528 



NEW ENGLAND FAR^fER. 



Nov. 



WOOL QHOWINQ IN CALIFOBN'^A. 



Sheep breeding, both for wool and mutton, 

 is an important branch of agriculture in Los 

 Angeles and Santa Barbara Counties, as well 

 as in other parts of California. The climate 

 is peculiarly fivorable to sheep. As they 

 need scarcely any shelter or cultivated food, 

 they are kept at much less expense than in 

 our cold northern latitudes. Having the 

 mountain ranges, diseases so prevalent in 

 other localities are almost unknowo among 

 them. The breeding of sheep for their wool, 

 as I was informed, was first commenced in 

 California by Mr. W. W. Hollester in 1853 

 Having but little of this world's goods, he was 

 forced to become a borrower for his first pur- 

 <'hase of sheep. He is now the owner of a 

 flock of fifty thousand, and of an immense 

 landed estate fitted for sheep raising, embrac- 

 ing several leagues, all arising from the profits 

 of his sheep. The success of Mr. H. in the 

 breeding of sheep for their wool, was soon 

 followed by that of numbers of others in dif- 

 ferent parts of the State. The exportation of 

 wool Irom California (commencing in 1855 

 with 86U,0'jO pounds) is computed the pres- 

 ent year at over 18.000,000 pounds. A large 

 propunion of the cheap foot- hills and moun- 

 tain ranges of California being admirably 

 adapted ito sheep breeding, this important 

 branch of husbandry will doubtless for year-i 

 to come be largely increased. The quality of 

 wool is being constant!}' improved by judicious 

 crosses with imported bucks. — Cor. Micliigan 

 Farmer. 



POULTKY. 



We make the following extracts from the 

 Repoits of Poultry Committees at the Fairs 

 of the North Worcester and Bristol Counties, 

 Mass., in 1869:— 



Last winter I procured two barrels of bone, 

 intending to use it for Irish potatoes and other 

 garden crops. My wife appropriated some of 

 ic for her roses in the flower garden, by sim- 

 ply strewing it on the surface of the ground 

 around the bushes. The fowls have free ac- 

 cess to the garden and were discovered eating 

 the meal very eagerly. Thinking it might be 

 of service to them, we gave them some, for 

 several weeks, and I assure }ou, it was but a 

 short cimf. btfore the eggs began to come in 

 such numbers as we had never known before. 

 If a nest was broken up to prevent a hen from 

 !-ining, it was but a few days before she was 

 laying again, and thus it continues to the 

 present lime. One hen has faken possession 

 of a barrel ihat has some bone meal m it, and 

 is la}ing in the meal. Whether she will lay 

 the barrel full or not, time will show. 



My wife thinks that care and bone meal are 

 great institutions for her poultry yard, aud 

 very extraordinary in their effect ; but as the 

 hens have an unusual amount of cackling to 



do, fears it may bring on bronchitis. The 

 manuring of hens to make them lay, we think 

 is original, but we have no idea of taking out 

 a patent for it, and hence leave the discovery 

 open to the use of all who may choose^ to try 

 it. — Worcester Report. 



The noble family of Game fowls was repre- 

 sented by ten coops, many of them of great 

 beauty. There is, p«wrhaps, no breed more 

 truly valuable for the firmer than the Game. 

 Its good qualities are so evenly balanced, 

 that for general purposes, it has no superior, 

 perhaps no equnl. The hens are excellent 

 layers, the best of sitters and mothers, being 

 active, vigilant and fearless. They are also 

 remarkably hardy. The cocks are very gal- 

 lant, seldom or never taking a dislike to one 

 of the flock, and persecuting her unceanngly, 

 as is not unfrequently the case with many 

 other breeds. They are brave but not quarrel- 

 some, seeming to feel conscious of their supe- 

 rior strength and skill, and as if disdaining to 

 engage foemen unworthy of their steel. 



There can be no doubt that the demand for 

 eggs and poultry in all our large towns and 

 cities is rapidly increasing. The quantity of 

 egffs consumed in the city of New York for 

 culinary purposes, must be at least 500,000 

 egqs per day. In addition to this there has 

 sprung up, within a few years, a large de- 

 mand from the manufacturers of albumenized 

 paper for photographic purposes. One estab- 

 lishment in New York alone, consuming 900,- 

 000 per annum. — Bristol Report. 



CROSB-BEEEDINQ SHEEP. 



My experience has led me to these con- 

 clusions : — 



1. That generally the sire had most influ- 

 ence on the qualities of the fleece, and the 

 dam gave the nutritive system. 



2. The superiority in the growth of fleece 

 and flesh depends upin a sufficiency, if not an 

 excess, in the activity of power of the nutri- 

 tive system; and that the best butcher's 

 lambs and fleeces can be obtained from ewes 

 of the long wool, mutton breeds with Merino 

 rams. 



3. To engraft a long and rapidly growing 

 wool upon a carcass which has not a nutritive 

 system capable of surplus flesh, is to imperil 

 both fleece and flesh, and that you cannot get 

 really good butcher's lambs from Mermo 

 ewes, whatever may be the sire. But to 

 utilize the almost worthless flocks of Merinos 

 which now exist, Leicester rams would be the 

 most successful cross. 



4. That there are advantages in crossing 

 the Leicester with Merino rams — that we 

 should obtain a hardier breed, one that would 

 thrive better than the Leicester in our short 

 pastures and fickle climate, that would vield a 

 fit lamb when four months old — a flaece un- 

 diminished in weight, and wool adapted for 

 delains, and of most desirable quality for gen- 



