The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-08-20

night in summer rs we'll as in
winter.
It is a we'll known fact that sheep
make good scavengers to clean up
thickets, clearings, old brush fields
and road sides. Flocks of goats
alone will excel them at this. When
their pasture is the best of blue
grass, clover and timothy, still they
will eat some weeds and nibble off
some sprouts and, leaves; but the
amount of cleaning they prefer to do
when the better grasses r in album
dance is limited.
IF they are on short rations in
their pastures they will use the
weeds, the briars and the young
shoots of most all the bushes. So
the matter resolves itself into the
question. Is my flock of sheep the
most economical agency I can use TO
clear up my fields, or had 1 better
employ other help TO do that and
keep my flock up to it's highest
product of wool and mutton?
AS a general proposition, when one
has a flock of blooded or high grade
sheep that are paying we'll for high
keeping, ii is not economy to limit
them down in food to the scavenger
plane, as machines to clear up land !;
but if the flock is quite common and
used TO very common fare, it may
be we'll to clean out the farm with
them only remember one thing that
they cannot be used effectively and
economically for both purposes at
the same time.
Where there is necessity for it, a
good plan alwaysis to buy up a cheap
flock even to borrow the money at
ten per cent. interest TO do it OF set
apart such TO be used a whole season
to clean up every place wherein put,
then having a field Of good late pas
ture and plenty of feed ready, fatten
them off to market, or if ewes, have
them raise a crop of early spring
lambs for market, and then market
them.
This is a most commendable plan
of management for any part of our
Southland, but especially for the re-
gions where there is so much cotton
seed TO feed, so much pea vines can
be grown and so much fertilizer
needed, where sheep more abund-
antly and effectively than any other
domestic animal can supply it
If the flock is TO be kept up to its
maximum limit of wool or mutton
product or both, the pastures must
be suitable and good all the time.
There are so many things that en-
ter into the makeup of good pasture
that a good shepherd will very fire.
quently go over the field and note
the condition. When the sheep come
in at evening he will see whether
they are full and contented or
whether they are unsatisfed and
want something His observing
skill shall be able to grasp changing
conditions at once either in looking
over the pastures or in daily observ-
ing the sheep.
Excessive rain may render a good
pasture almost useless for the time,
or a drouth may render the same
field almost a barren. Unless other
produce can be had at once, some
green cut food at the barn every
evening, or other feed becomes an
immediate necessity, Is we'll as good
economic management.
Success in summer management
depends upon a comprehension Of
what is needed by the sheep and an
energetic skillful use of what is re-
uuired. Few rules a be given ex
cept suggestively. Perhaps the best
all round one is to spend no more
time than necessary at the mill, shop,
store and especially at the corner
rocer holding down a box r'bar-
rel, for the sheep are not in them.
There is no man who has been
capable of making the money to buy
an hundred head of sheep who is not
capable,of learning how to feed and
manage them properly.
1t is a problem confronting every
keeper of sheep, but it is not at all
an impossible one to master. 1t is
simply business, though by no means
wanting in science.
SAMEUL ARCHER.
Marion, n. @.
My fall planted cabbage have paid
we'll. The bug and worm are de