Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-05-01
Crawford Tells
Of Profits from
Sheep Husbandry

More ana better Sheep Tor Maine
farms is a sound policy deserving
favorable consideration by thousands
of farmers as means of turning
loss into profit, eliminating to con-
siderable degree the unsatisfactory
labor question, also the big question
of where the cash Is coming from
to purchase the necessary feed to
continue the losing dairy program"
This was the statement made yes
terday by c. H. Crawford. sheep spe-
cialist at the Department Of Agri-
culture.
sheep should replace thousands
of low producing, money losing da-
Try cows which although of neces-
sity would be sold at an imaginary
financial sacrifice would relieve high
producers of the burden of their
board and get for their owners
much nearer the cost of production
than at present" continued Mr..
Crawford.
"Sheep, because their require
ments for grain and adj other feeds
that can easily be produced on ev-
cry farm, will make farms located
long distances from markets more
profitable by eliminating the heavy
overhead in transporting products
and supplies to and from markets,
leaving farmers free to do much
work now done by hired help.
present economic conditions are
not the result of rapid overnight
changes but have been coming grad
ually and steadily in the past few
years. While some of the leading
agriculturists have repeatedly given
sufficient warnings most farmers
have contented themselves with the
idea that the present conditions
would adjust themselves as in the
past and have made no attempt to
prepare for the conditions now ex-
listing.
I'm this period Of adjustment It
is neither advisable nor desirable to
completely eliminate any one branch
of farming unless such is found to
be impossible because of location or
climate and soil condition, which
In many instances have not received
much consideration in the past and
which have caused many disappoint-
ments and money losses.
balancing the farm program &C.
ccrding to the above conditions to-
Gether with location from markets
and actual needs of consumers is
the only safe and sane solution of
the present difficulty.
Farmers having little or no
knowledge of sheep husbandry
should begin with from 10 to 25
sheep. being especially careful in
selecting good. healthy ewes of a
breed that is pleasing to the eye and
possible of high production in both
lambs and wool. While sheep re-
quire a relatively small amount of
care. yet the old idea that they will
thrive on weeds and waste that no
other animal will eat is filled with
danger and sure of loss when prac-
ticed. The present low production
OF both wool and lambs is entirely
needless and anyone who is salts
fled with the present average pro-
Guction of u IL pounds of wool and
20 percent of lambs grown to ma
turlty can never expect to succeed.
1.-The production of both wool and
lambs can be increased substantial
ly by more careful selection of
breeding ewes and the selection of
rams possessing the desired quail
ties. Experience proves that pure
bred rams increase production much
faster than grades.
"Following is an account kept in
1916 with a flock of 80 matured ewes
and six INBRED yearlings: