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NEAV ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov, 



A DISCUSSION ON SHEEP. 



One of the best features attending the State 

 Fairs of the country is that of agricultural dis- 

 cussion by gentlemen from all parts of the State. 

 These meetings are held in the evening, and in 

 every respect have a most happy influence upon 

 the cause. They excite a new love for it, — they 

 instruct those who attend, and stimulate men to 

 a greater interest in the State Society, and bring 

 the members before each other in discussion and 

 social intercourse, and produce a brotherhood of 

 feeling in the profession throughout the entire 

 State. How much better than "a hall in the even- 

 i?j^,". which runs through the night and unfits 

 persons for the duties of the next day. We found 

 the practice of evening discussion current in 

 Maine, when we were there last year, and thought 

 it then one of the most delightful and influential 

 features of the show. We hope they will become 

 common all over the land. 



From the Prairie Farmer we give below part 

 of a discussion upon the subject of sheep, which 

 occurred at the recent MicJiigan State Fair: 



Mr. RosENSTlEL, of Stevenson, claimed sheep 

 to be profitable as weed-destroyers, money-mak- 

 ers and manure-producers. They ate the weeds 

 that other stock would not eat, and thus rid and 

 kept a farm rid of them. They v/ere money- 

 makers in many ways. They gave the farmer 

 money for their wool, just before harvest — a time 

 it is much needed. In the fall or winter they 

 brought in an income on their wool. By raising 

 sheep we will create home manufactories, and the 

 money sent out of the country for broadcloths, 

 &c., would be kept at home. As manure-produ- 

 cers, their value is proverbial. Ten sheep would 

 do as well in the same pastures as one cow would. 

 They afforded a great luxury in always providing 

 fresh, wholesome meat. That with fruit and 

 sheep, a man may live well without doctor's bills. 



The French had been the most profitable with 

 him, but he would not advise others which to se- 

 lect. Castrate the bucks young. Give the sheep 

 sheds, dry land and feed-racks. 



Mr. GoHHAM, of Will. — Sheep should be in 

 good order Avhen cold weather commences. It 

 will take less feed to make a sheep in good order 

 and keep it so during the winter, than to keep a 

 poor sheep from dying in cold weather. Spanish 

 had been the most profitable with him ; they are 

 tougher and live longer. 



He feeds half a bushel of corn per day to 100 

 sheep. He keeps from two to six bells on his 

 sheep, and thinks it a preventive against dogs. 

 His sheep are not killed, while his adjoining 

 neighbor who has no bells on his sheep, loses 

 many. French are not near as prolific as Span- 

 ish. He told his own experience by stating facts 

 and figures, showing sheep-raising to be a very 

 profitable business. 



Here Mr. Clarke, of Lake Co., who had at- 

 tended the farmer's club in his own neighborhood, 

 until he was able to ask questions that showed 

 farmer's clubs to be very beneficial, seemed to 

 prove by his questioning, that the wool of the 



sheep did not, on an average, more than pay a fair 

 interest upon the capital invested. 



Mr. MuRTFELT, of Ogle. — The gentleman seems 

 to think he has made a point ; but in reckoning 

 the capital invested, he has spoken of the price 

 of imported sheep, and then reckoned his income 

 upon the average of the mixed breed. I would 

 say that Mr. Rosenstiel had one buck from which 

 he sheared 2(3.^ pounds. And the gentleman's 

 point is, that the wool does not pay more than a 

 fair interest. Let him remember that the wether 

 brings hini seven dollars for mutton. And, be- 

 sides the mutton, think of the manure. Why, in 

 Germany, a man pays from two to three dollars 

 per night to have a drove of three hundred sheep 

 stay on his fields one night. 



He went on to cite several instances showing 

 that men engaged in general husbandry, were 

 successful, and men who applied themselves whol- 

 ly to any one branch, failed. He said that sheep 

 paid. And as they did pay, he advised adding 

 raising as another branch of farming, in order to 

 help make a general husbandry. 



He wound if]) with glowing assertions as to the 

 prosperity, happiness and independence of the 

 American farmer engaged in general husbandry. 



Mr. Clark, of Lake. — In our part of the coun- 

 try we have board fences, and after careful and 

 accurate calculations, our farmer's club has come 

 to the conclusion that sheep-raising will not pay 

 there on a large scale. According to the calcu- 

 lations of our club, dairying is the most profita- 

 ble branch of farming. But if women are scarce, 

 horses and sheep pay as well as mixed husbandry. 



Mr. Bauder, of Winnebago. — \n 1854, he paid 

 SI'JO for two ewes and a buck. It has proved 

 one of the best investments he ever made. He 

 does not feed much grain. In the fore part of 

 winter, he feeds them the tops of his corn. In- 

 stead of grain he feeds roots. His fleeces aver- 

 age eight pounds of clean wool. He has on ex- 

 hibition five fleeces which weigh fifty-three lbs. 

 His average sale price is 30 cents per pound. 



As his wool does not demand the usual price, 

 he has packed it away. He rolls it as tight as 

 possible and piles it in a dark room. In this 

 way, the wool will increase in weight during the 

 first six months, between three and four per cent. 

 He considers the second cross between full bloods 

 and hearty coarse sheep as useful to the farmer as 

 full bloods. Prefers the Cotswold. Sheep pay 

 better than anything else according to his obser- 

 vation and experience. Makes his wethers weigh 

 100 pounds at three years old. Sells the mutton 

 from $6 to $8, pelt $1, tallow 40 to 50 cents. 



Mr. Moss, of Boone, again urged the advan- 

 tage of sheep in killing weeds. The farmer has 

 nothing to sell of which he can transport $100 

 woi'th as cheap as wool. Considers Spanish the 

 best. Feeds plenty of grain. Thinks sheaf oats 

 good feed for sheep. Sows rye for pasture. It 

 does well. Considers shoulders the best part of 

 fleece. 



Mr, A. Richmond, Whitewater, Wis. — Bought 

 sheep on time, and with the good care he gave 

 them, he was able to pay for them out of the pro- 

 ceeds of the first shearing. Has a buck strongly 

 tinctured with Spanish that shears 11 pounds. 



Bought a ewe that sheared Q>\ pounds. By 

 good care and breeding to his buck, the next year 

 herself and lamb sheared 21^ pounds. The flock 



