The independent-reporter., 1910-12-29
AMIN Al
INDUSTRY
stock Organiza-
tions Get Together
County Sheep Breeders Associations
Bid Fair 10 Become State Bread.

breeders association DldB IalT 10 De
come a State broad organization, .
says Prof p. A. Campbell, In speak
ing of its work. Three meetings un-
der the auspices of this society have
been held recently, one each at Au-
burn, Skowhegan and Fairfield. and
interest is general all over the State.
From Piscataquis comes the call that
the sheep breeders of Dover and Fox
croft together with some In Dexter
want to organize a sheep breeders
association or join this and they have
asked that some time In the imme-
diate future be set, when assistance
can be given them. Animal industry
is having a boom and coincident with
this call came summons to DR..
L. S. Merrill to organize Jersey
Breeders association In Presque Isle.
Unable to attend r. W. Redman, in
structor in animal industry at the
University of Maine, went Saturday.
The College of Agriculture has re-
Gently purchased of Bert Hilton of
Anson a pair of pure bred Shropshire
ewes of prize stock, which have been
bred to a winner In this class; the
lambs are due to arrive In the spring
From this beginning the stock will
later he increased.
Prof. Campbell attended the sheep
meeting at Fairfield as a representa-
tive of the State Live Stock associa-
ton. Aside from members of the as
sociation were other sheep breeders
from the vicinity of Fairfield and
some not keeping sheep at present
but who seem disposed TO add them
to their stock.
The speakers included Prof J. S.
Cotton, U. S. department pasture divi-
sion of farm management, who has
been all over the country. He spoke
on pasture conditions touching on the
renovation of old pastures and the
handling of them SO they will in
crease In value and be in better con-
dition. He suggested that some
which could be titled, would be better
put in the regular crop rotation.
Others that were rougher, yet would
admit of narrowing, could be reseed-
ed mixture seed instead of pasture
and bring out a good pasture where
nothing had been attempted before.
He suggested that the reason why
some pastures reseeded several years
ago had gone by, was that meadow
had been used. Prof Cotton
was a speaker at all three of the meet
ings.
Prof. Campbell took up with them
the management of sheep on the farm
taking up the fact that there was
waste enough on nearly every farm to
carry small flock and not realize
that much feed had been used.
while sheep are not exactly scaYen-
gers" said he. they will eat large
number of weeds which other animals
leave and the seeds eaten lose their
terminating power.
He went ON to speak of the greater
needs for sheep in Maine and the fact
that the present rate of increase was
not beginning to supply the trade OF
our own people. That our summer re-
sorts, II they could be assured OF a
regular supply could furnish an ade-
luate market for everything grown.
Three forms of sheep breeding could
be undertaken by the Maine farmer,
one of which was the raising and sup
plying OF breeding stock to breeders
and beginners. This form Is probably
the most remunerative but requires
the greatest skill In selecting and
handling the breeding stock" he said
The second form was keeping a
flock for the wool and lambs, avail
able where there was plenty of pas
ture. The flock of lambs coming In
March and early April would get a
good start before the pasture season
comes on. They were ready for the
consumer by July and August when
there Is the greatest demand by the
summer people They would generally
bring from 16 to 20 cents per pound
when carefully dressed and put into
thiF market.
The third form was winter lamb
raising which had the advantage of
getting the lambs on the market be-
fore the sheep go to pasture in spring.
The sheep should be bred so the
lambs would come In January which
would bring them ready for the east
ern markets in March. A little care
and pains would give good returns.
DR.. L. S. Merrill attended the meet
Ing at Auburn and reported a good
number present and considerable in
terest. J. S. Cotton and A. E. Stan
ford were among the speakers. In
the morning Prof. Cotton gave the
history Of the sheep industry and af-
ter dinner told whv ahaaD ahould ha