Vernon Parish Democrat., 1921-11-10
DORSET SHEEP THE ONLY KIND
THAT DEFENDS ITSELF AGAINST
DOGS; BEST FOR THE SOUTH
BY George b. CoIeman

In the oouth lew sheep are kept, but
a great many goats are kept, especial
Ily here in Vernon Parish. The goat
gives no wool, unless it is the Merino
or the. Astrackhan goat This goat
Igives long sort Of half hair and half
wool, if that definition is acceptable.
This goat has some advantages over.
the sheep: lst, its wool, or hair, while
Having only special market, is more
valuable; End, like all goats, it prefers
Ipungent and, to them, more tasty
weeds and shrubs than COW will eat,
providing others grasses are at hand
thence it is a good cleaner Of lands
The sheep also is a good cleaner, all
though sheep do not, like goats, prefer
the weeds, etc. to regular pasture grass.
lhus it is that. while in my experience
sheep manure found the best for com
lposts etcetera-better even than horse
manure-still. goat manure is still bet
ter, though the difference is not great.
3rd goats are more intelligent than
sheep and easier to handle; 4th, goats
lare generally more free from diseases
lin fact it is claimed for goats that
lthey are entirely free from diseases,
but | think that is entirely too sweep
ing statement. though, with similar
treatment, goats come as near to it as
lean be reasonably claimed. Also it Is
true that if sheep are given proper care
they will not have the diseases that in.
ordinary practice they surely are in
clined to have; 5th, for meat, mutton
Us certainly much superior to goat
meat and is the heaIthiest and, proper
ly cooked, is the fastest as well--the
most wholesome Of ell the meats snd
can be eaten in hot weather when pork
products Should be barred from the
table. Also, mutton will, under like
conditions, produce more fat than
goats, which are not fat-producing an
imals.
Now, in the u. S. A., except upon
the big sheep ranches, sheep are moi
much raised, and in the East, or east.
OF the Mississippi river, the great rea-
son given by farmers for not raising
sheep IS DOGS. Often it is the dog thai
Int not generally suspected who is tbe
worst sheep killer; but if farmers would
take the trouble to have sheep sheds
and see that the sheep were shut up IN
them at night, the dog excuse wouid
not hold water. But then, few farmers
keep enough sheep to make it pav for
the labor and time to shut them up ey-
Iery night, hence the validity Of the
Idog reason. The answer is this: keen
more sheep, and also know the value
Iof sheep manure and how to compost
lt with three times its bulk OF straw
corn stalks, bagasse, saw dust leaves
ETC., and rot it thoroughly; and tben
see the effect when as little as ten tons
70 the acre are put on the land. And
II twenty tons are applied to the acre
on boy! what sweet potatoes. peanuts
ETC. you will haveI EXPENSE Did
you ever hear the old proverb, 'vou
cant have your penny and your oinger
cake too?" And another, won can't
hatch out chickens if you don't mi
eggs under the hen or in the incuba-
tor A sheep shed need not be COST
Iy affair. If you can afford II Il viii
pay to make the floor of Concrete or
tight boards; only don't leave places
Tor rats and parasites to hide. But
where there is a good hard CLAW boz
tom' guarded by ditching from water.
from water running in with heavy
rams It's ok. Amy lumber or poles
trimmed : with gumption, can be used
tor the posts and frame. .and roost
anything that will make roof to sbeJ
the water. lhe only side thai vii
need closing will be the north side
and Just enough on the others to keen
ram from beating in. The closino y
the bottom can be pig and dog ti6gbt |
woven wlre. and even a cheaper one |
Just as good, can be made out of nosts |
and poles, On this floor scatter leaves |
ana pine straw, sbagasse, ETC.. and when |
Inc droppings accumulate and are
tfodden down and compacted, more
leaves can be hauled to keep it clean
and as it is kept dry it is preserved |
unul It Is wanted for the compost /
pile Thus the nightly folding Of the |
sheer. or goats will more than nav for |
The II Iebor: besides, although sheep sr-
the most stupid and idiotic Of animals,
they soon will get the custom Of COM
ing up to be put in the shed, especially
II they learn that there is a little snack |
OF food there. There is neither space
nor time to talk Of breeds, but. an |
things considered, the best breed a..