Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-07-11
SHEEP AND SWINE.
Secretary mcKeen's July Bulletin
Treats Of Both Animals.
A Article On ihs Forest Tent. catsrpi lar and
Other Features.

| Secretary Mckeen has something inter-
estinE for the farmer in his July board
bulletin. This bulletin Is devoted partic-
ulariy to sheep and swine, but 1t also has
many other valuable things, among
winch Is an article en- the forest tent-cat
erpiiiar by Prof. F. l.. Harvey, the en-
tomologist for the Maine experiment sta
tioh and for the State board of agricul
| ture.
| VI the sheep and swine Mr.. McKeen
| mas sood Introductory articles together
| Win articles descriptive of the different
uieeus ana points on raising Then will
| iohow letters from all parts of the State
| reiatinS to the two Industries. In regard
| 10 sheep and swine Mr.. McKeen re-
marks:
| we feei warranted in calling the at
aention OF the farmers of Maine to the
advantages o. OF this particular branch Of
! live stock at this time. because we are
quite sure that there are many so situat,
eu That they can add to their farm H.
G WnmsS ny ny the breeding of sheep. We
actively engaged in any other line of
i've stock and are fully equipped for tn.
WORK ana doing well. to change to sheep,
but there are very many so situated tina:
they could carry a small flock of sheen
without adding materially to the cost OF
iced. particularly of purchased feed, and
hASSS thC SHeep Will come as a source
OF profit. Then again. there are many
| SECTIONS where land which is producing
e ebeon an ana amount Of feed suitable for
ture the opinion that there are at leas,
$4,000 acres of this land, every acre OF
which is capable of carrying two sheep
,t ar9 the summer summer months. II this
iand could be utilized it would add It's 900
to the number of sheep already in the
state and provide amply for them
through the entire year. According to
n rot
there were but 2;3S 319 sheep in the state
| 1t will therefore be seen that there Is
| room to increase our fiocks fifty per cent.
without encroaching on the feed or terri
| Tory now used by our other live stock.
| Less labor is required in handling the
sheep than any other farm animal If
properly provided with food and shelter
| they will largely take care Of themselves.
| They will gather their own food for
| longer period of time each season than
any other animal. They require less pur-
chased h grain than the COW. the steer or
food until late in the fall from the hill
sides or I'm the fields of turnips or rape.
They will turn many noxious weed, left
untouched by other animals. into choice
mutton and fine wool. They thrive in
winter on roots which can be cheaply
they return their droppings to the sou
in the most beneficial manner. entirely
free from weed seeds or other nuisanc-s-
They are comparatively free from diseas,,
and carry with them when properly man
aged large degree of net profit;
I'VE believe the prospects for the bust
ness were never brighter than now
There seems TO be general inquiry for
sheep and this is not confined to any To-
cality. but is generally distributed over
me entire country TO those who fear
while many may go into the business but
few will continue in it long enough to be
come experts or to carry large fiocks.
and that we believe there is no danger
but that the intelligent shepherd will al
ways find profitable market for the
products of his flocks.
I'VE would advise all to go into the
business carefully and not on too large .
scale at first. There has been many a
failure because of a disregard of these
rules. Large ventures are seldom proht-
much previous experience and bring to
them ripe judgment born only OF care
full painstakng labor. Mistakes SHOULD
be learned while the business is small.
as your experience increases.
Although swine must always occupy a
farmers as compared with the other do
nestle animals. the pig is, nevertheless.
an animal of great value. He Will sub
sist upon a great variety of food. Is cas-
lily raised and natures early. He is
found in nearly every locality in the
world although he probably originated IN
have for years formed one of our mosi
valuable exports, reaching as large sun;
as nearly one hundred million dollars an
nually This in addition to a very large
"While swine are kept by almost all of
our farmers, nearly three -fifths OF the
forty millions of hogs in the United
northwest of the Allegheny mountains.
The number of swine in Maine has CON
stantly diminished for the last four
wears and is now about $500. This dim
mutton may he somewhat due to the evtr
increasing tendency to slaughter at les;
age than formerly. the effort now being
to bring a the nd pis Ie '''''u'''' a. 90
while the hog will eat a very large
variety of food. he Is essentially graz
himself. We believe our farmers have
much to learn in this direction, as by
avaing Themselves G,,d OF f some niSer p anmais
they can add materially to their income
by keeping more swine. a good pasture st
run. with the addition 81 III. ittie Sk fimc
growth with pigs. The belie1 that INC
hog is necessarily filthy animal is NOT y,
correct for no animal is more CREAMY IN
lions that are favorable from plrtn 10
old age he will. instinctively; keep MN
self and his nest free IRON 1nn niS house cat
in his desire to keep clean. 10 t ,';
farmers who are accustomed 10 keep
their hogs in the filth of manure PIE ~
small n,
lot them reform for a time, keep the mi
n,re nile from waste by mixing ana iev-
cling. or. il only horses are kept; ny ~ ~
nivinr water occasionally. and give !ne
bor n chance at the green grasses OF tho
PASTURES. the clover and Hungarian: or
even the waste places OF the t tdas.
shounding in brakes and other worthless
ar"wth and note the great Improvement
in the animal and in his products II not
in the man himself
In addition to these subjects. MIR. NC
Keen presents statistics compiled iro"
the United States department of aGricui-
tire reports for the month OF june anu
then there is the usual monthly report
of the crop condition of the state oil
Maine given by counties.
The average for the State OF Maine tax
on from all the counties gives the folio"-
ing general result: y
| condition of the hay crop o. per cent.