1869. 



XEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



271 



desirable ones. A good horse for a farmer 

 should possess all the good points. 



So in cattle. Probably it would be impos- 

 sible to find a single animal of any particular 

 breed, which would show all the good points 

 requisite for use on our New England farms. 

 One of the best milch cows the writer ever 

 knew was a cross of Devon with Native. 

 Another superior one was half Dutch, patt 

 Ayrshire and Native. Most people acquainted 

 with the different breeds are aware that the 

 Devons are not great milkers, though the oxen 

 are handsome and good workers, but not so 

 good for beef as the Durhams, while the 

 Durbams are not noted as great milkers. The 

 Dutch are good milkers, but are not so good 

 f jr fattening, as they do not take on flesh so 

 readily as a more compact breed. And no 

 experienced feeder would think of taking the 

 Jersey's for stall-feeding. 



People are often disappointed in new or 

 fancy breeds of cattle or sheep, for the rea- 

 son that such fancy breeds have been kept in 

 a fancy manner, and often their superiority 

 consists mainly in their having been reared 

 and kept upon the best the land affords, and 

 they usually fall away and dwindle to insig- 

 nificance when treated as native breeds have 

 been. Many farmers in Vermont and New 

 Hampshire have been sadly disappointed with 

 fancy Merino sheep which have cost them 

 fancy prices. In many cases these sheep have 

 dwindled and died when treated as the Native 

 sheep are usually. 



Having examined different herds of supe- 

 rior Durbam cattle, owned by noted breeders 

 in Vermont and Canada, I have invariably 

 found upon inquiry that large quantities of 

 grain were fed to such stock the year round ; 

 and I am satisfied that in no instance was the 

 owner repaid for his outlay by any cash value 

 received ; although the satisfaction of seeing 

 the growth and improvement of such fine ani- 

 mals might repay the man of wealth for bis 

 care and expense ; and occasionally a slight 

 return is received by the sale of an animal at 

 a fancy price. 



In some cases, doubtless, the breeders of 

 fancy cattle may confer a benefit to the coun- 

 try, but usually the parties purchasing such 

 cattle for practical use lose by the operation, 

 for the reason that with common feed they are 

 sure to depreciate. We are aware that it 

 would well pay most farmers to take better 

 care i f their stock, and feed better than they 

 do at present ; bat until they conclude to take 

 fancy care of their animals, they had better 

 not purchase fancy stock of any kind. 



Cakmos. 



Eeading, Mass., Feb. 24, 18G9. 



Remarks. — As Mr. J. A. Harwood, of 

 Littleton, Mass., said In his remarks at the 

 Milk Producers' Meeting, at Nashua, we need 

 the thoroughbreds to get the crosses. The 



remarks of our correspondent as to the su- 

 periority of wool for "practical use" from a 

 cross of the Merinos and Cotswolds may be 

 correct so far as certain uses are concerned, 

 and incorrect as respects other uses. Pure 

 Cotswold or Leicester wool we understand 

 possesses certain cjuallties, — length and gloss, 

 — which are necessary to the production of 

 certain styles of goods ; and that these quali- 

 ties are lost by a cross with the Merinos. 

 Hence if this wool is not grown in the United 

 States it must be obtained from foreign coun- 

 tries. It is generally believed that the wool 

 growers of this country can supply the various 

 grades of wool required by our manufacturers, 

 and in fact they have entered into an agree- 

 ment with them to do so. It is therefore our 

 duty as well as our Interest to ascertain what 

 kinds of wool is required by these manufac- 

 turers, as well as to determine which Is best 

 for "practical use in New England." 



For the New England Farmer. 

 DISEASE ira" SHEEP. 



In the Farmer of March 27, friend Nichols 

 of Plymouth, N. H., writes for information 

 about a disease in his flock of sheep and the 

 fatality that attends it. If it is a disease, it 

 must be contagious, for we hear from all quar- 

 ters, not only In New England, but in the 

 Western States, of unusual mortality among 

 sheep. In this vicinity some farmers have 

 lost half their flocks, and appearances indicate 

 that many more must follow soon. 



It has been like rowing against the tide to 

 keep sheep during the past three years ; but 

 just as the market prospects begin the brighten 

 up a little, our flocks are dying b}' thousands. 

 Every farmer is interested In finding a remedy 

 and applying it, to stay this wholesale destruc- 

 tion of property. But in coming to a correct 

 diagnosis of disease, whether in plants, ani- 

 mals or persons, a careful investiga'ion of 

 matters and facts prior to its fatal termina- 

 tion is necessary. 



D irlng the war, when wool was high, and 

 sheep raising paid enormous profit'--, the health 

 and comfort of njost all flocks were carefully 

 looked after, and the losses were i'tvr by sick- 

 ness. Thvn the sheep had the best of hay, a 

 feed of corn once a day, all the roots that 

 were raised, besides oats, shorts, beans, oil 

 meal, &c. What a contrast with their pres- 

 ent neglect ! I have heard a number of sheep- 

 owners, within two years, say give the sheep 

 meadow hay, and let them die if they will, for 

 there is no profit in them. Many have got 

 entirely discouraged and sold out, losing 

 money by the operation. Some of these men 

 would go half a mile "to kick a sheep." 



