SHEEP PROFITABLE — UNDERDRAINING. 72a 



racks, having the same liberty of the sheds as do the cattle ; 

 but they do not run with them. 



SHEEP PROFITABLE. 



From 1850 to 1865 I kept horned cattle alone, and found 

 them very profitable ; but in 1865 I changed to the Merino 

 sheep, and have continued in the business ever since. I find 

 no branch of agriculture in this part of our country so profita- 

 ble as the growing of fine wool. 



My wethers shear five to nine pounds, and my ewes three 

 to five pounds of clean washed wool. The price ranges from 

 thirty-five to forty cents per pound. 



FINE WOOL. 



In the Fall of 1863, I let to a neighbor six fine wool ewes 

 for a term of four years, I to receive annually half the wool 

 shorn, and at the expiration of the term I was to have half the 

 increase. Having a curiosity to know how the venture would 

 " pan out," I kept a strict account of sales of wool, both of the 

 lease and my own, and of what mutton was sold. At the end. 

 of four years we sold the entire flock, which, with the' 

 amount of previous sales of wool, etc., produced the aggregate 

 sum of three hundred and sixty-six dollars and sixty cents. 

 This result seems large, but it is nevertheless true. 



Of course, unusual care and good luck. were given to the 

 flock, or such results could not have been obtained. Wool 

 and sheep were high, the wool bringing from sixty cents to one 

 dollar per pound, and the sheep three dollars to five dollars pen:- 

 head. 



UNDERDRAINING. 



I am now underdraining my land, and find a great improve- 

 ment in the amount of products. I use for all small and lat- 

 eral, two and a half to three inch tile, and mains four to eight 

 inch tile. The cost of these tile (at the kilns) is eight, ten, 

 fifteen, and forty dollars per thousand, and for laying, sixteen 

 to twenty cents per rod, including the digging, laying tile, and 

 filling ditch. 



