SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 387 



Sheep Husbandry. — Shall we Abandon It ? 



By John Bodge. 



It may seem presumptuous for me to offer any remark-e upon this 

 sutj'ect, especially if I take a position at variance with popular 

 belief, or at least, differing from the general practice. I am aware 

 that sheep raising is not fashionable now in Maine, and that it is 

 almost impossible in many sections of the State to get up any in- 

 terest in the subject, but that to my mind is no argument at all 

 against this department of farming in our State — a branch of in- 

 dustry which although now temporarily under a cloud is yet to be, 

 I firmly believe, one of the most popular and productive depart- 

 ments of farming practiced among us. 



There are changes and tides in all the affairs of men — ups and 

 downs, and it would be strange if this should prove an exception. 

 One ^extreme follows another. Six ^to eight years ago sheep hus- 

 bandry was on the high tide of popular favor. Everbody seemed 

 crazy to possess sheep, and a flock of long wools, or fine wools, or 

 mutton sheep, was the grand desideratum. Sheep talk was on 

 every tongue, and rams and ewes, lambs and wethers were bought 

 and sold, and coveted, almost without regard to price, and cer- 

 tainly without regard to reason. Who of you cannot remember 

 some favorite Sweeptakes, Silverdrop or Green Mountain Boy, 

 which were held and even were sold for fabulous prices. That was 

 one extreme. Now, none so poor as to do them reverence, and they 

 are tied up in an out of the way corner of the barn, turned into 

 some distant pasture, or their skins have gone into the vats, and 

 their carcasses to the dogs. This is the other extreme. 



Now the question is, where is the mean, and are we not soon to 

 reach the time when sheep husbandry followed and practised in an 

 economical and sensible manner will prove to be profitable com- 

 pared with other branches of farming ? 



To my mind it is useless to say that we must abandon it, for we 

 cannot. Somebody must raise wool, and if we in New England do 

 not do it who will ? We must have the raw material for clothing 

 — there is no substitute — and the hills of the Eastern States are 

 the only localities that can produce it to perfection. We cannot 

 compete with the West in producing corn, or wheat, or beef, but 

 we can beat them in sheep growing. Let us not neglect our op- 

 portunities, and despise not the day of small things. 



Shall we abandon sheep husbandry ? No. And in my broken 



