Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-04-17

prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture.l
Sheep husbandry should receive
more attention from the farmers OF
this country than 1t does at the pres
emit time. Unquestionably sheep rails
ing could proftAbly be fitted into the
general management Of Thousands Of
farms where there IL none at the pres
emit time. On many other farms the
size of the flock could be increased
and more attention given to this
branch Of farming with resulting
'proflt to the owner. according 10 Bull
letin : Of the department Of agricul-
tura
Sheep have ever been In the van
guard Of civilization. This country
has been no exception In this respect
Tho attraction Of cheap lands has
constantly drawn the industry west
ward. creating . quite general impres-
sion that sheep are improbable upon
high-priced land. This may have been
true in the past. but the industry -
undergoing an evolution.
The various phases Of sheep hus-
bandry afford numerous channels
through which the skin Of the pro-
Queer can display itself. The breed
ing Of purebred stock offers special
inducements to many. while larger
number are content with the produc-
ton of mutton and wool for market
purposes. In the breeding Of pure
bred stock the beginner has . number
Of valuable breeds from which he can
make . selection. It 10 not 20 much
the breed selected that will lead to
success - 1t 10 the care and man
agement 1t must be noted. however.
that certain breeds have wider range
Of adaptability and are more popular.
The number Of pure-bred hocks II
increasing every year and the demand
~ good breeding stock 10 more than
keeping pace with the increase.
With . commercial flock there are
several phases that are worthy Of con-
sideration. Early spring lambs ID one
Of the most important, while late
spring or early fall lambs should 70.
ceive due consideration. The produc.
ton OF winter or so-called dollhouse"
lambs n well worth undertaking BY
those who are favorably situated
This early lamb II q high-priced prod
net and should prove profitable under
favorable conditions.
Many farmers have disposed Of
their nocks and many others have re-
Trained from entering the business b
cause Of some of the. difficulties thai
are peculiar to this Industry. Among
the most important Of these are oul
dogs. parasites and diseases. A cor
tain amount Of trouble h inevitable
where these abound. but ordinarily
this should not be sufficient to die
courage the lock master. Good man
agement and proper care will control
II not eliminate these difficulties. The
flock that must rustic for itself 10 the
one that suffers most from these
sources. Sheep are good scavengars
but should not be made to subsist
upon weeds alone. with little or, NJ
attention on the part q the farmer
The. sooner the owner realises tha
his sheep cannot return satisfactory
profits under such conditions. the bet
ter 1t will be for him. Any extra car
and feed given to the flock general,
yield the greatest returns.
Sheep viii increase the fertility o
the soil II they are handled properly
To do this they should not be permit
ted to crop on the grass too closely
which they will do II the pasture
overstocked or II they are kept to
long in one field. Sheep manure. Wit
one exception. ID the most valuable Q