SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 65 



The region which I visited last summer was on the route from the mouth of 

 the Great KanaAvtia to tiic Wliiio Sulphur Springs, and ihencc to Lvnchburg. 



The lands which particularly struck my eye were situated in Kanawha, Fay- 

 ette, and Grcenbriar counties — the two former not coming under the designation 

 of mountainous lands, but svfficienU>i hilly for any pvrpose ! The price of wild 

 lands in these counties is from 25 to 50 cents per acre by the survey, say of 5 to 

 10,000 acres. In a survey of this size, of course some worthless land would be 

 found. I could name a single person who holds 190,000 acres of these wild land \ 



The two former counties being situated much lower, would be likely to have 

 an advantage on the score of climate, but are not, I think, so favorable to the 

 production of grass as Grcenbriar county. 1 have heard the Blue Ridge highly 

 spoken of for grazing purposes, but know nothing personally concerning it : I 

 however wish I did, and soon intend to. In the counties above mentioned, what 

 sheep there are live in winter almost entirely on what they can pick in the 

 woods, though it would be unreasonable to suppose that they thrive under such 

 treatment. 



Is it not possible that the migratory system of Spain might be adopted ? 



Through the region spoken of, a railroad is certain sooner or later to be con- 

 structed. A charter was granted at the last session of the Legislature of Vir- 

 ginia for this purpose ; and it is precisely on the route of the James River and 

 Kanawha improvement, undertaken by the State a few years since, and finished 

 to Lynchburg. All things considered, can a more favorable region than I have 

 alluded to, be pointed out ? 



What breed of sheep would be best suited to the circumstances ? The hardy 

 and industrious merino, or a cross of that breed with some other, it is possible I 

 suppose, might claim the preference. Where could they be obtained best, and 

 'on what terms ? — And, lastly, your opinion is requested, whether such an enter- 

 prise could be profitably conducted at the present prices of wool ; and whether 

 this region would have any advantages over the prairies of the west for the pur- 

 poses of sheep husbandry. 



According to my plan, the sheep would be managed by shepherds employed 

 expressly i'or the purpose, who if they did not accompany them in their wanderings 

 by day, would fold them at night. The lands would require to be fenced, proba- 

 bly, which can be done, 1 find, for 5 cents per pannel, as strange as it may appear. 



You will oblige me exceedingly by answering these queries, either through 

 the Farmers' Library or otherwise, so that I may have the benefit of your 

 views oQ a tour of observation which I shall commence on the 15th of July. ^ 



We mvite to the above the candid consideration and reply of gentlemen who can speak 

 fix)m pei-sonal obsenation. For ourselves, we do not feel prepared to make any but a few 

 general remarks. In reference to such mountain laud as we have seen, a large proportioa 

 of it has appeared to be so covered v^-ith wood ajid stone as to be comparatively worthless. 

 The valleys, on the other hand, appear to be very rich ; but they are nan-ow, and when so 

 expanded as to admit of la)niig out good fanns, the price is very high, considering their dis- 

 tance from market. Again, we apprehend that wolves have not been so thoroughly extir- 

 pated as to prevent their ravages from constituting a serious difhcidty in the way of sheep 

 husbandry. Then, again, if wool be the object, does it not, m the mountains, become so 

 matted up with burrs as to create a very serious obstacle to the success of the wool grower ? 

 Is it possible that fencing can be procured to be done for less than a cent a rail, for each pan- 

 nel ? and would less than ten rails answer to keep out as well as to keep in? and would the 

 land inclosed be worth the cost of the inclosure ? As to sheep feeding through the winter on 

 the gi-ass of the country, we ai"e inclined to thuik they might, in the region to which tlie 

 writer refers. We once heard Doctor Brockenboro' say that he knew a fine lot of some two 

 dozen wethers escape, in summer, at the wann springs in that region. Lost altogether for 

 some time, they became perfectly wild, lived out through the whole winter, and next 

 spring and summer were shot as they were wanted — and finer mutton he never saw. Every 

 one knows that the country is peculiarly congenial to the constitution and growtli of the 

 sheep, and that no where in the world is better mutton to be fomid than at Caldwell's 

 table at the White Sulphur ; his butcher unbuttons the collars of 3,000 a year. One of hia 

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