588 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



twenty and feed them as even as you can, put ten on blue grass pasture 

 without any corn at all, put the other ten on blue grass pasture and feed 

 them all the corn you want and there will be but little difference in the 

 weight of those steers, if any, on the first day of July. I put on more 

 pounds on my cattle than I did with corn. In relation to hogs I have 

 nothing to say. I insist on plenty of water, plenty of good grass and then 

 what else have you done? Instead of removing anything from your soil 

 you have it better than when you commenced. 



One more thing, we have a law in our statute books that requires the 

 board of supervisors and auditor to make a statement of your bonded 

 indebtedness. I don't know how much your bonded indebtedness is, I 

 have no idea. I know what the floating debt is. It is a good big one and 

 we ought to know something about this. One other thing, look out about 

 •centralization of farm lands. Keep your boys at home on the farm. 



HOW CAN SHEEP BE MANAGED FOR THE BEST RESULTS? 



M. DowisEY, before Mahaska County Farmers' Institute. 



In regard to shearing in the spring. This depends largely on the con- 

 dition of the wool market. If the sheep are extra fat and you have a 

 good price, it generally pays to shear. 



As regards handling sheep for best results, I am not able to advise 

 you old sheep men, since I have had only a few years' experience in 

 handling sheep myself; therefore what I have to say on this subject will 

 be with a view of aiding a beginner in the sheep industry. 



The question with many farmers who would like to start a flock of 

 sheep is, whether it would be profitable to pay present high prices for 

 breeding ewes. I believe that it will. 



According to government statistics, sheep in the United States have 

 •decreased from 64,000,000 in 1893 to 46,000,000 in 1904. Most foreign 

 countries also report a decrease in numbers, while the consumption 

 of both wool and mutton has increased. At the rate they are being 

 consumed it will be several years before sufllcient numbers can be raised 

 to overstock our markets and reduce prices to an unprofitable basis. 



For profit I would prefer a medium wool mutton breed; but success- 

 ful sheep husbandry depends in a good measure upon selecting a breed 

 suited to the local facilities of the man, the farm and the market. I 

 believe, all things considered, the April lamb is the most profitable, as 

 at this time of the year a greater per cent, can be saved than earlier. 

 Grass is beginning to grow, and while the grass is not usually sufficient 

 at this time to sustain the ewe, within its self will be a great help in start- 

 ing the lamb to grow rapidly. The lambs should be kept growing, as the 

 best wool and the best mutton are obtained from sheep that have been 

 kept growing all their lives. Where it is possible to do so, change your 



