Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-05-27
l1ARMIR RAND PLANTER.
THE FARMERS TRUE FRIEND.
rhe Sheep. the Emblem OF Patience and
Innocence, The Truest Friend
OF She Farmer.

pltll VI lJuiitliSO hhh lllAONNiNC, llS
helplessness IN danger has always led
L to be the willing associate of man,
from whom it instinctively seeks pro-
lection. For this it has never been
willing to feed on the humblost fare,
and to crop that which is of no value
to any other animal, but which, if not
cropped, is hindrance to the growth
of richer pastures,
1t has given its life as sacrifice and
It's body as food without complaint. 1t
has given its fleece for clothing in all
ages to all the inhabitants of the
world. Its enlarged iloclIs have con-
stituted the principal wealth of many
of our most noted ancestors. There is
scarcely n want in an unsophisticated
household which it can not lend its aid
to supply. 1t has always and every
where been the profitable companion
Of man, and it will ever remain so, as
long rs the wants of man and the fit
ness of the uncomplaining sheep to
supply them endures.
The question of feeding sheep is not,
therefore, in itself question now to
be decided either by legislation or
otherwise; the growing wool and the
food for the life of man have settled
this question centuries ago. What we
all the sheep is not burden to the
farmer in this land of plenty and in this
age of the world. Can this patient com
panion fill our Golfers with gold as
rapidly as we wish? Can it by culture
ever be turned into golden calf? If
so, we are willing to take the lamb to
our bosom and worship him day by day.
But all allegory aside, is not the
sheep still profitable to the man who
properly cares for it both here and
everywhere? The clearly recognized
profits heretofore, in this country,
created II class called wool-growers,
which indicates that their interest
in the sheep is i'm interest for his
fleece, and this is all right if the sheep
had nothing else to give. Some of
| these wool-growers are farmers "de
facto," but many of them do not farm
az all, in the true sense of farming,
| and only raise sheep for wool by proxy.
They have large ranges of land either
entirely wild or at least of little value
for other agricultural purposes, and on
them, through hired herdsmen, they
raise large hoclSs of sheep.
The owners of these large herds thus
kept are wool-growers, and nothing
else. In their wool product they can
easily undersell the farmer with his
small flock, and yet have an additional
large margin for extra profit A few
cents pound on wool is to them a
very desirable item, and. indeed, may
| depend on the tariff schedule, for if
brought into direct competition with
others of the same class in the Argen-
tine Republic or in Australia, it be-
comes doubtful who shall supply the
market. These men advocate high
tariff on wool. They should be pro-
sonable, in order that American manu-
facturers may, for the most part, use
| American material. But we leave this
TO the adjusters at Washington, and
turn to what interests us more-viZ
The real farmers interest in sheep.
Fortunately the sheep has more than
wool value to most farmers. 1t is,
indeed, important that the wool of his
flock should have price per pound
which should not vary, but should be
reasonably constant, that he may
know how to count on the market
value of his fleece; but to him the
small flock of his farm has other values
which, under any reasonable condi'
tions, will make his flock constantly
profitable. Sheep, on account of the
small investment necessary at first
and their very rapid increase in nun.
bers with but little cost, soon become
u flock large enough for the farm with
out any noticeable expense.
The simpleness of their food for the
most of the year and their constant re
turns in lambs, mutton and wool, com
pensate literally for the small extra
care which they demand. With lit
tie extra care their flesh, either as
lamb or mutton, affords one of thu
readiest means of supplying the mar
llet with healthful food, which only
needs the proper introduction to com,
into general use at price above eltheI
pork or beef. The flock has still an
other value to the farmer not to b(
overlooked. 1t is always desirable
that the parts Of the farm which ar,
not under direct cultivation should b,
kept clean and free from noxiou
weeds. No moving or wedding ma
chine has ever been invented whicl
can equal moderate flock of quie
sheep for this purpose. They will d,
their work and do it well, and lie dowi
in the shade contented and happy, ask
ing no further wages.
Properly managed, they will keel
the fence corners and all the by-path
cropped clean. No farmer should b
without moderate-sized flock Of sheep
and they should be well cared for, be
cause, for every attention they receiv
beyond the mere existence on the farm
for which they have been pleading
they will pay four-fold, whether th
tariff upon wool be high or low. Whel
you are pretty well paid for your trou
BILE, you will have the fleece throw
in. This the farmers who have KEEP
steadily on in the last years with thei
moderate flocks, marketing and shear
ing, and feeding and caring for lamb
ard sheep, have leaned, by an expC
rience which it makes them cheerful
now to relate their frightened bretl
rea who too hastily disposed Of thei
hocks
ileaction has set in and has led to
demand among the farmers for sheer
We judge their true policy is now to 81
lect sheep for the mutton and lam
ma rket with moderately fine heeces an
directs their efforts more to compel
with the meat markets at home an