46 



quality. They yield, moreover, a heavier fleece of wool than any 

 other breed, and its wool for combing is in great demand, and brings 

 a higher price than any other wool in the market. 



Mr. Andrews says, " I trust, Mr. Chairman, you Avill in your 

 report urge upon the farmers of Norfolk County the importance of 

 keeping sheep. Aside from other considerations, my experience 

 convinces me that they will pay better than any other stock ; I 

 say this, after keeping for several years a fine herd of cows, with 

 greater advantages for selling milk than most men in the County 

 enjoy. And I know that the farmer's hay, grain, and roots, when 

 fed to sheep, will bring him in two hundred dollars to one hundred 

 dollars when fed to cows." Mr. Andrews gave the Chairman 

 items of expense of his sheep, and the amount received in return, 

 which is sufficient proof that his statement is correct. 



For fear I should make this report too lengthy, I will close by a 

 very few remarks. I think it has been proved that sheep pay bet- 

 ter than any other stock, and the labor is much less than on cows. 

 Every farmer that can keep eight cows would do well, and can 

 keep four cows and forty sheep with the same feed as the eight 

 cows would eat, and with less labor, and in that proportion, i. e., 

 ten sheep instead of one cow, allowing one half of the stock to be 

 cows. But if you keep all sheep, eight sheep will want about as 

 much feed as one cow. The reason is, when cows and sheep 

 feed together, the sheep will eat what the cows leave, and cows 

 what the sheep leave. Sheep will consume the briers and weeds, 

 and if your pasture is covered over with brush (as many pastures 

 are in Norfolk County) cut your brush and briers, and the sheep 

 will help keep down the brush and briers, and much improve your 

 pastures. After a careful investigation, the Chairman has come 

 to the conclusion that sheep husbandry may be made the most 

 pleasant and profitable of any department of stock raising in Nor- 

 folk County, and that the most profitable grades are the South 

 Down, crossed with the Leicester or Bakewell stock, or the Pauler 

 Merino, which make hardy, large and good breeders, and nurses, 

 and the very best mutton and lambs, and a heavy and medium fine 

 fleece of wool, which is, and will for a long time to come be, in 

 good demand for cloth and yarn. The Cotswold, I presume, are 

 worthy of all that has been said in their favor in this report ; their 

 wool being of the very best quality for combing, but not suitable 

 for cloths or yarn, being too long to card well or to give a good 

 nap on cloth. 



TRUMAN CLARKE, Chairman, 



Walpole, Bee. 1, 1864. 



