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THE SHEEP BUSINESS: 
Shall Merino Growers Stick to their Sheep f 
Shall Merino growers stick to their 
sheep, or exchange them for or cross them 
with other breeds, or abandon sheep hus¬ 
bandry altogether? These questions have 
come to ns in many forms within the last 
few months; and we propose now briefly 
to answer them—giving rather our adopted 
conclusions than re-stating the familiar sta¬ 
tistics and other arguments on which they 
are based. The expediency of taking either 
of the above courses depends, in our judg¬ 
ment, chiefly on circumstances. 
We may start with two general proposi¬ 
tions:—First, That in densely populated 
regions where the farms are generally com¬ 
paratively small and highly cultivated ; 
where sheep are kept in comparatively 
small numbers and ns parts of a sound sys¬ 
tem of convertible husbandry; where they 
can be supplied from the farm with abund¬ 
ant and nutritious food during all periods 
of the year, and where they can be skilfully 
and properly managed, English long-wools 
are in the present state of the wool and 
mutton markets the most profitable breed 
of sheep. Second, That where these gene¬ 
ral conditions are reversed, where sheep are 
kept in large numbers on farms devoted 
chiefly to pasturage, and where it is not 
practicable or convenient to divide them 
into small flocks—or where they are liable 
to get but very scanty feed during summer 
drouths, and have no reserved store of extra 
feed to fall back upon during the severities 
of winter—or where they are managed in 
the careless, unskillful way too common 
among a large class of American farmers, 
the Merino is more profitable than the long- 
wool sheep. 
A large proportion of farmers and grow¬ 
ers do not exhibit distinctly all the condi¬ 
tions most favorable or unfavorable to eit her 
of the above breeds of sheep. Every grower, 
then, must weigh and decide for himself in 
which direction those conditions preponder¬ 
ate. Each oue will find local or special 
circumstances, or circumstances affecting 
him individually—not included in the pre¬ 
ceding enumeration—which should be care¬ 
fully taken into account.. But. lie should 
beware of overestimating merely temporary 
circumstances. 
There is no doubt that the interests of in¬ 
dividuals and the public require an exten¬ 
sion of mutton and long wool production, 
and the rapid extension which has taken 
place since the enactment, of the tariff of 
1867 lias proceeded on the solid basis of de¬ 
mand and supply. And there is a margin 
yet to he filled in the supply. It does not 
yet 'meet the demand. The tariff of 1867 
came to build up the coarse wool and there¬ 
by the mutton interest; It only came to save 
the fine wool interest from impending de¬ 
struction. It found the domestic supply of 
combiug wools wholly inadequate to meet 
the domestic demand—but a handful, so to 
speak, of combing wool sheep in the coun¬ 
try—and no excess of foreign competition 
to squeeze flown prices. On the other hand, 
it found the country overstocked with 
woolens sufficient to keep down prices for 
two or three years, the supply of flue wools 
of the quality chiefly consumed exceeding 
the existing demand, and a foreign compe¬ 
tition (fostered to enormous dimensions by 
our war demand) so excessive that the 
foreign grower, shut out by our tariff, was 
compelled to glut the markets of Europe 
with wool at prices unremuiterative to him¬ 
self, but which enabled the European manu¬ 
facturer to compete with the American 
manufacturer to an extent which still in¬ 
juriously affected the price of our domestic 
fine wools. 
This state of things was necessarily a tran¬ 
sient one if the wool and woolen tariff con¬ 
tinued to stand — for the foreign grower 
wol ild not and could not continue to pro¬ 
duce wools without profit. He kept up the 
struggle, however, in the hope that our tariff 
would, as usual, be soon repealed or modi¬ 
fied, The skin wool evasion, until it was 
stopped, gave him a strong gleam of hope, 
and prolonged the struggle. But the signs 
now are that it is beginning to draw to a close. 
Bv flip above general and many minor hi¬ 
dden at causes, the natural relations of prices 
between coarse and fine wools have been 
upset. Coarse wools have obtained an un¬ 
precedented ascendency in prices. And the 
multitude, as usual, are ready to believe that 
What Inis been “up” in the market for two 
or three years will always stay tip— and what 
is “down” will stay down. Consequently 
t ieie is a mania for English sheep, aud the 
hncy is widely entertained by that floating 
ina."-, speculating farmers who always 
c ia.se* the Inst, new thing and ride the last 
hobby, that tbe Merino is to he wholly 
superseded by the mutton sheep in this conn- 
fy-tbat ibe former is “ played out.” What 
^ tl,e v »lueof mutton in our markets 
* l e sheep iu our country were mutton 
sheep ? What would be the price of comb¬ 
ing wools, if our whole product was combing 
wool ? The last question becomes more sig¬ 
nificant. when we consider that the consump¬ 
tion of combing wool reaches only about one- 
fifth the consumption of clothing wool. 
If the wool and wooleu tariff stands, both 
industries will ultimately flourish, and they 
will assimilate nearer together in profit, as 
the proportion of supply to demand in each 
assimilates. There is room for both. Es¬ 
sentially there is no competition between 
them. Nay. we believe they aid each other. 
We will now answer our first question: 
“ Shall Merino growers stick to their sheep ?” 
We would not stick to them under circum¬ 
stances clearly the most favorable to mutton 
sheep, nor would we stick to mutton sheep 
under circumstances clearly the most favor¬ 
able to Merino sheep. Under no conditions 
would we sacrifice really choice Blieep of 
either breed. Especially would we not do it 
in the case of the Merino. Choice mutton 
sheep can at. any time be imported from 
England. The hardy, heavy-wooled Amer¬ 
ican Merino—which it has taken fifty years 
of careful improvement to form and establish 
—which is so peculiarly adapted to our cli¬ 
mate and wants, if allowed to become ex¬ 
tinct, could not be re-supplied from any 
other country, and its loss would he an irre¬ 
parable one. If wool continues to be ad¬ 
equately protected, the time is not distant 
when all our choice Merino flocks will he 
needed to breed rams for the great wool- 
growing flocks of the West and South, and 
for innumerable smaller flocks in all portions 
of our country. 
-■*-*-*- 
LONG WOOLS AND FINE WOOLS. 
I am a reader of your excellent paper, 
and am much interested in its columns. 
There has been a discussion in it in regard 
t.o the merits of the long wools, as com¬ 
pared to the Merinos. As 1 have Imd some 
experience iu these matters, l would like 
for the benefit of my brother farmers (but 
not for controversy) t.o give the results of 
my experience, for I think some of your 
correspondents are prejudiced. 
Three years ago last fall, seeing the direc¬ 
tion the sheep fever was taking, I went to 
Canada and purchased a car load of long 
wooled sheep, and among the number were 
some lambs, from prize flocks, and some of 
them had just been awarded first prizes, as 
Cotswolds and Leicesters. For these Iambs 
I paid high prices. I disposed of most of 
the common ones, keeping eleven ewe lambs 
and one ram lamb. They were the finest 
lot, I hud ever seen. I put these lambs with 
my Merino lambs, about thirty in number, 
and fed the best of hay and a little grain, 
and occasionally a feed of ruta bagas through 
the winter. They grew finely, and aver¬ 
aged at. shearing nine pounds unwashed 
wool per head. 
They had good pasture with the cows 
through the summer following, and in the 
fall they were bouncers, weighing 200 pounds 
or over, each. I put the buck with them at 
proper time, fed much as the previous win¬ 
ter, all looked very fine, and I was very proud 
of them. Now comes disappointment, num¬ 
ber one. I supposed each would raise me a 
good lamb, and perhaps two, as I was told 
this w*as often the case. Well, after con¬ 
siderable nursing I raised four lambs from 
the eleven ewes (my Merinos about the same 
per cent.) At shearing they averaged about 
six pounds per head. 
What is the reason of my bad luck ? I 
asked myself. I thought I had given too 
good care. I turned them with my Merinos 
through the summer, and wintered them 
with the Merinos the Pillowing vyinter, which 
was a year ago last winter. Mv hay, like 
my neighbors', was very poor, my grain crop 
sliort. I thought my sheep too fat, and that 
they could get along without any grain. (I 
never feed my Merinos grain in r.he winter.) 
And now comes disappointment number 
two, three, four and more. My Long Wools 
ran down poor before I knew it, and before 
summer thirty-three per cent. died. It seemed 
they had become weak, and the best care 
would not raise them. The Merinos held 
their own very well. 
The Long Wools raised two lambs, and 
poor ones at that. When I sheared them I 
could have taken their fleeces and used them 
for sheep skins. They were completely mat¬ 
ted together. Two men could hardly pull 
them apart. I put tin* sheep in good pasture, 
and sold them last fall for what I could get. 
Now.it maybe said that lam prejudiced 
against Long Wools, hut I think not. But I 
have drawn the following conclusions: 
That they will not stand hard usage, poor 
feed, and in no case will they stand hard 
times us well as the Merinos. 
That t he same causes that caused Merinos 
to lose their lambs, caused Long Wools to 
do the same. That they will be crowded 
from racks or troughs, by Merinos less than 
half their weight 
That they never ought to run with Meri¬ 
nos, for they need better feed aud care than 
Merinos. 
That this talk ubout smell is nousense, for 
they will do well with Merinos if they have 
plenty of room and feed. Mine, however, 
would keep by themselves iu the field. 
Now to any good, careful farmer who 
wants noble animals aud is willing to take 
good care of them summer and winter, get 
some good Leicester or Cotswolds, for they 
are as good a machine to turn feed into 
mutton and combing wool (which, by the 
way, is as valuable as any) that I know of. 
But the man who is not. willing to bestow 
more care on his sheep than the majority of 
American farmers, had better let them 
alone, for they will surely rapidly deterio¬ 
rate under such care. 
Now, a word for the Meriuos, and I close 
this now too long article. In my opinion 
there is no domestic animal that will live 
aud thrive under as many adverse circum¬ 
stances, endure as much starvation, and 
adapt itself to as many conditions of life and 
extremes of climate, us the Merino sheep. 
And I would further say that the good 
American Merino is not that gumtny, greasy 
animal our long wool friend describes. 
Many have bred for these heavy greasy 
fleeces, but such sheep are not hardy. Light 
shearers of cleansed wool, in my judgment, 
should he discarded. The Meriuo 19 no 
more subject to scab and other diseases than 
Long Wools. I advise farmers to try both 
kiuds, hut don’t give too much for Long 
Wools, as many are doing, and many have 
done with the fine wools.—R. D., in Western 
Rural. 
mgremc lirfarmation. 
OFFENSIVE BREATH. 
The popular term “ had breath ” is a very 
significant, expression for this unpleasant 
condition. What is more offensive to the 
acute olfactory sense than a fetid breath ? It 
engenders a feeling of aversion and disgust, 
which is not readily overcome. 
Great care should be exercised in keeping 
the mouth free from all extraneous sub¬ 
stances. After each meal, a quill or ivory 
toothpick should be used to remove any ali¬ 
ment that may have become lodged in the 
teeth during the process of mastication, and 
the mouth rinsed with tepid, soft water. 
Every night, previous to retiring, the teeth 
should be cleansed with a soft tooth-brush 
and water. As a rule, tooth pastes and pow¬ 
ders should he eschewed as'harmful agents. 
If a dentifrice is desired, a little fine toilet 
soap, or charcoal reduced to an impalpable 
powder, may be used. This is all that will 
bo required. Decayed teeth are a very pro¬ 
lific source of mephitic breath. As soon as 
it is ascertained that a tooth is affected, it, 
should have immediate attention from some 
competent dentist. 
Carious teeth are often the source of seri¬ 
ous functional and general disturbance. It 
sometimes occurs that persons with a num¬ 
ber of defective teeth are constantly ailing 
with either gastric or nervous troubles, when, 
upon a removal of these unsound members, 
all the unpleasant symptoms promptly dis¬ 
appear. 
It may be well to give a word of caution 
in regard to diet; by irregularities in eating, 
the digestive functions become impaired, 
and for want of proper digestion, the ali¬ 
ment, undergoes zymotic change, during 
which process noxious gases are evolved, 
aud cause a foul breath. When oases arise 
from disease, it, is either of the. stomach, 
lungs, or the respiratory passages. In these 
cases a physician should bo consulted at 
once. 
Many substances are. in vogue to sweeten 
the breath, and to disguise any unpleasant 
scent, as of spirits, tobacco, etc. With the 
vulgar it is custom!iry to use some pungent 
aromatic, ns doves, etc., hut this savors too 
Strongly of the drinking bar to he used by 
any tint tipplers. The following, used ns an 
occasional mouth-wash, will he found excel¬ 
lent. Take chlorate of potash, Lliree drachms, 
and dissolve in eight ounces of rose or other 
medicated water. As an article with which 
to flavor the breath, there is probably noth¬ 
ing equal to the Wild Ginger (Asurum Can¬ 
adensis) It is used by chewing a small por¬ 
tion of the root, or if in powder, it can he 
made into a lozenge. It imparts to the breath 
an agreeable, spicy aroma .—Dental Register. 
-— 
HYGIENIC NOTES. 
MINK CULTURE. 
Description of n Minkery at Verona, N. Y. 
Remedy for Catarrh. 
I notice that a remedy for catarrh is de¬ 
sired. I send one I have tried with good 
success: — Snuff strong salt water threo 
times a day; druw up into the nostrils from 
the palm of the hand all that can be taken, 
then close the no&irils and retain the salt 
water as long as it can he endured. It is 
quite painful, but the cure depends wholly 
upon this. Cleanse the part affected thor¬ 
oughly each time it is used. — Rustic In¬ 
valid. 
t.tver ns Food. 
This California Scientific Press says: 
“ We cannot too strongly denounce the use 
of liver and kidneys as food for man. These 
organs are constantly charged with the 
worn out, excmncnlilious mailers of the 
system, the presence of which, when rightly 
understood, are disgustingly offensive to the 
taste. Their presence is evinced by the fact 
that these portions of an animal are always 
the parts first subject lo decomposition. 
They make very good food for hens and 
dogs; but for man—never!" 
Prompted by several inquiries in the 
Rural New-Yorker for information con¬ 
cerning the managing, cost ami profit, of 
minkeries, I desire to give your readers the, 
benefit of what I know of mink-raising. In 
doing 3o I shall aim to convey as truthful 
and accurate an idea of the subject as is 
possible to do in the brevity so necessary in 
such a paper as the Rural New-Yorker. 
The business of mink propagation is des¬ 
tined to become one of importance from the 
fact that the mink iu its wild state will soon 
become entirely extinct, judging from its 
present rapid destruction, also, that its for 
being so valuable, it will always command a 
good price. The practice of domesticating 
the mink is comparatively new ; at least it is 
only a few years since the first minkery 1 
ever heard of was brought to my notice. 
Within the lust five years many attempts 
to establish successful minkeries have proved 
abortive,—chiefly from lack of knowledge of 
the natural instincts, and requirements of the 
animal. 
The habits of the mink in its wild state 
are such that it requires many years of ex¬ 
perience, and close observation to learn their 
many habits, tastes, instincts and traits ; for 
in ways that are dark they are an intricate 
study. 
The most successful minkery known Is 
that of Mr. Henry Rkssequb, a few rods 
west of the New York Central Railroad 
depot at Verona, N. Y, This gentleman 
has trapped and hunted minks for thirty*five 
years, and in his long and varied experience 
has acquired a store of mink lore equal to 
that of any other man. While passing 
through the vicinity of Verona a short time 
since, I made the acquaintance of Mr. Res- 
seque; received and accepted his invitation 
to visit his minkery, and was interested to 
hear his descriptions and theories in regard 
to his pot subject.. He says he does not at¬ 
tempt to tonne the wild mink, but oidy aims 
to supply for it in a small space all the ne¬ 
cessities of its natural instincts. He says 
the mating season commences about the 
first, of March, and lasts two weeks, never 
varying much from that, date. The female 
carries her young about six weeks. Iu the 
minkery, where diet, water, temperature, 
etc., aro similar with each animal, there is 
so little difference in the time of mating and 
time of bearing young in different, animals, 
that five out of six litters dropped last spring 
were born within twelve bourn of each 
other. The young are blind from four to 
five weeks, but are very active, and playful 
as kittens. The mother weans them at 
from eight to ten weeks old. At four weeks 
the mother begius to feed them meat; this 
they learn t,o suck before they have teeth to 
eat it. The nests in which the young are 
born are lined by the mother with soft ma¬ 
terial, and are made in the hollow of some 
old slump, or between the projecting roots 
of some old tree, and always where it is per¬ 
fectly dry. The nest, is located near pure 
running water, which the mother visits 
twice every twenty-four hours. She feeds 
her young on frogs, fish, birds, mice, crabs, 
etc., etc. 
The mink is from birth a pattern of neat¬ 
ness and cleanliness, and as soon as a nest 
begins to get foul and offensive, she takes 
one of the young in her mouth, and deposit¬ 
ing it in a clean, suitable place, builds a nest 
about it, and Ihen brings the balance of the 
litter. She feeds and cares for them until 
they are three and a-lmlf or four months old. 
When the young are weaned, about the 10th 
of July, she builds her nest near the water, 
in which the young soon learn to play. 
There are usually four in a Jitter, though the 
number ranges from two to six. Towards 
fall the mother separates them into pairs. 
One pair—or if the number he odd, the odd 
one—is left in the uest; the other pair, or 
pairs, she places often half a mile from each 
other, aud then seeks new quarters for her¬ 
self. The young soon separate, and each 
one catches his own frogs. They do not 
pair, but the male is a sort of rover and free- 
lover. 
Minks are unsociable, petulant, vicious in 
play, savage iu war. Late iu the fall they 
establish regular runways from one stream 
to another, and usually under brush, fallen 
trees, weeds, swale and under banks—any¬ 
where, in fact, where they can avoid the 
sunshine and escape the chances of observa¬ 
tion. The mink is a sure prophet, and just 
before hard winter begins, 1m lays by a store 
of food for the winter in safe places, near his 
winter nests, of which lie has several. As 
the snows fall he burrows under tile snow, 
where he remains until about February, 
when his supply of Ibod is exhausted and he 
is forced to search further for food. 
The Minkery at Verona 
is simply an open yard, with a hoard wall 
six feet high, and perfectly tight. It is so 
made that they can neither dig under, nor 
climb over. In fact the mink rarely digs, 
although he often takes refuge in holes dug 
by other animals. Mr. Ressequk’s yard is 
about fifty feet square. This is divided 
into nine separate compartments, so that 
each mother mink is kept secure by herself, 
for they are sure to fight aud the young ones 
be destroyed, if more than one mother be 
kept iu a stall. Every stall contains a spring 
of fresh, soft water, covered with boards, 
and reached by diving holes, so that each 
mink has an abundance of pure, soft water, 
fresh air, desirable shade, and plenty of ex¬ 
ercise. These conditions secure lo the mink 
a good quality of dark fur, and good health. 
Brush, weeds, etc., are allowed to grow in 
the yard, but not near enough the wall to 
admit of their climbing up und out. 
Mr. Resseque says he has never paid a 
cent for food for his minks. In winter they 
are fed all they will eat of beefs heads, 
lights, liver, etc., and in spring on deaconed 
calves, woodchucks, etc., on which they 
become very fat. Putrid meat they abomi¬ 
nate. A t middle of February Mr. Ressequb 
puts his minks on short allowance, for if too 
fat they will not breed. Two males are kept 
to guard against accident, lo one. Mr. 
Resseque has been in the business threo 
years, and has lost only two litters. Every 
female in bis yard, with one exception, has 
produced a litter every spring. And by his 
mode of treatment and care the litters 
averaged at least six, although they often 
exceed that number; two minks now in his 
yard have nineteen — mothers and kittens 
doing well! He expects to raise over fifty 
minks this season, aud although he has none 
for sale yet he is daily in receipt of orders. 
Thirty dollars per pair is the lowest price 
offered, aud he is confident of making his 
venture a complete success. He says he 
considers one female mink worth more than 
the best cow in the world, and believes he 
can raise mink as cheaply as he can raise 
Brahma chickens. 
I have spoken of Mr. Resskque’s minkery 
in particular because having had large ex¬ 
perience in his chosen line, ho has been so 
far quite successful. Full particulars of the 
management, necessities and requirements 
f mink culture would fill an ordinary 
p nnphlot, so that, iu this case I have been 
compelled t.o omit very much that would be 
of interest, to the amateur miukist. 
Mr. Rehseque’s minkery comes nearer 
supplying the known wants and tastes of 
the mink, than any other I have yet seen. 
The yard, its peculiar construction; the 
springs, the runways and covered water¬ 
courses; the shade, food and manner of 
feeding; the boxes aud nests and general 
treatment, are all in strict accordance with 
the instincts of these curious and valuable 
little animals, so far as is known of them; for 
to those Who have not studied long and de¬ 
votedly, the mink is a perfect enigma. 
Salina, N. Y. W. A. C. 
toim-mxb. 
PIG-PEN PAPERS. 
A Chester White In Trouble. 
About a year and a-half ago I sold my 
brother a very fine Chester White hoar pig. 
He grew very fast and did well till he was 
about eight months old; then he seamed to 
be a little lame in his fore legs, and acted 
very much like a person with the rheuma¬ 
tism. He could hardly get on his feet, and 
walked very stiff till he had moved around 
some; then he could walk better. By reg¬ 
ulation of feed, the pig was reduced pretty 
low in flesh, aud he got some better, but did 
not get well. After this he was fed a little 
higher, so as to keep him in a reasonably 
good condition. Now, when he first at¬ 
tempts to get up, lie walks on his kuees, after 
which he will get up on his feet and put his 
nose on the ground and bear part of his 
weight that way till after he moves around a 
while, and then he will walk better; hut he 
lies around most of the time. He gets up 
ami cuts, and Ibeu lies down again. He 
seems healthy In every other respect, aud is 
a very flue, large, well built hog. I would 
like to know what bis disease is, and if there 
is any remedy.—J. A. R., Delaware , 0. 
Let experienced swineherds answer. 
What Ailn my Shoat t 
One of ray hogs is troubled with some¬ 
thing similar to influenza, if I may so speak. 
When it lias run a short distance it will 
breathe with its mouth open, and makes a 
noise as though its windpipe was almost 
closed; hut as soon as it. rests a short time I 
can discover no difficulty with its breathing. 
It thrives as well as, the others, and eats 
heartily. Will some one tell me the cause 
of its ailment and a cure for the same ?— l. a. 
Keurinu Plus by Haml, 
I wisn lo inquire how to raise lit tie pigs ta¬ 
ken from the sow when only a few hours old. 
I have a fine sow, but she has had bad luck 
raising her pigs, and I have tried to do it for 
her liy feeding the pigs cow’s milk—from 
one to two tablespoon fulls every hour, using 
for one lot the milk of a now rnilcli cow, 
and for another lot that of a cow not fresh. 
I failed both times.— W. H. B., Fremont, 
Sandusky Co., 0. 
