Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-24
The Handling of Sheep.

a glance over the market reports
stock notes, wool markets, and kindred
articles in the late stock and market
papers shows that there is a shortage
in the lumber of sheep now from the
number held at this period last year.
1t also shows that the wool supply has
been decreasing materially without a
corresponding decrease in demand.
These facts, with others that are ap-
parent every day, tend to prove that
now is a good time for the farmer to
go into the sheep business, to a slight
extent, if he is not able to handle them
more extensively. That they will
yield him profit, both from financial
standpoint and from the benfit his
land obtains, cannot be denied.
According to recently issued govern
ment statistics, the number of sheep
now held by farmers and feeders In the
United States is about twelve million
less than the number last year. The
decrease is also noted in the other
principal sheep and wool producing
countries. especially in Australia and
South Africa. Both territories have
suffered heavily from drouths that
have lasted almost continuously for the
past seven years and the country. es-
pecially In the farming and range dis
trcts has suffered keenly. The num-
Der of sheep has decreased alarningly
and it will take many years to regain
produced. South Africa has also suf-
fered losses in her sheep supply. var
ious conditions seeming to conspire
against their successful handling.
AT the present prices paid for good
muttons or lambs there can be no
doubt as to the profit in feeding. if it
is done inteliigently. Shippers coming
10 market the past two months with
good lambs or sheep have expressed
themselves as being well satisfied with
results, and many men who have ham
He'd sheep and cattle for the past few
years say their sheep feeding has
yielded them the biggest returns for
the money invested. The sheep will
eat grass that cattle or horses refuse
to touch and will thrive on feed that
other stock turns away from. Their
feed costs less per pound than does
that of steer. Experiments that have
been conducted show that it takes the
of flesh on a steer that it does to put
pound on a sheep and the latter animal
can be gotten ready for market in
shorter time. There is no animal that
returns so much fertility to the ground
rs does the sheep and he does it with
out the cost incident to using other
fertilizers.
It does not require heavy expendi
ture CT money to start a flock of sheep.
The most important thing is to start
right by getting some good well bred
stock Each year more good individ-
uals should be added, getting them
from other herds in order to infuse
new blood into the flock. With good
care and attention the flock assumes
good proportions before the fiockmas-
ter is aware fit. They are very pro-
life and increase at a good rate where
extra attention is given at weaving
time The rate of increase in the mid
die or eastern states is usually about
one hundred per cent, while on the
range, where little extra care can be
given the rate comes nearer averaging
seventyfiye per cent.
The present situation of the wool
market is another important factor
that must be taken into consideration
in discussing this subject. Prices now
paid for wool are running about the
same as last year and the demand is
good. Buyers seem to realize the short
age, which in the United States is es
timated at forty million pounds. means
more decided competition in the effort
TO get stocks up to the usual supply.
md this seems indicative of still better
prices. Stocks in all parts of the coun-
try are lower than they have been for
twenty years. and some of the big
,est eastern buyers have sent repre-
sentatiyes to the range countries. to
buy literally if possible. A good clip
from a sheep or lamb at present pric-
as means nearly a dollar per head over
and above the market price for live
weight after the clip. The demand for,
worsteds and for wool products does
not seem to slack much and with the
produc. taken readily, the demand for
wool is not likely to ease UP.
The subject is broad one and many
things could be said In it's favor, but
the present prices offer the best argu-
ment. The man who keeps a flock of
sheep and tends to it properly is likely
20 have the entry on the right side of
the ledger at summing up time IL he
manages other things right.
Potato Breeding and Population.
Potato breeding, the raising OF po-
tatoes from the seed produced by cross
fertiliza ton, is practiced but very little,
and that chiefly in the northern states
This is done to develop new varieties of
potatoes. Whenever plant is grown
from seed it will have in 1t mingled to-
gether the characteristics of it's ances-
tors. Thus it is possible by cross fer
tilization to add new and desirable
characteristics, to improve the plant by
breeding. When potato seed is plant
ed it is liable to produce a great va
riety of tubers. BY planting one of
these and then selecting tubers from it's