8d SHEEP. 



Thej must, therefore, Improve pastures by clearing away many foul 

 and useless weeds and plants which cattle avoid. The tastes of 

 men have changed somewhat, and the meat of Sheep — whether 

 lamb or mutton, — is in much more demand than formerly. Their 

 carcasses, therefore, must meet a ready sale, at remunerating 

 prices. 



But why speculate upon a matter which is capable of proof ? — 

 and that, too, by the best evidence possible, — the testimony of ex- 

 perience. This testimony is all one Avay, so far as the information 

 of your Committee extends, and that is, that Sheep are very profi- 

 table animals in Essex County, to the general farmer. Not only 

 has this been the case since the demand for lamb and mutton has 

 increased — and the prices of Avool have sometimes ranged high, — 

 but taking all things into the account, it has always been true. A 

 member of our Board of Trustees, lately deceased, whose opinions 

 always received, as they deserved, great consideration, and were 

 seldom found to be wrong, used to say that a pasture which would 

 carry twenty head of full grown cattle, and for which that number 

 was sufficient, would carry twenty sheep besides, without detriment 

 to the cattle, and with positive benefit to the pasture. However 

 this may be, it is conceded on all hands that a small flock of sheep 

 are as profitable as any stock a farmer can keep. Admit this to be 

 so, and it is easy to make them far more profitable. 



We have had, heretofore, with very few exceptions, what are 

 termed the old fashioned breed of sheep, which is no breed at all, 

 or rather a mongrel intermingling of several breeds, some with 

 long wool, more with short wool, others between long and short — 

 but all of them deficient in what is most and permanently profita- 

 ble, to wit : weight of carcass. The raising of sheep for their wool 

 mainly, or exclusively, must be left to districts of country where 

 paturage abounds, and which are remote from markets. With us 

 the carcass is to be looked to, rather than the fleece. This defi- 

 ciency of carcass can be entirely remedied with very little trouble 

 or expense. Sheep of improved breeds — introduced from England 

 by men of ample means and enlarged views, have become so numer- 

 ous that any farmer can improve his flock almost without money — 

 certainly at a very moderate price. The Leicesters and South 

 Downs, or grade animals largely impregnated with their respective 

 blood, can be obtained anywhere — and any of them would give 



