The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-11-22

lambs at least. The ram is nut with
the flock in the fall, in October and
November, and the spring crop of
lambs come in March and April.
Then the ewes are bred again, pro-
ducing a crop of fall lambs in Sep
tember and October.
Raising the Lambs.
In order to do the best by the
lambs the ewes must be in good
condition when the lambs are drop
ped. They are excellent mothers,
and if supplied with an abundance of
succulent food they give large guam
tity of milk, which gives the lambs a
rapid start from the first and estab.
fishes an ability to consume feed
enough to maintain rapid growth,
AS soon as the lambs show a dis
position to pick at the clover there
is creep hole furnished, where they
can get into an adjoining apartment
and be fed by themselves some feeds
that they relish. By this method the
lambe are pushed along rapidly, and
at the same time much of the strain
on the ewes is relieved. These lambs
are good feeders and make the most
rapid growth, while young, of any Of
the mutton breeds. The spring
lambs make good weights at selling
time in the fall, or they can be fed
until December, when they make ex-
cellent holiday mutton. The fall
lambs can be fed through the winter
and sold to supply the demand for
Eastern mutton. 1t is not hnusual
to sell them at 0 cents a pound at
home, to be used at the Easter sea-
son. If one is located near a large
city the prices that can be obtained
for these lambs is considerably more,
Showing mt the Fairs.
For several years Mr.. Wodman has
been a familiar figure at the leading
fairs of the state. He is invariably
the man attending the sheep, which
are always in fine condition. AL.
though the competition is sometimes
very strong as far as prizes are con-
cerned, he has been thus far in the
lead. At the state fair at Detroit
and the Western Michigan fair at
Grand Rapids the present year he
won twenty-four first premiums,
nine championships and two sweep
stakes.
During the six years Mr.. Woodamn
has worked his farm the product OF
HIS flock has been the largest source
Of income. The numbers in the flock
hox he
about one hundred head. The sales
of the increase that could be spared
have been frequent and the prices lin-
eral, which, added to the winnings
at the fairs, have made sufficient
income to lift the debt from the farm
and supply the needed additions to
the equipments. AS he remarked,
"The other crops have paid my ex-
penses of living and running the farm
and the sheep have paid my debts"
The Lesson.
The example of Mr.. and Mrs.
Woodman, who have won and now
possess farm home which, with its
stock and equipments, must repre-
sent cash value of at least $4,000
and that, too, before they have
reached the meridian of life proves
that a young man who it not in a po-
sition where he can reasonably ex-
pect farm by inheritance can work
on farm by the month or year, lay
by a large portion of his earnings
and by careful management buy and
own an excellent farm home. 1t is
not necessary to look to one particu-
lar place for such opportunities. for
they can be found in many parts OF
our great community. The oppor-
tunities and possibilities for such
achievements are much better In the
country than in the village or city,
where a large portion of the wages
is paid for board, an item of import
ance which is usually given in with
the price of hire on the farm. Many
young men and women choose the
village and city on account of what
they call the advantages of society,"
but in those rural districts where
reasonable efforts are made to main
tain social privileges the opportuni-
ties for intellectual, moral and social
improvement are equally good. The
stability of farm values, the safety
OF the investment the high prices
and increasing demand for farm pro-
ducts, the improvements in farm ma
chinery, the rural telephone and free
mail service make the venture IN
farm holdings, especially by the
younger classes. who can perform the
necessary labor, both safe and desir-
able.