The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-07-29
Live Stock.
SHEEP RAISING IN NORTH CAROLINA
Why the Industry has Waned--It Can be
Made Profitable.
Cor. of The Progressive Farmer.

I have been interested in Editor
Poe's careful editorial review of the
census bulletin, North Carolina
Agriculture"
Much as I claim to be posted in how
things are moving along I was aston
ished when this Bulletin came out.
when we take up and read one of
these epoch marks for 1900 for State
in the West, or even for a State in
staid old New England, and compare
such with our own Old North State,
it is calculated to give one the
"blues." If I thought that the eli
mate, the soil or the products, in
North Carolina, any one or all of
these, such as to make the keeping of
sheep and growing of wool and NUT
ton improbable, I would not want to
live in the State another month.
But it is not so.
The fault is in a condition of agri-
cultural industry that is humiliating
to behold. Must we forever remain
from 25 to 80 years behind the indus
trial progress of other States that
possess not over half the advantages
and true merits of our own? It has
not been long since I noticed that in
your columns you pointed out the fact
that there are 90 in every hundred
white people of our citizens who can
not read and write.
There is the same 1eaven that is
corrupting the whole mass of indus
trial energy and enterprise. I think
the condition of our industrial pa
tient is desperate and dangerous and
were I called in consultation, I should
prescribe a blister and a large one,
too. From what I can hear and learn
we are to have nothing of the kind
but simply an old fashioned bread and
milk poultice. So poor industry is
doomed to live along and get well it
self-and it will, for it can't be killed
out of the Caucasian race.
But as we cast our eye down along
the line Of conditions we must note
restlessness in the young energy and
life of the State. If no better way is
provided, the rising generation is 60
ing to kick itself out of such condi-
tions. In fact the foremost are doing
it now. Why the very people in Ire
dell County here who have embarked
in these f1ocks of fine sheep, have sons
who have left homes and parents that
they loved because they could do bet
ter in more progressive States where
they could attend better schools and
get something to make better living
at than here. They have gone to
States where sheep husbandry is live
industry. Had there been focks here
such as their parents are now taking
an interest in, I dare say they would
not have gone away-nor would they
have had need to go.
AS it is in sheep, so it is in other
stock and industrial pursuits.
However, I am going "adorn" this
scolding "tale" and point a moral"-
and-and then quit.
We propose to show by these focks
of fine sheep here that they will live
in our climate, drink the water and
eat North Carolina grasses and grains
and be healthy and productive. We
have proved it so far. The sheep with
increase are here subject to inspec-
tion. We know that we got over 13
pounds per head of wool off them, and
we see that since shearing, the wool
has grown nearly three quarters of an
inch in three months, the fourth of
year. Four times that much will be
three inches of wool or one-half an
inch more than the average length of
last year. We know that much wool
will pay us literally for feeding the
sheep well for a year. We also have
60 per cent of lambs living and doing
well after very adverse conditions
which we do not expect, and could
hardly have next year.
We know that if the business con-
tinues prosperous in the remaining
nine months as it has in the first
three, it will beat railroad stocks, and
government bonds all to pieces, not
to say, cotton and wheat growing.
However, it is but kindred industry
that will strengthen all other indus
trial pursuit besides being remunera-
tive itself.