FARMERS' REGISTER— SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 



415 



livated, the larger number he can supply with 

 good wholesome food; and vice versa, a poorly 

 cultivated farm is soon overstocked. I say tliere- 

 fore to the farmer, manage your form well, and 

 keep as large a stock of sheep as it can well sup- 

 port; you will receive a much larger profit than 

 from the old method of having a few miserably 

 starved sheep, raising a large number of cattle, 

 with a barn filled in winter with mares, young 

 horses and colts. Of all the methods of farming, 

 the last of which we have had an ample experi- 

 ence, is the most unprofitable. According to the 

 old plan the hogs ate up the corn, the negroes the 

 hogs, and the mares and colts the hay, so that the 

 farmer had nothing but the negroes and horses 

 left, for whose support it was his constant business 

 to labor. The negroes, thank God, have all been 

 liberated: the horses are now limited in number 

 and put to profitable uses, and the former starvel- 

 ing sheep are now carefully nursed — their num- 

 bers increased — their qualities improved — and 

 what is the effect of the change.' Our land is 

 worth twice as much per acre as before; simply be- 

 cause it produces nearly three times as much grain. 

 We have better fences, houses and barns — better 

 horses and cattle — the comforts of life vastly 

 increased — intelligence more general — education 

 more common and more thorough ; in fine, we are 

 physically and mentally improved — every thing 

 around is improved, and the prospect continually 

 brightening. If we have now commenced the 

 correct system of farming, let us carry it out to its 

 full extent, and by perseverance we must make 

 our farms generally worth $! 100 per acre, and they 

 will be so when we can make them bring in that 

 interest free of expense. Whether the kind of 

 sheep usually grown here is most profitable, must 

 be the next subject of inquiry; but I must leave 

 that for a succeeding- number. 



SHEEP HUSBANDRY, KO. II. 



In a former number, I took a general view of 

 the benefits of sheep husbandry, in connexion 

 with farm tillage, I noticed, first, the systematic 

 manner in which it is attended to in Europe, with 

 its • results. Secondly, the introduction of more 

 enlightened ideas upon the subject here ; and 

 thirdly, the greater profits that have followed the 

 practice thus far, when compared with the method 

 formerly in use among our farmers. I refer to 

 these distinct points, and wish the reader to bear 

 them steadily in mind. Not that I mean to press 

 them farther at this time, but, believe me, judi- 

 cious sheep husbandry is the cornerstone of pro- 

 fitable farming; and to this principally may 

 be attributed the increased value of Dutchess 

 county land. The subject for consideration at the 

 present time is, whether the kind of sheep usually 

 grown here is the most profitable. The profits 

 arising from sheep husbandry are of two kinds, 

 direct and indirect. It is the direct profits, that 

 is the sale of the mutton and wool, which is now 

 to engage our attention; and our aim is therefore, 

 to have a good sized carcase with a heavy and fine 

 fleece of wool. Have we attained either or both 

 of these objects.' I answer, no. Generally speak- 

 ing, we are very deficient in both, and both of 

 course are susceptible of great improvement. The 

 sheep usually grown here are the native, with a 



slight cross of the Merino. The native sheep we 

 all know have light carcases, with no great pro- 

 pensity to fatten, and coarse wool with seldom 

 over three pounds to the fleece. These have been 

 crossed with the Merino, which has added a little 

 to the fineness of the wool, but not to its weight; 

 at the same time it has made the carcase of the 

 sheep rather lighter than it was before. The con- 

 sequence is that it has not added to the profits of 

 the farmer, and certainly none to the hardiness of 

 the animal. The quarters usually do not exceed 

 10 or 12 lbs. to a full size sheep ; so that the car- 

 case would weigh say from 40 to 48 lbs., and the 

 wool 3 lbs. Comprising these weights with those 

 of the different English varieties, we will be the 

 better enabled to form a correct judgment how far 

 an improvement might carry us. tt is essential 

 that we do this ; for if siieep husbandry is the ba- 

 sis of good farming, it is of the utmost impor- 

 tance that we have the most profitable kinds of 

 sheep. The annexed table which is taken in part 

 from a late English publication, will give a clear 

 view of the subject; and although we may be 

 surprised at the difTerence in weight of both fleece 

 and carcase, when compared with ours, yet we 

 must make due allowances for the better manner 

 in which the former have been kept. 



BREEDS AND VARIETIES OF SHEEP. 



* Wool coarse and not long. — f Wool long and coarse. 

 |Wonl long and fine. 



I trust that in the above k presented a clear 

 view of the subject; and if the authorities from 

 which I have quoted can be relied on, (of which I 

 have not a doubt,) it is high time that we look a 

 little closer to our interest in this matter. If an 

 improved breed will give us twice as much profit 

 as the present one, the farmer who now realizes 

 .9125 from his sheep, with the same trouble, but 

 a little more immediate expense for the first pur- 

 chase, would from the same number realize his 

 S250. As there are some of the English varieties 

 already here, a simple comparison with the eye of 

 the Teeswater, or the new Leicester and Dishley, 

 will at once shew the great difference in the pro- 

 portions of the respective animals. The native 

 sheep are not well proportioned, and there is not 

 even a uniformity of make in them, some of them 

 being long-legged, some short, with thick heads, 

 big bellies, narrow shoulders and plenty of pro- 

 jecting bones, with here and there one that has a 

 propensity to fatten ; but this last quality is pure- 

 ly accidental. On the contrary the better breed is 

 the reverse of all this; their carcases will weigh 

 double, the wool nearly so, and all have a propen- 

 sity to fatten and are selected in part for this very 

 quality. They are, besides, a well proportioned 

 animal, and at the same time that they fill the 

 purse, the sight of the animal will please the eye. 



