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and well adapted to the growth of many varieties of grasses. 

 They are almost as cheap as the mountain lands, and far 

 better in the qualities of the soil. 



But by far the best locality in the State for raising all 

 classes and varieties of sheep is the great siluriau, limestone 

 basin of Middle Tennessee. Here the meadows are 

 luxuriant, the pastures are green, the soil is fertile, the 

 water abundant. Here are landscapes diversified by hill 

 and dale, wood and stream, meadow and field, forming a 

 thousand delightful combinations, and making an extended 

 panorama of exquisite rural elegance and beauty. Here all 

 the grasses flourish, even the loftiest hills are set in blue 

 grass, and countless flocks fleck the landscape on every side. 

 The highest evidence that can be adduced as to the value of 

 this basin for sheep raising lies in the fact that sheep are 

 grown upon nearly every farm, and up to a certain number 

 are universally held to be profitable. Every breed has 

 found admirers, and every breed does well. Sheep require 

 no feeding in this division during winter, when upon good 

 grass, barley, wheat, or rye fields, except when there is a 

 fall of snow. Then some oats, fodder, or corn are fed. 

 They are very healthy, and, indeed, when attended to, prove 

 a most profitable investment up to a certain number, say 

 one sheep for every five acres of open land, or two sheep on 

 every acre of permanent pasture, presuming that the 

 farmer will have other stock in proportion to the size of 

 his farm. 



The cost of keeping sheep per annum per head is about 

 one dollar and twenty- five cents. The wool of one sheep 

 of high grade will pay for the keeping of two. Lambs are 

 clear profit, and the estimated cost of wool, dividing the 

 cost proportionately between it and lambs, is below ten 

 cents per pound. The average yield of wool for improved 

 breeds in this basin is between seven and eight pounds 

 natives from two to four pounds. Nearly all natives have 

 disappeared from this locality, and high grades have taken 



