The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-07-09
No. %

! crossed hrSt for two successive years
with thorough bred Shropshire rams,
or better for three years, and from
these three crops of eve lambs select
a flock of ewes and put off the old
flock. For this purpose Dorsett
rams may be used, but in either case
let the ram be heavy feeced, sqUarely
built, we'll developed body, having
undOubted constitution and a good
pedigree. Use the same stock for all
the ewes each year so that all the
| young ewes of the coming flock may
be uniform in characteristics which
is very important point in future
usefulness. Persistently continue to-
breed these improved ewes and their
offspring to large heavy -feeced Me-
rino. The result will be an Ideal
flock of grade sheep for wool, the
weathers and old sheep OF which can
be fattened and sold for mutton if
not otherwise. Breeding pure bloOds
and crossing for wool and mutton
will have attention in a future chap
ter.
The number of sheep to be kept de-
ponds on the size of the farm and
the other kinds of industry followed
on it. Take for example a quarter
section of land, 100 acres, where cot
ton growing constitutes about one
half the business, while grain and
other things constitute the other
half. Fifty head of ewes would be a
fair number to start with, and each
fall sales should be made so as to cut
the flock down to that number Of
breeding ewes each winter. The
best plan by which to dispose of the
weathers and surplus as soon as the
farmer can prepare for it is to rather
closely confne and stall feed all the,
every winter. It is very profitable
to do SO. In the spring they can be
sold to be delivered with the wool
off, which brings cash also. Thus
the farmer provides a market at
home for all his cotton seed, grain
and roughness, and great profit is
that derived from their manure, for
| the manure from stall-fed lot Of
sheep, especially where cotton seed
meal is largely fed, is a fertilizer Of
very great value when properly saved
and cOmpOsted. More about this
when we reach chapter on sheep
manure as a fertilizer.
The profits from one eve we'll fed
and cared for will equal that from
two poorly fed and cared for. Keep
this fact buzzing in your mind like a
bee in your hat, all the time that
you keep sheep for profits.
A flock of ewes as above referred
to would likely cost 81 or IS more
per head, or they should be bred up
until they are worth and would sell
for that price with wool on at the
beginning Of winter. In this 1 do
not mean "culls' and old ones, but
the fifty head selected each fall to
form the basis Of the next years
flock.
However, suppose start is made
with very common ewes at 81 head.
A large heavy -feeced, pure blood
Merino ram may be had at not over
$25, expressage under 500 miles in
cluded, and at less if a good bloOded
Merino flock is near by. A Shrop-
shire, Dorsett or SouthdOwn could
be had at about similar price, but
SO extra for a ram of superior form.
weight of fleece and size is money
we'll spent. In good flesh he should
not weigh less than 200 pounds-if
Shropshire, $50 pounds-and shear,
Sin the grease" not less than IS
pounds if a Merino Is pounds.
The writer wishes to emphasize
the matter Of breeding, continuous
ly, superior blooded rams even on
the most common flock Of ewes. tt
always pays to do SO. It is always a
loss of profits not to do so.
At above prices do not refer to
rams of superior excellence in high
points, that are SO carefully corsid-
cred by scientific breeders who are
working along on the front line of
progressive improvement at great
expense of time, genius and money,
nor are such needed for the COM
monality of focks. But such breed
ers always have large per cent. of
such rams as above referred to, that
are TO be had at reasOna Bile prices.