The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-08-27
Live Stock.
z IN THE SOUTH.

<.
Wet Lands-Ideal Sheep Land-Drained Land
High ~Ridges-Variety of Grass-No
Bare Ground Annual Grasses Mixed
seeds-Bermuda Grass-southern Grasses
Can be Made as Probably as Those Of the
Middle states-Portable Fences-Hurdles
and soiling-shsep Husbandry Profits
Weaving Lambs.
correspondence OF The Progressive Farmer.
Water-soaked lands are not suit
able for sheep, o is the growth
from such generally desired by them,
though such land may be d~epastured
by them in a dry part of summer
and may come in good Isl in time of
drouth. High, dry and rocky parts
are excellent for a wet time.
The ideal land for sheep is a pro-
ductive, well-drained farm, that will
grow grasses l~uxuriantly, clay land
having preference.
Lands that are drained sufficiently
and in good fix for cotton and corn,
a be good pastures for sheep, even
if rather level and fat, and especially
a be so utilized if there be ada
cent high ridges or hills for use in
wet periods.
In the lower South it is we'll not to
depend on n kind of grass, with
which TO form a heavy sward for
sheep pasture, but rather a mixture
of seeds to produce not only a variety
of grass for the sheep, but a variety
to suit the different elements in the
soil as we'll as different conditions of
the season, for no one a tell when
it will be wet or dry. A few pecks
or bushels of different grass seeds
sown in winter, properly, or early
spring will often produce very nex
pected and profitable results during
the summer season.
It is a good rule never TO let bare
fields or even bare spots go unseeded,
even for a few months in summer.
It is well on the sheep farm or plan
tation to keep up a rotation of crops,
and in such rotation to keep about
half the land in grass of some kind
all the time. To do this in the South,
old stiff swards are hardly desirable.
The grasses that are most certain to
grow we'll n and not over two
years are most suitable. The blue
grass, timothy and red top class of
grasses most suited to the more
Northern heavy clay lands T not
the best for the more Southern. 1t
is wise to select the grass most suit
able for the soil and climate.
The word grass is used here in it's
comprehensive sense. The ANIMALS,
mainly leguminous grasses, are COM
ing to be recognized as the best for
Southern pastures and agriculture.
They are certainly as well so for
sheep.
Is is my conviction, from close OBJ
servation though not personal expe-
rience, that these grasses intelligent
~ managed in the South for sheep,
used in grazing, in the silo or as dry
feed, will prove Is successful and
profitable as do others on the heavier
grass lands of the Middle States.
do not propose to write a treatise
on grass here, only to suggest sheep
management with them.
1t is altogether practicable to pro-
duce sheep and winter them exclu-
sively on the annual grasses. To do
this a succession must be provided.
For winter and early spring pasture
rye may be sown in the fall, espe-
.cially for ewes at yeaning time.
Part of it may be cut quite green for
sheep feeding at nights along in late
spring and early summer. Along
with this rye may be sown some rape,
plantain, mustard, turnips or Japan
clover one or all in places. In places
it would be very profitable TO mix in
some of that Bermuda grass that is
so much under par in part of the
South. 1t is A No. 1 for sheep.
In early spring pillow lands, and