Graham guardian., 1904-04-15
SHEEP GROWING

Well fed sheep always produce the
most and best wool. Softness and PHI
ancy of wool usually correspond in q
degree with fineueSs. Harshness and
dryness are always detrimental to the
quality even if the fiber is otherwise
good. As a rule, this condition may be
taken as an indication of poor breed
ing, although it may be due TO disease,
old age or improper treatment. Cen
orally n fleece begins to decline in value
and yield after sheep becomes four
years old. Softness and pliancy are 10
considerable extent due TO the secrc-
lions of the skin. A clear pink or yell
lowish skin is an indication of good
quality of WOOL while a pale or blush
skin is generally accompanied by an in
ferior fleece. The yolll is the oily secre-
tion which gives color, softness, pli-
ancy and luster to the fleece. 1t CON
slsts of soapy matter, principally anil
NAL oil and potash, which promotes the
growth of the fleece and prevents fric-
ton, wearing the fibers and cutting.
Good feeding, shelter and care promote
liberal secretion of yolk, while expo
sure and aIkali soils result in injury to
wool by diminishing the yolk.
Sheep Are Rest.
Jacob Ziegler, Lincoln, ILL.,, says in an
exchanges: Il find from my shipping
bills, which have saved for twenty
FIVE years, that the average price re-
ceived for my stock in Chicago during
that period was $4.93 per 100 pounds
for sheep, S4.SG for steers and $4.SJ for
hogs. The average weight was; Sheep,
1862 pounds; steers, i,354 pounds, and
hogs, 21S1g pounds. They were all nee
essnrily of good stock to average those
weights These facts convince me that
sheep are In general the most profitable
stock on farm, especially on high
land. Keep none but the best, what
ever breed you have. They will pay
when poor ones lose. Sheep are easy
10 handle and easy TO retain in an in.
closure that would not hold other stock,
and they are the Dest weed deshoyers
on the farm"
ON Blue Grass.
l will give a little experience ia keep.
ing sheep on blue grass pasture, says
Pennsylvania correspondent of Stock,
man and Farmer. Last winter | kept
100 ewes and wethers on grass and tim.
othy hay alone. Let them run on blue,
grass and 10 the hGystack They had
no grain and when the ground was
bare ate little hay. They came through
NIL right and sheared about 81 per head,
some Of them being rather light In
fleece. If man has good blue grass
pasture that has been allowed to grow
up well in the fall he can winter lot
bf sheep on it aud 4 stack Of hay here
In southwestern Pennsylvania. But ]
helieve that they should have shed to
90 under in cold, rainy weather not
tight house. | think the tight sheep
house is the cause Of more sheep ills
than exposure Is. A shed is all any
sheep ought 10 need to do well. OF
aOurse these sheep were Merlnos No
Experience with coarse wools--J. H. G.
Know Not Their Value.
Thaclteuy has said that If women
knew their power they could marry
any man they wanted This is just
where the trouble lies, They do not
know their power nor understand
wherein their charms lie. OF course
there are exceptions TO this rule. There
nre many who understand Only too well
and WELD their scepters or their
swords With loo dextrous hand But
there are those who underyaluc them
selves are too retiring and let tho hap.
piness which II meant for them slip
FROM their hands.