168 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[ November, 



Wisconsiu— Crop '78 : 72 cases, p. t. 



Havana — Transactions in '79 arrivals con- 

 tinue brisk. Quotations for them in bond ; 

 Remedios, 45 to 48 cents; Partido, 46 to 50 

 cents; Vuelta Abajo, 55 to 65 cents. The 

 remainder of 1877 stock sells easily at former 

 figures; '78 moves in small parcels. 

 Sales for the week. 



Sales of seed leaf tobacco reported by J. S. 

 Gans's Son & Co., tobacco brokers, Nos. 84 

 and 86 Wall street, New York, for the week 

 ending Nov. 10 : 600 cases '78 Pennsylvania, 

 fillers, 8K3!9ic; assorted lots, 10|@16c; 50 

 cases '77 Pennsylvania, wrappers, 18(5 30c; 

 400 cases '78 New England, ll@30c; 50 cases 

 '78 state, p. t.; 1,500 cases '78 Ohio, 6(S14c; 

 93 cases '78 Wisconsin, p. t.; 100 cases 

 sundries, 9@17c. Total, 2,793 cases. 



STARTING A FLOCK OF SHEEP. 



The increasing interest in sheep husbandry, 

 consequent upon the advance in wool, gives 

 this industry more prominence among farmers 

 than it has occupied for several years past. 

 We would, however, advise caution and dis- 

 cretion in this, as in all other branches of 

 farm economy. It is with this, as with 

 other callings; a sharp upward turn in the 

 price of a given product, often induces a 

 stampede in that direction, and the result is, 

 that it is soon overdone, prices fall by reason 

 of over-production, entailing losses and dis- 

 appointments, in greater or less degree, to 

 those who rushed into the business without 

 due consideration and judgment. 



While we are certain that the present con- 

 dition of the wool market is not due to specu- 

 lation, but is on a substantial basis, and that 

 prices will not only be maintained, but will 

 very likely harden still more before another 

 wool clip comes in, there is little doubt that 

 there will be a large increase in the crop next 

 spring. It is well to recollect that the stocks 

 of woolen goods in the country before the rise 

 in the staple last spring were very low. The 

 prospects for fine crops and a market abroad 

 for all of our surplus food products, together 

 with a return of confidence upon the heel of 

 resumption, caused a revival in all branches 

 of business, and the woolen industry was 

 among the first to feel its influence. A 

 demand, strong and extensive, sprang up for 

 woolens; which has been kept up, and will no 

 doubt continue. Of course, the price of wool 

 was stimulated and as long as the present 

 rate of consumption of the staple continues it 

 is not likely that it will decline. There is 

 still room for many millions of pounds of 

 home-grown wool to supply the reciuirements 

 of our people for woolen goods and manufac- 

 turers, and besides, the foreign demand for 

 mutton gives the subject of sheep husbandry 

 additional importance, as the American Stock- 

 man has hitherto frequently pointed out. 

 That more sjeep will be raised is now certain, 

 and we are gratified that an impetus has been 

 given to the business. To get the best 

 results, however, requires thought and care 

 from first to last. Those wlio have had much 

 experience in the business well understand 

 this fact, but to such as have not hitherto 

 given it much attention a few suggestions will 

 hardly be taken amiss. 



In the first place, it is important to start 

 right. Loss of time, money and labor may be 

 avoided by beginning with the right kind of 

 stock. By tliis we do not refer to a)iy partic- 

 ular breed; we mean that the foundation 

 sliould be good, young, healthy, vigorous 

 sheep. Every fall many common sheep are 

 disposed of to the butcher for mutton, and 

 among them are frequently found young ewes 

 which are suitable for breeding to a good 

 buck. In selecting them, uniformity in size, 

 *ige— yearlings are old enough— and general 

 characteristics should be kept in mind. This 

 will give a uniformity in the flock and the 

 progeny, wliicli will be of great advantage hi 

 the outcome, as every experienced breeder 

 knows. 



When a sufficient number of such ewes 

 have been obtained, they should be bred to a 

 thoroughbred ram, and no other. Whatever 



breed may be the choice of the buyer,— 

 whether Cotswold, Southdown, Merino, 

 Leicester, Sliropshiredown, or other sort, — 

 let it be a pure-bred sheep by M means; and 

 the best way to get such a ram is to go to an 

 honest, well-known breeder of the kind wanted, 

 who will not risk his reputation by selling a 

 ram he represents as piu-e-bred, unless it is of 

 undoubted purity. This course will secure an 

 animal that will stamp his characteristics on 

 his progeny. His valuable qualities will be 

 transmitted to his get, and when he has been 

 in use two years, the breeder should sell him 

 and get another of the same kind, or better, 

 but of course of the same breed. Rams should 

 be changed every two years, and after breeding 

 the ewes two years let them go also. Thus a 

 very fine flock of sheep may be produced in a 

 short time, — one which will be profitable to 

 its owner as well as a credit to his intelli- 

 gence and skill. 



This, it is hardly necessary to say, is upon 

 the supposition that the sheep are well taken 

 care of, which includes proper feeding and 

 good general management. 



It may be thought that the price asked fin- 

 thoroughbred rams is too high for the majori- 

 ty of farmers to pay, and fancy prices — or 

 what may be called such— may deter some 

 from purchasing a good ram. It may be well 

 to ascertain the terms of a number of pro- 

 fessional and well-known breeders, and to 

 purchase where a good animal of undoubted 

 purity of blood, vigorous and sound in every 

 way, can be had for the least money; but no 

 considerations of false economy should ever 

 be allowed to weigh a feather between a good 

 and bad ram. Good animals cannot be had 

 for scrub prices; it has cost too much to pro- 

 duce them. They represent a value, so far as 

 the future of the flock is concerned, so far 

 above a scrub, or a grade, that a comparison 

 is absurd. — American Stockman. 



PASTURE FIELUS— THEIR RENOVA- 

 TION. 

 Looking over an old pasture ground this 

 fall, we are tempted to tell what its appear- 

 ance told us. If it has not told the same tale 

 to others, we are much mistaken, and when we 

 see so many pastures as this one was, we sup- 

 pose there must be many more deaf ears than 

 attentive ones in tlie world. This particular 

 piece said to us that it was really desirous of 

 trying to turn its talents to some account, but 

 that it was found to have rolled them up in a 

 napkin. It called us to witness that at least 

 four-fifths of its legitimate ground had been 

 stolen from it by coarse weeds, that not a 

 hungry cow would eat, and so much of what 

 was free from these thieves was plastered 

 over by the excrements of animals, as to 

 make the product unfit for cattle food. And 

 we found it so just now. On the higher parts 

 of the ground the worst part of the herbage 

 consisted of oxeye daisies and butter-cups, 

 around which the cows had picked a bit here 

 and there. In the bottom land most of the 

 herbage consisted of asters, golden rods, iron 

 weed, rushes and coarse sedges. The cows 

 were almost hidden by the weeds' luxuriance, 

 and how ever it could pay to keep such a pas- 

 ture as this was a mystery to us. Yet this 

 land, probably ten acres, was on a property 

 which the owner held at four hundred dollars 

 per acre. Now taking the whole utilized 

 product of this lot as we saw it, it would cer- 

 tainly do no more than keep one cow for a 

 year, so that the interest of four thousand 

 dollars, besides labor and etceteras, went to 

 support one cow. Our friend is one of those 

 who believes that soiling cattle does not pay. 

 There are some objections to this plan we 

 know, and we have done our share in point- 

 ing them out, as the duty of weighing both 

 sides which public journalism imposes on us 

 calls for. But if such specimens as this was 

 all the advocates of pasturing had to depend 

 on, there would be no question as to which 

 was the best side. 



Our terrestrial informant clearly showed 

 that with a very little care it was good land 

 The high needed a little manure at'times and 



the lower needed ditching and draining. It 

 would cost but little to do, and when done at 

 the very lowest two tons of good hay to the 

 acre would be the result. Now the product 

 of this, at the lowest figure for hay, would 

 be the interest of six thousand dollars at 

 least, or considerably more than double that 

 which it was. Not more tlian a quarter of 

 this would have been required to keep a cow 

 on the soiling plan, while another quarter 

 would have been paid for the extra labor, the 

 other half would have probably been profit. 

 The simple breaking up of a lot like this, so 

 as to clear out the coarse weeds, and the little 

 improvement required to bring a good growth 

 of grass, is equal to a saving of two hundred 

 dollars a year, even at the owner's estimate 

 of four hundred dollars an acre as the value 

 of the ground. — 6 ermantoxvn lelegraph. 



The sharp frosts and trying winds which 

 are common at this time of the year admon- 

 ish us of the severe weather that will soon be 

 upon us. A ride over a portion of country a 

 day or two ago brought to mind the lack 

 which exists on many farms of comfortable 

 quarters for domestic animals. This is not so, 

 however, in all cases. There are provident, 

 humine farmers in all this region by scores who 

 have provided warm stables and barns wherein 

 to house their stock, and protect them from in- 

 clement weather. The contrast presented, how- 

 ever, in a neighborhood is striking. On one 

 farm you will find barns and stables construct- 

 ed so as to combine comfort and utility, having 

 every convenience and appointment calculated 

 to render the care of stock easy, expeditious 

 and perfect. Nothing seemingly, has been 

 overlooked, and there is an air of complete- 

 ness and humanity about the premises which 

 is pleasant to contemplate. We are forcibly 

 reminded, in the language of the aphorism, 

 that 'a merciful man is merciful to his beast. " 



Humanity, in the first instance, should in- 

 cite the owner of useful domestic animals to 

 provide shelter and suitable food for them 

 during the winter season; but on tlie score of 

 economy a prudent man understands what is 

 for his interest in this behalf. He knows that 

 warmth and a sufficient quantity of good food 

 given to his stock every day represents money. 

 It has value in dollars and cents; it touches 

 the pocket. 



A decade has wrought a wonderful change 

 in this behalf in most of the western states, 

 but there are yet very many farms, we regret 

 to admit, on which the old order of things 

 may be seen. A n old shed or two, or perhaps 

 a rickety old stable or barn, with broken win- 

 dows and wide cracks between boards, is the 

 only protection there to keep out the pierc- 

 ing winds and driving snows; and in some 

 other instances the lee side of a straw stack 

 or a corn crib is the only protection afforded 

 to the shivering, suffering brutes whose mis- 

 fortune it is to belong to so pitiless an owner. 

 In this climate it is a shame for any man who 

 l)retends to keep domestic animals to subject 

 them to such treatment. Such a condition of 

 things should never be found on the farm, nor 

 should the miserable structures,such as we have 

 referred to, which are a travesty and a bur- 

 lesque upon the name of shelter, be tolerated. 

 While we are glad to know that cases of this 

 character are becoming fewer from year to 

 year, it cannot be denied that they are far too 

 common, and that there is considerable room 

 for missionary work for our humane societies, 

 whose specialty is the prevention of cruelty to 

 animals. 



It would appear that on the score of econo- 

 my alone the necessity of providing proper 

 shelter for stock would be apparent to every 

 man. Warmth represents food , vitality and 

 health, and in the case of young animals, 

 growth also. Profit in live stock lies in the 

 direction of improvement. Deterioration is 

 loss, and it is a loss which rejiresents more 

 than is apparent at first view. When animals 

 are kept in a healthy, thriving condition 

 during the winter by proper food in kind and 



