19
SUGGESTIONS As TO SHEEP
'''S''ss;azses s s t;-''sse-----
WHAT STATE FAIR MANAGERS
Increase of the Taste for Mutton
Improves Demand for Good Stock
why Not Disseminate KnOwI-
edge by Means of Tracts:-
A Growing Farming Element
Some Sheep Statistics.
CAN DO

The approaching Minnesota state fair at
Hamline ought to prove of special interest
as an object lesson to those farmers in the
state who are contemplating engaging, or
who have already engaged, in the sheep
growing industry. There is no doubt the
management. will secure the best exhibits
available, and the judging has always been
regarded and accepted as just But great
deal of knowledge in regrd to all live stock
thus exhibited is lost from the lack of some
system of explanation to the separate
merits and distinctive qualities of the dif-
ferent breeds. 1t might be too much to tx-
pect of management that they should pro-
vide literature in cheap and convenient form
and in abundant supply, regarding different
breeds of animals. but such cource would
certainly be productive of STU results; and
ii hu.Sad-C. -c.ns KIND should be organized
for occasions of this kind, those seeking in
formation would not have to rely upon the
laeonic answers of busy attendants. There
are many intelligent farmers who would like
TO be informed on certain points, but wac
hesitate to ask questions. small tract se.-
ting forth the special qualifications of the
Merinos, the Dorsets, the Lnco-ns, the
Downs and the like. with special reference
TO their respective values mutton or wool
producers, or both, would be the means OF
disseminating a great deal OF Information
The growth of the mutton interest in this
country during the past ten or fiste5n years
has been very marked The states of Oregon
and Washington especially have been paying
more attention to this feature of sheep grow
ing than many other locaiti, S, and the in
tiers; has suffered less materially there than
elsewhere. Our export trade in sheep has
been variable, and fuc;ua:ed from 1924 0
head in 1850 to as low as S1,260 head in 1898;
but meanwhile it had risen TO 1884,, 600 head
in 1883, and in 1896 the number OF sheep ex-
ported reached 49l, $50 head; but in 1897 this
volume decreased to 244,l20 head. At homr,
however, the taste for muffin has increas> d
largely, and the greatest encouragement at
present exists for the cultivation of sheep
both for the wool and mutton market
\ correspondent of the Iowa Homestead
recently addressed note to the editor of
that paper, asking him if he thought sufi-
cient attention was being given by that rapsr
to the sheep industry. rhe reply was:
We will say 10 all who are interested
that we propose 10 devote more space to the
discussion oil sheep topics in the Lear future.
The sheep department. has been permitted to
become little short lately, not on account
OF a lack of editorial assistance, but because
OF general lack of space throughout the
entire paper. Many plans for lmpro ;ement
are in contemplation, and will be inaugurated
as rapidly as possible, and one of them in
c:udes the making of the very best sheep de-
partment possible in a general farm paper.
We recognize the fact that sheep are looking
up, and we are very glad to note it. There
are not enough sheep on the farms of the
West. We need more. Farmers should talk
sheep, think sheep, keep and sell them, feed
and learn all they can about them, for they
constitute one of the most profitable branches
of the live stock industry.
This advice certainly comes from an excel
lent source and 1t be needed no more
advantageOusly than by the farmers of Min
nesota.