Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-12-19
New England Sheep
Men Plan to Organize

Men Plan to Organize
What was probably the first real
constructive step toward the lorna
ton of an all New England organlza-
ton for the propagation of sheep
raising, was taken at meeting OF
prominent sheep breeders and agrl-
culturists. held at Sorosls Farns'
Marblehead, last month. After near
ly three years work, Mr.. Alexander
E. Little, with the energetic aid OF
his Superintendent, Mr.. T. G. Hilton,
finally brought about this meeting at
which were present representatives
from every State in New England,
with the exception of Rhode Island.
OF course, an inspection of the prize
winning fiocks of Sorosis. of Hamp-
shire, Shropshire, Leicester and
Cheviot bloods, was made, and this
was followed by an old-fashioned
New England lamb dinner cooked by
good New England housewives.
Mr.. Little said 'our real purpose,
gentlemen, / want to assure you, is
to help the farmer better the blood
standards in New England. and to
arouse his interest in the possibilities
for profit in the use of the thous-
ands and thousands of acres of
waste land lying outside the cities
in every State in New England, land
that is admirably adapted for sheep
raising"
Andrew L. Felker. Commissioner
Of Agriculture of New Hampshire
laid particular stress in his address
in the necessity for legislation in the
various States, that would protect
the farmer from sheep killing dogs.
He stressed the fact further. that
while there are laws on the books
which might give protection, they
are not enforced. He advocated the
keeping in leash of self hunting dogs
from the first of April to the first of
December. Mr.. Felker mentioned
the possibilities Of synthetic wool. of
which much has been written lately,
and advocated law which would re-
quire the labelling of this product as
synthetic wool, and prevent it's be-
ing foisted on the public as the
real article.
He maintained that the farmer can
make profit from small flocks. and
he longed for and prophesied the day
when there would be small fiocks ON
eighty percent Of the farms in New
Hampshire.
.,
wick, Maine, devoted his very inter-
esting talk to conditions in Maine.
He noted the fact that they had
overcome some of the difficulties en-
countered in other States. He said,
Il spent yesterday at Augusta at the
Chamber of Commerce and the
Agricultural League. in the interests
OF the sheep industry. In the State
OF Maine we have a law whereby the
farmer is reimbursed for all legiti-
mate loss to the flock caused by
dogs. After an attack on a sheep
mock, those that have not been kill
ed are not worth fifty cents a head,
II they live. My associates and I
are working to help the industry
through the legislature. My investi-
cations show that the industry is re-
ylving in Maine and is again grow
ing surprisingly fast. One, import
ant point which he made, was the
Iact that up to a few years ago,
Western people thought it was a Joke
for New England people to raise
sheep. and that those interested in
breeding had gone West for their
stock. Today" he said, chose who
are looking for the best blood are
coming to New England, in fact, we
are raising better sheep than any
section of the country"
| Mr.. w. F. Robbins, President of
the N. H. State Sheep Breeders As
ISOLATION offered the complete CO.
operation of his association in every
possible way, to the end that the
New England organization might be
success. He spoke encouragingly
OF the outlook in New Hampshire.
and Of the progress that has been
made during the past five years.
Professor ". A. Rice of the Massa-
chusetts Agricultural College called
attention to the increase in popula-
ton of the United States. and the
absolute necessity for increasing the
production of food and materials for
clothing, and said that at no time
was there the opportunity for sheep
raising in New England as exists at
the present time, nor was there any
question in his mind but what a
flock OF sheep on any farm would nav
the farmer if handled properly. He
stressed three important points in
their care, feeding, breeding and
health, and the necessity of start
ing with carefully selected breeding
stock.
Mr.. c. d. Richardson trustee Of
the Massachusetts Agricultural Col
lege dwelt largely on the marketing
possibilities of lamb as a food. He
called attention to the fact that last
Spring New England lambs were
sold at soc per pound live weight,
and had the call on Western stuff.
He quoted the high on wool last year
of Csc. He urged all darymen to
have at least one sheep for each cow
In their herds, touching upon their
Importance in keeping down the
brush and aiding in fertilizing the
land.
Mr.. J. G. Watson of the New Eng
land Homestead took the sheep
breeders to task for not securing
more publicity for their industry in
the newspapers and agricultural
magazines. He spent considerable
time in describing conditions in
Scotland where for more than 200
years they have been lettering their
breeds. He cited instances. of full
blood rams selling at auctions from
100 to 1000 guineas as yearlings. He
advised the Importation of the very
best that can be brought from the
old country to the end that the blood
standard here may be raised.
DR.. E. A. Grossman of the u. S.
Dept. of Agriculture predicted doom
for the New England farmer in New
England unless he can produce a
better cow, a better sheep. a better
horse, a better everything than
comes from the West-"and this" he
said, 'can be done, but it will take a
concentrated effort on the part of
the agricultural interests to do it. 1t
is their only salvation. He offered
the aid Of the Agricultural Depart
ment to the sheep breeders, DR..
Crossman brought out a very inter-
eStinQ fact in cnnnactior NTH 4Lo