Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-19
TIE MOST PROFITABLE OF
ANIMALS TO HAVE ON FARM
N.N - itc T:mc to q" 4" sheep nnis-
in;- l., Every Part. OF
Nir.i:,i:..

Present conditions have SO maGniiicd
The value of sheep on the farm that
there has been great rush into this
business. However. the reasons which
prompt this movement have always en-
listed and viii continue to exist in the
future.
That sheep arc the most profitable
animals kept on The farm in proper
ton to the net investment and labor
involved is the unanimous opinion Of
those who have kept sheep. Sheep I'M
ike other farm animals. except the
dairy COW, produce TWO products each
year. namely wool and lambs With
an average price for wool "A eve will
shear enough 10 pay FOR her mainte-
nance for the year. BESIDES this she
viii produce. one. two and some times
three lambs. which arc clear profit
sheep and lambs arc we'll adaptcd
|" mca production. as they are per-
maps the most economical producers of
meat on the farm when ii is considered
that their ration consists for a large
part OF weeds and roughaCes which
would not only be wasted, hut would
do harm TO tho crop if allowed to ma
turc. sheep thus convert this waste
into = hishly marketable product. rem
dcrinT Il double service and profit to
tho farmer.
sheep are the only farm animals
that can hc termed weed dcStroyers as
other live stock eat weeds only in the
absence Of other more palatablc feeds
sheep on the other hand do not have
10 DC forced To cat weeds. but out OF
their own choice a large part Of their
ration is made up OF these plants.
sheep prefer "ounC, succuleat weeds.
free from SnineS and briStlcs. but when
the rlants arc young sheep have even
hcen known Ia consume Russian
thistlcs Woody, tough weeds are
;tripncd Of their leaves and seeds.
causing death and preventing their re-
production SHEEP consume practically
all kinds Of weeds. and in this re-.
sDcct perform an invaluable service to
The farmer. which. although often
ignored, manifcsis itself in tho ncatcr.
cleaner folds and in increased yields
Of crops and profit to the farmer.
u" sides cleaning un wccG and con :
Ncrtins them into mutton and wool
sheep play an important part in the
fertiiitN OF the soil sheep add no fer
.tlitN |" tho soil il is true. neither
d" they remove much. but they do
transform fertility and distribute it
about in such way as to lie very
useful sheep manure ranks next to
n"uitry dung in it's value as a fer
tilizcr. l'ut besides its high fertility
Ealn" rs IN readily available form
anu Nn'N rlStFlbNtcf over the fields in
n manner as only sheep can scatter
! IT, larger cror yields result There
is ais" less waste in sheep manure.
as II is spread directly on the fields
practically the entire year by the ami
mails themselves. One Of the best cvi-
denccS OF tho value of sheep as n fac
tor III fertility is 10 note that in the
. ChcNiot Hills where sheep have been
hcrdcd for centuries, and where no
( fertility has been applied. moro sheep
are h"rdCd per acre than when the
land was in its virgin state
IF Nc viii then recognize that with
IN" amount OF capital invested. tho
Labor involved the housing necessary.
hud the advantage or clean fields and
. larger yields. sheep arc the most prof.
table farm animals There is no doubt
mat the present movement toward
sheep raising will not be Temporary.
but there shall come time when a
small noct shall hcautify and add TO
tho fronts of every Virginia farm