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mission and urging farmers to keep more sheep, although 

 sheep were gradually declining. The great objection, 

 heretofore raised by farmers against raising sheep, was the 

 damage bj dogs. That objection, said the speaker, no 

 longer exists. The laws have been so amended that the 

 farmer can obtain not only the full value of his sheep, but 

 for all the damage done to his flock. 



The question now, then, is sheep husbandry profitable ? 

 Some farmers here in New England say we cannot keep 

 sheep enough to make it pay. This is a mistaken idea. 

 Ohio, one of the greatest sheep-raising states, only averages 

 33 to a flock. Michigan, another sheep-raising state, aver- 

 ages only 25. He considered 50 enough in a flock to obtain 

 the greatest profit. The one great advantage in keeping 

 tliem is in keeping up the fertility of our soil. Less time 

 and labor are required for sheep than for any other farm 

 stock. 



In response to a question, Mr. Russell said that any of 

 our pasture land that had an ordinary stone wall around it 

 can easily be used as a sheep pasture. Posts set along the 

 wall, with barbed wire strung along inside just along the 

 iop of the wall makes a very good enclosure. 



The wool from sheep always finds a ready market at 

 standard prices with the commission dealers of Boston, 

 and mutton, if well fatted, will bring satisfactory prices- 

 Here the speaker spoke of the price of early spring lambs. 

 In the month of March from $d to $13 can be obtained for 

 a lamb weighing from 18 to 28 lbs. For years the 

 speaker had averaged i 8 or $9 for his lambs right through. 

 To secure the best prices for lambs they should be 

 dropped in Jaimary or the first ten days in February. 

 Ewes after dropping their lambs should "be fed with shorts, 

 ground oats, linseed oil meal, or something to keep a good 

 flow of milk to fatten their lambs. There is little or no 

 danger in overfeeding ewes that have just dropped their 

 lambs. He shears his sheep in March with great success, 

 hnt would not recommend the plan to others where extreme 

 care cannot be taken of them. 



