THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
their foliage must render them very at¬ 
tractive during the autumn months. As com¬ 
pared with the magnolias during their season 
of bloom, I would say that I do not consider 
the flowers of the dogwood as showy as those 
of the magnolias; but they last a great while 
longer, and I consider this quite a point in 
their favor. However, it one has the room, I 
advise him to plant both dogwoods and mag¬ 
nolias, as they are excellent lawu trees, aud at 
all times perfectly free from all insect pasts. 
I can most cheerfully indorse all that Horti- 
cola has said (page 208) in praise of Ipomsea 
Learii, and am much pleased to see that an at¬ 
tempt is being made to bring this beautiful 
climber into more general cultivation. If 
given a deep, well enriched horder, and a 
liberal supply of water at its roots during sea¬ 
sons of drought, it can, with a littlec are and 
attention, be so trained as to cover an im¬ 
mense space. I do not know whether Horti- 
cola’s experience agrees with mine or not, but 
I have noticed that the older the plants are, 
the more flowers they produce. Although I 
do not grow the plant now, I have always 
been successful in wintering itover, by placing 
it in the warmest part of the greenhouse. 
Water was very sparingly given, the object 
being to keep the plant in a dormant state. 
The White tipped Scarlet Turnip Radish is 
certainly ■\flery handsome and attractive in 
appearance when properly prepared for the 
table. Moreover, it is as early as any, and of 
mild and excellent flavor. As to its merits as 
a market variety, I know nothing, but for the 
amateur cultivator, I can certainiv commend 
it as one of the best early radishes in cultiva¬ 
tion. 
Rose, Queen of Bedders is certainly not of 
much use for cut-flower work, but for bedding 
purposes, it is certainly unequaled, as it is the 
freest summer blooming rose T know of. The 
flowers are of a bright dark crimson color, 
but they are not full enough to be of any 
value for cutting. chas. e. parnkll. 
Queens, L. I. 
%hap ijitslumin). 
$uv»I Wwtcvu |T. |jtntt £}otc.$. 
RAISING WINTER LAMBS. 
QUICK RETURNS. 
In England,on land worth from $100 to $500 
per acre, it has been demonstrated over and 
over again, that in no way can the fertility of 
the soil be maintained at so little actual ex¬ 
pense as by the feeding of sheep; and our 
experience convinces us that the same is true 
iu this country where land is worth from 
nothing to $200 per acre. Cows are kept and" 
milk sold realizing only one or two cents per 
quart, and the production and sale of milk 
carry from the farm largequantitlesof itsmost 
expensive mauurial elements—its phosphates 
and nitrates. Steers are raised and sold, their 
whole return being their value for beef, while 
in the growth auddevelopment or their frames 
and bodies lurge quantities of these same expen¬ 
sive elements are removed. While the sheep 
take from the soil no more of its valuable 
material than the steer in proportion to its 
weight, it annually returns a fleece which, at 
present low' prices, will average one dollar; 
it will give a lamb, aud, when fattened, will 
yield as large a proportion of meat,as thesteer, 
which will sell for more per pound and at less 
cost of production. 
The farmers in the newer portions of the 
country will do wisely to hold on to their 
flocks, taking every pains to weed out and 
improve them by a careful system of breed¬ 
ing. The time is not far distant when prices 
will Hgain advance, and even at the present 
low figures we can see notbiug that pays them 
better. The farmers of the older States, too, 
cau adopt a course uo more sensible tbau to 
purchase sheep and lambs of various ages aud 
by a wise system of wiQter-feeding, prepare 
them in the best manner for market, using 
their owu and purchased grains, and having 
the resulting manure for application to their 
fast wearing-out fields. Even should they do 
no more than have this tnauure as pay for 
their trouble, they should feel amply repaid. 
Where an available market exists, no 
branch of sheep keeping or feeding affords 
auy where near the profit offered by the rear¬ 
ing of winter lambs for an early market, and 
fattening the mother at the same time, in 
this system the food used goes to growing a 
lamb that always brings an exceptionally 
high price and to putting the ewe into good 
shape for meat, and all this at the expense of 
maintaining the machinery for the shortest 
possible time. In much less than a your we 
have the money returned from the whole out¬ 
lay and have a large part of the rich manure 
made, actually assisting iu gro wing crops. Of 
course the large and wealthy cities afford the 
best markets; but all the cities aud larger 
towns of this country afford markets that 
have as yet never been over stocked and are 
always growing, and crying for more,at prices 
that will pay well for the outlay of time and 
money. 
The best success in lamb raising depends 
npon certain conditions which cannot be 
ignored, and should be carefully considered. 
These are, first, the choice of breeders; sec 
ond, the time at which the lambs should be 
dropped; third, the quarters in which they 
are to be kept; fourth, the food to be supplied, 
and, fifth, care and regularity in feeding. 
BEST BREED. 
We have tried many kinds, both pure breeds 
and crosses, and have in every case found that 
the crosses will, all things considered, produce 
the best results. With the use of theCotswold, 
Leicester, and other coarse-wool ewes, we have 
found it impossible, by any treatment ever 
suggested, to cause them to receive the males 
before October, or later, depending much on 
the season, and thus bringing the lambs in 
March and later—too late for the highest 
prices. The Downs are not so marked in this 
respect, but even they are uncertain hefore 
the last of September. The pure-bred Merino 
is too small. Our best success has been with 
a ewe from half to three-fourths Merino with 
a quarter South Down or Shropshire, or when 
these cannot be readily secured, we select the 
ordinary Michigan ewes or those from Ohio or 
Iudiana. We have seen some very fine ew r es 
for this purpose from Northern Kentucky. 
Our first experience in selecting males was 
among the coarse breeds, Leicester and Cots- 
wold, etc. These we have rejected for three 
reasons: first, they will not pay sufficient 
attention to the ewes as early as we desire; 
second, their beads are all remarkably large 
and coarse, and this characteristic they impart 
very markedly to tbeir offspring; and, third, 
they have neither black faces nor legs. When 
we used these males we expected to lose at 
least three per cent, of the ewes in parturi¬ 
tion, on account of the enormous heads; and 
we were seldom disappointed by losing less; and 
while we do not suppose there is very much 
open before the middle of March, and in 
Chicago about March first. But everywhere 
there is a brisk call for them by St. Patrick’s 
Day, and from that time forward the de¬ 
mand is very large. 
The period of gestation in the ewe is about 
five months, and lambs of the cross we have 
indicated, if well fed, will weigh 60 pounds 
when from 55 to 70 days old, so knowing when 
we wish to be able to meet the market de¬ 
maud, it is easy to calculate when the sheep 
should be coupled: thus if we wish to com¬ 
mence to market by the first of March, the 
first of August would be none too soon; in our 
own case, since we have commenced to reach 
this city, we desire them as early as possible, 
even as soon as the middle of January, and 
we put a few ewes with the males as soon as 
the middle of June, selecting for this purpose 
any of the previous winter’s stock that may 
have happened, for any cause not a defect, 
not to get fat enough for the shambles; and 
the bulk of our ewes are coupled by the 
middle of July. 
HOW TO INDUCE EARLY BREEDING. 
Even with the best selection of ewes, the great¬ 
est obstacle to the rearing of very early lamb 3 is 
the difficulty in inducing the ewes to receive 
the attention of the males during the very 
warm weather. We have tried various meth¬ 
ods, sometimes with perfect success, and in 
others with a percentage of not over 60 
in 100 with lamb. Our best success was the re¬ 
sult of an accident, and from that we took a 
hint that has been worth much to us since. 
During the time of the railroad strikes several 
years ago, we were caught in Detroit with a 
couple of car loads of awes, and as no freight 
cars were allowed to be run by the strikers, 
our sheep were kept in the yards on the poor¬ 
est kind of dry swale hay and water, until we 
feared they would starve to death: but when 
we got them home and put them into good 
feed and put the males with them at once, a 
very large share got in lamb within two 
weeks. Taking the hint, we have since found 
that putting the ewes on very short feed, 
or in a barnyard on dry hay, for a short 
SHROPSHIRE SHEEP. (Re-engraved from the London Ag. Gazette.) Fig. 355. 
difference in the quality of meat, whether the 
animal has or has not a black face and legs, 
yet there is a demand for those having these 
features, and they have a money value of at 
least 50 cents iu each case, and this we cannot 
afford to overlook. The Oxford- Down has the 
black face and legs, but he has the misshapen 
head of bis Cotswold parent, and this disquali¬ 
fies him. Our best success has been with 
males of South Down and Shropshire; but, on 
the whole, we prefer the latter; he has a smaller 
head, a larger i>ody, and shorter legs, and he 
is the most persistent worker and the surest 
lamb-getter early iu the season. With either 
of these we do not lose one ewe in a season 
from difficulty in lambing. 
STYLE OF EWE. 
It is important that every ewe be examined 
and selected on her merit. She should be not 
less than two years past, in order that she may 
be able to provide for her lamb so as to bring 
him forward rapidly. She should not be over 
6ix years old, that she may be able to lay ou 
flesh to fit herself fur the shambles. She 
should be short legged, large-bodied, with a 
bright, healthy face. She should have a well- 
developed udder and a good set of teats; re¬ 
ject every ewe that has bad or brokeu teeth, 
or is iu auy way imperfect. The class of ewes 
above described, though less iu size than some 
others, will make much the best mothers, giv¬ 
ing a large quantity of much richer milk, aud 
in every case their lambs will be much the 
fattest and ready for the market iu advance of 
those from the larger and coarser breeds. 
WHEN TO COUPLE. 
The object should be to have the lambs 
dropped sufficiently early, so that they may 
be fat and large enough to weigh, alive, from 
50 to 60 pounds as soon as the market is ready 
for them. Iu New York, there is not a large 
call for spring lambs much before the last of 
January. Iu Buffalo, the demaud does not 
time, and then putting them into fresh feed, 
salting them freely and feeding a little oil- 
meal so as to gain freely, is the best plan to 
secure early breeding; but care must be used 
in putting them into the fresh feed after their 
forced fast, or they will over-eat and be in¬ 
jured. 
SHROPSHIRE SHEEP. 
Among the breeds of English sheep now at¬ 
tracting much attention iu this country as a 
source of improvement for crossing from which 
to derive a superior mutton sheep, the Shrop¬ 
shire is rapidly taking a front rank. Many 
have asserted that the Shropshire, like the 
Oxfordshire aud other Downs, was but a mon¬ 
grel sheep resulting from the cross of the 
South Down on some other breeds as a foun¬ 
dation; but this is, no donbt, a mistake and 
liable to do serious damage to the reputation 
of the Shropshire. No purer breed of sheep is 
known in England, or one of much greater an¬ 
tiquity. It is descended from a horned black¬ 
faced aud black legged breed that was known 
to exist in Shropshire several ceuturies 
ago, when it was a comparatively smaller 
animal than now, and would shear only about 
two or three poundsof very superior wool, but 
was remarkably hardy and free from diseases. 
Though some writers have declared that this 
sheep has been improved by in-crosses of the 
South Down, it is quite evident that all such 
crosses resulted quite to the injury of the 
Shropshire, and thus the cross-bred progeny 
were speedily disposed of. and the reliance of 
the best breeders, like Meire and Aduey, for 
the enlargement of carcass and the eradi¬ 
cation of the horns, was ou selection from 
pure-bred sheep of this breed. It was after a 
severe fight that iu 185o, the Shropshire got 
recognition by being admitted to the Royal 
Show at Gloucester, and it was not till 1859 
that it was conceded to be a deserving breed 
and was admitted to the prize list of the Royal 
Agricultural Society. This was the turning 
point both in its history and improvement, 
since which time the latter has been very 
rapid. To-day it is the most popular sheep in 
England, as is shown by the fact that at .ha 
last show of the Royal Agricultural Society 
no less than 875 Shropshire? were shown as 
against only 120 of all other distinct breeds, 
including South Downs, Hampshires, Oxford¬ 
shire?, Lincolns, Leicester? and Cotswolds. 
That tbe Shropshire is the coming sheep is 
clearly showed by this fact, and by the similar 
record of all other fairs at which they more 
than double the numbers of all other sheep. 
Wherever introduced in this country they at 
once become very popular and their popular¬ 
ity is widely extending. 
The Shropshire has all the good qualities of 
the South Down, with these iu addition;—It 
has considerably more size and carries a larg¬ 
er proportion of lean meat with much less of 
fat; it has smaller head and legs, more wool 
on its belly, and wool of a greater length and 
of a better quality. Another good point over 
the South Down is its strong constitution and 
ability to be kept and fed in larger flocks. It 
also has greater fecundity and will also breed 
earlier in tbe Spring, aud, lastly, it will thrive 
over a much greater extent of country and 
under more adverse circumstances. 
We give, this week, at Fig. S55, the likeness 
of three very fiue specimens of Shropshires 
which may well be called models of beauty. 
They have a small, well developed head with 
bright faces and kindly eyes; a muscular neck 
well set on a pair of very fine shoulders, re¬ 
markable hams, supported on fine, trim legs 
and in turn with the shoulders supporting a 
square, deep, finely proportioned body, the 
whole well covered with a fleece of fine staple, 
long, and in every way desirable wool. This 
is called, in England, The “Rent-paying 
Sheep," and we have found it in our experi¬ 
ence the best of all males to use for raising 
winter lambs. 
Pain) ijnsbantmi. 
SOME OTHER WANTS AND COWS. 
COL. F. D. CURTIS. 
While Jersey cattle give the richest milk, 
it is not everyone who wants milk with the 
highest percentage of cream. It would be 
unfortunate, then, if we were restricted solely 
to Jersey milk, although by the aid of plenty 
of water it may be increased to the yield of 
some breeds, and by the addition of a small 
quantity be reduced to the strength of the 
milk of some others. This weakening does 
not exactly meet the case, as tbe combinations 
in the milk and water and the milk direct 
from the cow are not the same. Milk contains 
a number of elements, although water is the 
chief in bulk. This is just what Jersey milk 
lacks, or the milk of every superior butter 
cow. When "Stockman,” or any other 
Jersey disbelievers get a big pailful of some¬ 
thing, they do not know just exactly what, 
they open their eyes and months, too, gener¬ 
ally, and imagine they have got a big thing. 
Now, my half pail of Jersey milk will make 
more butter. It is true that after the butter 
is taken out there won’t be so much left for 
the pigs; but that is another thing. There 
are doubtless "pig” breeds of cows, but we 
don’t want them. The pigs can be fed in a 
cheaper way than to run tneir food through a 
cow and go to all the fuss of feeding and 
milking the cow, and working the milk out 
through all of the manipulations of straining, 
setting, skimming, churning, washing of 
things, house room, etc., etc., to get lots of 
milk for the pigs. 
I do not find any fault with the admirers of 
Jersey cattle, who think they are the 
most beautiful of all cattle. I do not think 
so. They are beautiful, very beautiful, and 
sneers cannot wipe it out; neither can the 
praise of other cattle. 1 think the old- 
fashioned red Devons 'are Che most beautiful 
cattle In the world; the Swiss the most unique, 
and the Jersey the most attractive. There is 
a sameness in the Devons, but uot in the Jer¬ 
seys. When one good specimen of a Devon 
has been admired, there is uo need of going 
any further, as they are all alike. The varia¬ 
tions in colors and power of the Jerseys are so 
marked that they constitute an unending 
attraction. 
The Jerseys are fast pushing into the valleys 
aud over the hills in the dairy districts. In 
time they will be more commingled with the 
native cows than any other breed of dairy 
stock. They cross well on the natives aud 
make grand cows, with sufficient hardiness 
aud good looks to suit the most fastidious 
farmer, aud a practical goodness to come up 
to the requirements of the most prudent and 
saving. There are other milking breeds en¬ 
titled to consideration. Next to the Jerseys 
