Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-07-08
SHEEP SOLVE DAIRY PROBLEM.
Turn Them into Abandoned
Pastures and Reclaim Land.
Conditions Ncccssary--Proper Fenc.
irte Best Protection against Dogs
Wool and Meat Revenues.

The most successful meeting the New
Hampshire Sheep Breeders association
ever had was held at Keene, writes z.
lChannng Stowe Of New Hampshire in
the New England Homestead Much was
there said show that the time is coming
and now is, when the profits in sheep
raising Will be very attractive The small
and the medium sized milk producer is
beyond all doubt losing money fast by
selling his milk for city consumption
There Is no money in selling cream or
butter in tho ordinary way and as an
Iordnary article Money is indeed made
In the cattle business, but only by ex-
ceptional men and In certain of its phas SEES.
like cattle trading mr. raising high grade
registered stock. Many more ia rmers in
New England must turn to another farm
animal to keep up and restore the fer
tility of their lands Agriculture proba-
bly, cannot be successfully carried on with
out stock: if NOT cattle then sheen
The chances of success Of course de-
pend on the ability Of the man as thu
farm manager in this enterprise as well
as others But the external conditions
outside the farm manager hold ont very
attractive prospects as compared With
other farm lines. There are thousands
Of acres OF so-caled abandoned pasture
In New Hampshire. Vermont and Massa-
chusetts which will not support other
animals than sheep If you want to raise
trees for your grandchildren that is ALL
right. But if you want some imn1edat
returns, turn sheep into these pastures
They will thrive and they will restore
these lands or course the better the
pasture the better the sheep will do.
One shepherd reported that this year
his income from 40 ewes in sales OF
wool and lambs amounted TO sS17, and he
only fed Is bushels grain Another
shepherd sold his wool for p cents per
pound and his lambs for 1-3 cents per
pound live weight. This latter furnishes
his lambs and Gull sheep on rape grown
on mis- own farm. This man. a most sue
cessful shepherd and the son of a shep-
herd. is using pastures which have car
ried sheep without a break since 1901.
In the discussion among the many wise
and canny sheepmen, many rules OF their
successful practice came out. Are there
disadvantages? Certain" as one would
say. but these men have overcome them
ail!' Vigilance care and knowledge Of
conditions are necessary. The tyro must
learn and go through his novitiate.
Sheep diseases must be combated. For
the stomach worm some use salt saturat-
ed with turpentine once week in the
barn For grub In the head it was tho
opinion that good feeding prevented this
For ticks dip in the spring 1t costs
one cent per sheep One Vermont shep-
> herd said that for all Internal parasites
turpentine was the best remedy, although
he had used tobacco and ga sone.
There is said TO be an excellent dog
law in New Hampshire now. but It must
Re enforced. Proper fencing is the best
preventive. Woven wire Of excellent quail
ity be put up for from % cents to
~ cents rod. The cost is less if one can
make use of trees along the fence line
The town authorities must b. appealed to
= TO aid in preventing harm from stray
dogs A dog owner should care for his
dog as CLOSELY as for his family COW or
: his chickens 10 see that no damage IL
done to his neishbor Then. too, it ap-
peared that there exist sheep thieves, and
their depredations may cause considerable
l. loss A strong organization should be
formed TO take this matter into hand;
r perhaps on the lines of the Marlboro
thief detecting society which has ex-
isteu ioF ~ Cuu years, ana WllCn not
u only actively pursues and has punished
robbers, but by its very organized ex.
!, istence deters possible thieves
The breed which was most successful
under New England conditions was said
K TO be the mutton Merinos-the Ram.
boulllet, but few voices We're raised COR
the Shropshire, The Down sheep could
not be successfully handled under the
d conditions the average man could afford
TO give, was said by r. c. Daniels Of
. Plainfield. W G. Leonard of Walpols
said Shropshires were not the right sheep
!. for him. but Merinos This means not
the ancient small heavy wool producing
Spanish Merino, but the French type.
e which Is a larger, better meat-producing
animal. Such ewes crossed with good
Shropshire ram make excellent mutton
n at market time in the fall.
One most important piece OF ADVICE
y was given by w @, Leonard of Wal
u pole, when ne urged that every shepherd
should keep an acurate account of e.
pense and income Just it is done in all
other forms of successful business. There
is no doubt from many signs already
= shown that there will be a great in
crease in sheep husha ndrY in Chesrs
county, ". n, this year. ! believe that
;, sheep and not forestry spell the future
for New England II the city dWellAr
wants milk let him pay for il