St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1917-11-14

in that vicinity who has facilities for
raising sheep to make that part of
his regular business.
J.. A. Sturtevant came to Vermont
| Monday and since that time in COM
Sweeton, has visited those sections
of WindhaIn county which are most
active in the wool growing industry.
In Wilmington. Westminster West
and Bellows Falls he met farmers
Interested in the plan which the fed
eral government has in mind, made
| a survey of surrounding : conditions
and urged them all to enter into the
industry more extensively. ~s;,s. -
| Mr.. Sturteyant is one of five ex-
perts sent out by the government to
! the sheep raising sections of the
country and his territory Includes
| New hampshire and Vermont. He
has covered New Hampshire and is
now making a tour of this state. 1t
/ is probable that the government will
/ keep q man in this section three
| years or more. The Vermont agric-
ultural extension service is CO.
| operating to q certain extent.
Vermont's Sheep i'm 1910.
| Vermont reached it's highest point
in sheep raising in 1910 when the
census reports showed about 1.600,-
GOO sheep in this state. They were
! largely merions. Government esti-
mate of the last two years place
the number at l00,0 900 but the listers
return show less than half that num-
Der, of $4,000. In Windham COUNTY
there are less than 1000 but the num-
! Der has begun to increase. The
New Hampshire survey shows about
1000. Several reasons are forward
ed for the decline in this industry,
one being the competition of great
western areas and another that the
value Of mutton was not emphasized
as it is today. Grazing areas of the
West are becoming more and more
! restricted and one of the results is to
enhance the value of sheep and en-
! large the opportunity of eastern
/ farmers. This movement was begun
before the war broke out, but the
great conflict in Europe. has increas-
| ed the demand for meat so there is
now. an opportunity to perform a
patriotic duty as we'll as lay the
| foundation for q profitable business.
Shropshires and the Dog Menace.
Most of the sheep raised in Ver-
mont are of the Shropshire breed
/ The breed is run down at present
owing to the use of dams that are not
of the best quality, but Mr., Sturte-
want thinks the Shropshires are as
good as any dual purpose breed and
| it is for both mutton and wool that
| Vermont farmers should strive.
/ Breeding stock is high and the gov
eminent is urging farmers to save
their best; breeding stock and their
eve lambs so as to build up their
Ifocks without going to large expense.
They are asked to make sheep rails
ing a part of their regular livestock
/ farm work J. as sheep require less
| labor and grain than dairy COWS.
Regarding the dog menace, Mr..
l3Sturtevant says it is more mythical
/ than actual, although he admits
that it exists to- q degree not to be
| laughed at. Some damage is done
by dogs. in the daytime but most of
! 1t is done at night. tits not practi-
cal to build fences in Vermont that
would be dog-proof, but it would be
an easy matter for the majority of
j the sheep raisers to build corrals near
I their barns that would be dog proof
and get. the sheep up every night
/ when the cattle herds were driven in.
4 Mr.. Sturtevant says that the Vermont
laws in general regarding sheep the
good. but that they are faulty with
regard to damages.