The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-08-23

above the high average then acquired.
This is the high peak above and beyond the foot
hill lines which is reached by so few. There was
only one Blackwell in his day, who so much i'm
proved the mutton sheep of Great Britain. There
was only one Won Homyer, who in his day SO much
improved the Rambouillet (Spanish) Merina of
France. There was but one Edwin Hammond of
his day, in the United States, who lead in the won
derful Improvement of the Spanish Merino, so
that ever since his day it has been known as the
American Merino. Each of these men made, so
to speak, two pounds of better wool and two
pounds of better mutton grow where but one grew
before. Thousands of others are now following
their lead, and yet / can see that the sheep hus-
bandry business to-day offers to the scientist as
great opportunities for improvement as was en-
braced by either one or all of these great men who
have gone before us.
None can be truly a master in this occupation
but the scienced farmer and sheep breeder; hence
the necessity of acquiring a scientific knowledge
of agriculture with stock breeding and rearing
before entering on the great life work of being a
scientific farmer.
If one flock can be brought up to such a stan
dard as we practically demonstrate here in Ire
dell County, so can ten thousand other focks in
NOrCn OarOl1nd alone anu easily a nuuUrou UnOu-
sand in the whole South, and at the same time
grow double the amount of wheat, corn, cotton,
vegetables and fruit that are now being pro-
duced.
This is the open door, and the outlook that sheep
husbandry offers to the young men of the South
upon whom will soon rest the industrial progress
of the young generation that is commencing bus
mess in this progressive farming age that has
49, $500 * H. -oo~1o. of l. Cos,41 ~, xro11 80 ~
the North.
While this is true, the great sheep husbandry
business is not less but more profitable as these
improvements go on. The vast number of sheer
are usually kept in a country for their wool, NUT
ton and fertilizer products by the average anc
some of the best farmers as the most important
and profitable part of their industrial farm oc
c~upation. They are not breeders, properly speak
ing, but wool and mutton growers, for the money
there is in it, and the enrichment it brings to theil
farms.
1t is to the investigation and trial of the bust
ness in this light that sheep husbandry offers Itself
to the great industrial farming and plantation
business people of the South. 1t will not be
wrecker of any part of their business, but it vii
be a profitable builder not only of itself but of al
other parts of their business. 1t will not increase
the hard toll of the plantation, but, while it re
quires close attention, its tendency is to modify
or lessen the hard labor on the farm.
We would invite any one who still doubts thai
the Merino, the greatest fine wool sheep in thu
world will succeed in large focks and be profitable
here in North Carolina to come and spend the
day or two with us in watermelon time, ano
watch the three focks live and be happy in day
time. At night he may sleep under blankets made
from the fine wool of these Merino sheep by tn
| Chatham Manufacturing Company. for they have