Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-10-12
CLEANING UP WASTE PLACES IN
THE FALL.

II would not know how to do good
farming without sheep" declared
George. McKerrow of Wisconsin, one
of the best and most widely known
sheep breeders of America, upon a
recent visit to the Food Administra-
ton in Washington. "Why?" he con-
tinued, Because my sheep use up
the wastes Of the farm. They clean
up the grass. weeds, brush and CLEAN
ings, and in so doing turn into cash
what otherwise would be lost?
Mr.. McKerrow knows sheep and
his knowledge come from a broad ex-
pericnce gained in 81 years OF breed
ing them. His Is a story filed with
romance, faith and devotion to an
ideal that covers a span Of years from
the time an S-year-old farmer lad,
who had saved his pennies and nick
els and bought an aged eve. which in
turn produced two eve lambs, down
to the present when thousands Of
sheep eliminate the waste" on his
1890 acres.
"Sheep," said Mr.. McKerrow,
make the most economical gains of
any kind Of livestock because they
clean up the odds and ends. They
are particularly useful on the farm in
the fall of the year, for they turn into
mutton the things that otherwise
would not be used. At the same time
they save the feedstuffs that would be
give. them If they did not have access
| to these other things"
After harvest, Mr.. McKerrow's
sheep are turned into the oats fields
for few hours the first day; an hour
or two longer the second day; and the
time gradually increased until at the
end of a week they have a complete
possession OF the fields. The lambs
are permitted to enter the corn be-
fore cutting and they clean up on the
weeds and lower plant leaves. The
lambs do not pull down the lower
ears of corn as do the sheep. Roots
are grown for the cattle and sheep on
Mr.. McKerrow's place, and after the
larger roots are hauled in to storage
for winter use, the sheep are turned
into the field and eat the smaller ones
that remain. Both the sheep and
lambs are turned into the aftermath
of the meadows and this brings them
into winter quarters in good condi
ton.
Another profitable practice on thi'
farm is that Of blowing up fields tina
become weedy after harvest. Thes'
fields are sown to rape and turnips
and later Sheep are turned in. The!
eat the rape and turnip tops with rel
ish and will, later hollow the mea
from the turnip. leaving but shell
Mr.. McKerrow has found that
frequent change Of pasture Is benefi
cial to the sheep. A 36-inch wovel
wire fence in 20-rod lengths is move
about, thus preventing the too shor
cropping of the grass, and further
. more reducing the internal parasit
plague to a minimum. Water is ais
! an important consideration and eve
particularly should have water tn
same as dairy cows.
II would not 60 SO far as to sa
that there should be some sheep o
every farm" declared Mr.. McKerrov
"for peculiar conditions might nc
make it practical. but I do believ
: that there should be sheep on the vas
| majority of farms in this countr.
They turn waste into cash. The sol
of saving that the good housewife
making in her kitchen can be pra'
ticed with corresponding effective
ness by the use of sheep on the farm.
u. s. Food Administration.