WOOL GROWEBS' ASSOCIATION. 38T 



Mr. Raviah. I have had Kome little experience in raising sheep, and my reason 

 for attending this meeting is to hear from others. I have not been as extensively 

 engaged in it as some, and have not paid attention to improving the different 

 . breeds, thongh I have given that some attention. The last gentleman on the floor 

 speaks of people quitting the business*. Ever since I have been in the busineee 1 

 have seen people quitting it. You take a man who has an adaptation to the sheep; 

 and he will do something with it, notwithstanding the low price of wool. This ie 

 one cause, and in many cases it is owing to their inability to manage and take care 

 of them and see in the future something that might grow np. The price of Wool 

 to-day is not remunerative, but for mutton good sheep would to-day bring 6| to 

 7 cents, gross. Our best bullocks seldom do that. Good early lambs are perhaps 

 worth 4} to 6^ and 7 cents. It costs less to get sheep than cattle. Poor land 

 makes poor sheep. My experience has been that where I have treated them ats I 

 should they were as remunerative as any other class of stock that I have handled. 



Air. Darnell. We would like to hear your experience with crosses. 



Mr. Bamah. I bought some Cotswold sheep of Mr. Darnell, and I like them 

 very much. Eeally, my favorite sheep had been the Southdown. I bred these 

 ewes to an American Merino buck ; from the lambs I tooji all the bucks, and made 

 wethers or sold them, keeping the ewes. T am now breeding to the Southdown^ 

 from which I get good returns. I had some experience sixteen years ago in crosB- 

 ing the Cotswold with the Merino, and got a tine flock of sheep. I am getting back 

 to that now. I like the cross very much; I get the size and form, and closenesB 

 and fineness of wool ; in other words, it makes .a general purpose sheep for mutton 

 and wool ; also, by crossing with the Southdown or Shropshiredown. 



Mr. Robe. I think the folks in our neighborhood are tired of rai^^ing sheep, 

 because it is not profitable. My opinion is we can raise wool in Putnam countj 

 for twenty-five cents a pound. Last year we got twenty cents, but it did not pay. 

 I breed Cotswold grades, [tutting a Merino cross on these Cotswold ewes. The loir 

 price is genally laid to the tariff question ; I am sure it affects the price three cent* 

 a pound, and this makes many want to go out of the bu-^incss. Large numbere are 

 thrown upon the market, which reduces the price of mutton. 



Mr. Henley. Eusliing the sheep on the market in unmarketable conditicm 

 makes our prices so low. 



Mr. Wiley. What few flocks have been raised in our neighborhood do not pay. 

 Some of my neighbors were highly elated with the Cotswold, but in a few year* 

 they were the worst sheep we have. The main reason was putting too many togeth- 

 er, and not caring for them. We are now using the Shropshire cross. 



Mr. Yoke. I would have a few sheep on the farm if I did not make anything 

 on them, they are better than any other stock for keeping land in order. 



Mr. Tomlin.Hon. Before I began the business of raising sheep I had a certain 

 pasture containing many weeds. I had noticed that pastures clean of weeds was 

 an indication of a good farmer. Two or three years ago it occurred to me that it 

 was sheep that had cleaned a certain farm of weeds This man had nice pasture 

 and sheep in them ; so I got some good sheep and put on my pastures and killed 

 out the weeds. It is not every man that can raise sheep successfully, but if yon 

 see a man who raises fine Shorthorn cattle and horses, you will generally see a fine 



