132 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
February 24 
SHEEP IN SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI. 
Ranching on ihe Gulf of Mexico. 
The Chicago Record recently printed an 
account of the sheep business in the coun¬ 
try near Ocean Springs, Miss. The sheep 
run loose in the woods, being rounded up 
and branded in Spring. It is claimed that 
a peculiar wild herb gives a line flavor to 
the mutton. The following account is 
written by one of our readers—Mr. C. E. 
Pabst: 
About 30,000 to 35,000 sheep are kept 
in this county (Jackson). Harrison has 
may be 40,000 to 50,000 sheep. Two 
years ago Davis Bros, bought over 100,- 
000 pounds of wool at 17 cents; this last 
year nearly 70,000 at 19% cents, part of 
tliis last clip being engaged by agents 
beforehand at about 18% cents. This 
wool is free of all trash, no burrs grow¬ 
ing wild in the woods. The sheep feed 
altogether on the native grasses, with 
no care or shelter whatever, except 
what the woods or bushes afford. Last 
February the freeze killed a large num¬ 
ber of lambs. 
When shearing time comes the differ¬ 
ent owners, large and small, meet on 
horseback, and drive all the sheep in a 
certain section to conveniently-located 
pens. Here the young lambs are sep¬ 
arated from the old sheep and kept 
apart until the next day, when the old 
ewes are turned to them, and the hun¬ 
gry lambs And their dams in a hurry. 
This way every one gets his share of 
lambs. After the uifferent brands or 
marks are separated each owner takes 
his liock and drives it home, where, af¬ 
ter shearing and marking all of them, 
they are turned out again to shift for 
Themselves until next shearing time. 
This is practically all the care the sheep 
get. 
Mr. Davis gave me an instance of a lit¬ 
tle sheep investment he made for his 
wife several years ago. He bought first 
year 22 young ewes, the next year 20 
more. Ten lambs of the first batch were 
put into a 100-acre pasture, a s-ed built 
for them and a feeding trough. He 
made pets of this lot and their increase, 
and sold out in four years with a net 
profit of $450. The cossets (or pets) sold 
at $4 each, when the range sheep 
brought only $2.50. These prices were 
realized when wool was down to noth¬ 
ing. As the business is managed (?) it 
must pay well, as stock sheep cannot 
be bought except for a high figure. With 
some northern or European care, shel¬ 
ter and feed, what would be the returns? 
The range here is ample to support four 
to five times the number of stock with 
the present way of caring for them; 
how many the ~~ner way? The asser¬ 
tion regarding herbs ds a fake; the na¬ 
tive grasses do the business. 
I do not wish for a better country to 
live in than this; it has been decried by 
the constant movers from one State to 
another. Why should our natives farm 
or plant orchards when their stock in 
the wild woods give them all they need 
with the least possible care and work? 
They are mostly satisfied to live as 
their fathers lived, and hate progress. 
A wool factory is badly wanted to work 
up raw material. 
SILAGE FOR SHEEP. 
Our experience indicates that good 
sweet silage is crod fodder for sheep, 
but like cows they need a little good 
hay to make a properly-balanced ration. 
Sometimes they are a little slow in 
learning to like it, but our conclusion 
is that a good quality of silage fed once 
a day fills the bill to perfection. 
New York. j. r>. van valkenburgil 
I have fed silage to stock (cattle prin¬ 
cipally) several years, but only in a 
very moderate way has it been fed to 
sheep on my farm, and then only after 
ewes had dropped lambs. The ewes 
were fond of it, but only had a small 
ration at noon, with hay morning and 
evening, and some grain once each day. 
I cannot say how much can be fed 
safely per day to each sheep. Silage 
may be as good as roots for sheep, but 
we have more confidence in the latter, 
and know better what amount it is 
safe to feed. The use of silage has at 
no time injured any stock for me. We 
never fed it to horses. 
Pennsylvania. joiin i. Gordon. 
We are feeding silage to our flocks 
with good satisfaction. Much damage 
has been done to sheep by feeding sour 
silage. Our silage is put in whole in 
the bundles, as cut by our binder. The 
corn is of the flint variety, planted in 
drills three feet six inches apart, av¬ 
eraging about one stalk every five to 
six inches, ana cut and put in when less 
than half the corn is glazea. This 
silage is sweet except where the stalks 
are cut. When too mature the sheep 
do not eat the stalks well. We feed 
about one-third of their coarse ration in 
silage (one feed per oay), which we con¬ 
sider enough for the best results. We 
feed some roots also, about one-half 
what we would feed without silage. We 
have no clover in this section this year, 
therefore feed bran and oats for a grain 
ration, with the corn silage, corn stover 
and straw for coarse feed. 
Geo. McKerrow & Sons. 
Sussex, Wis. 
I have never used any silage, but have 
seen it used, and those using it were 
well pleased with it for sheep. One man 
was feeaing 700 lambs, and fed silage 
twice a day, with straw once. The 
lambs were very fleshy, and seemed to 
relish the silage very well, and ate it 
up very clean. I always thought it rath¬ 
er expensive to fill a silo; there is none 
in our neighborhood. Here we mostly 
thrash our corn and run tne fodder in 
the barns; that tears the fodder up very 
fine, and sheep eat it well, also cattle 
and horses. This makes the stalks 
convenient to handle in the manure. 
If the corn is a little damp to bin, 
I often put it with one-fourth oats, and 
that absorbs the moisture in the corn, 
and 1 never have had any bother with it. 
I think it the cheapest way to handle 
corn. Three teams with seven or 
eight men will clean up about 10 acres 
of corn in a day, if they don't have too 
far to draw it, and the fodder is in nice 
shape. o. d. iutciicock. 
Charlotte, Mich. 
A Permanent Sheep Pasture. 
in your issue of January 20 a formula is 
given for a permanent sheep pasture, but 
the writer does not state how the seed 
should be sown, whether after or with 
wheat or oats, or alone. At what time of 
year is it done, if sown alone? Could it 
be pastured the first Summer if sown in 
Spring? w. a. l. 
Albion, N. Y. 
The pasture can be obtained most 
quickly now by sowing the grass-seed 
mixture in early Spring. If the land 
was not Fall-plowed it should be plowed 
as early as its condition will permit. 
The seed may be put in with oats, if the 
oats are drilled in at the rate of not 
more than iy 2 bushel per acre. Drill in 
the oats early. If there is a grass seed¬ 
er attached to the drill, put in the grass 
seed at the time the oats are put in. The 
success of the seeding all depends upon 
getting the seed in the ground early, 
while there is abundance of moisture 
to cause germination. Should it be de¬ 
sired to do the seeding in the Fall then 
all the seeds except the clover should 
be put in in September, and t'he clover 
should be sown in early Spring. If the 
land has been somewhat heavily cropped 
without an adequate return in the way 
of manure or fertilizer, it will be well 
for the grain and for the young seeding 
to give the soil a top-dressing of barn 
manure. This should be spread evenly 
over the land, and will supply needed 
nitrogen and furnish a soil mulch which 
will protect the young plants in the 
Winter, and will also assist in conserv¬ 
ing moisture in the Summer. 
But little, if any, pasture will be avail¬ 
able the first season. It will be far bet¬ 
ter for the success of the pasture to keep 
animals off entirely the first year. If 
pastured the first year it should be in 
late Summer anu for a very limited 
time. I believe that it will be more 
economical to provide some soiling crop, 
as oats and peas, for early Summer, and 
corn for late Summer feeding. 
Z. A. C. 
Eureka Harness Oil Is the best 
preservative of new leather 
and the best renovator of old 
leather. It oils, softens, black¬ 
ens and protects. Use 
Eureka 
Harness 
on your best harness, your old har¬ 
ness, and your carriage top, and they 
will not only look better but wear 
longer. Sold everywhere In cans—all 
Sizes from half pints to live gallon*. 
Had* Oj STANDARD OIL CO. 
. .Before Buying a New 
Harness 
bend 5 cts. In si amps to pay postage on descriptive c at* 
alogne 100 styles of single and double Off k-tannril 
Leather Harness to select tiom. Sold direct to tho 
consumer at wholesale price. We can save you r.)onesr f 
KING HARNESS COMPANY. Mfrs. 
218 Church St., Owego, N. Y. 
Farm Wagon Economy. 
The economy of this proposition is not all found 
In the very reasonable price of the wagon itself, 
but in the great amount of labor it will save, and 
its great durability. The Electric Wheel Com¬ 
pany, -who make this Electric Handy Wagon and 
the now famous Electric Wheels, have solved the 
problem of a successful and durable low-down 
wagon at a reasonable price. 
This wagon is composed of the best material 
throughout—white hickory axles, steel wheels 
steel hounds, etc. Guaranteed to carry 4,000 lbs. 
These Electric Steel Wheels are 
made to lit any wagon, and 
make practically a new wagon 
out of the old one. They can be 
had in any height desired, and 
any width of tire up to 8 inches. 
With an extra set of these wheels 
a farmer can interchange them 
with his regular wheels and have 
a high or low-down wagon at 
will. Write for catalogue of the 
full “Electric Line” to Electric 
Wheel Co., Box 88, Quincy, Ill. 
IT IS 
L0ADE0 
* ECONOMY 
£ Harness Riveter 
~ It can be used in 
£ any position, 
mends anything 
where a well- 
-- - 
* "" M l g clinched rivet 
“ 1 ^ J. Y a £ serves the pur- 
fm r\ B5 pose. Agts.make 
l/> /Yi ■IKir 'iadtim .. J' fT % $3 to $16 a day. 
* 1111 • mi m l Ti \ ] /i 8end 600 ln 2c - 
v/v/vy /a C stamps for saui- 
y pie, loaded with 
„ . _ . •£ 50 rivets, and 
I at. applied for. K t, enu8 ^ agents. 
Agents Wanted— For the rlv N B.Foote Co. 
eter and other fast selll ng articles^ Frederlcktown,0 
CflllD ortnn REASONS Why you should buy 
Tulin uUUU buccies direct from our factory 
1st—YOU SA VK the DKALKHS’ 1‘ltOFIT. 
2d—Yougetall custom made & best material. 
3d—You get our three year guarantee. 
4th—Our $25 Buggy, $61 Surrey or $37 Top 
Family Wagou are wonders for cheapness 
and give great satisfaction. 4 tired Wheels 
$5.90, Buggy Tops $5.25, Harness $3.95. Purchasers can buy one 
Buggy at wholesale factory price, and become successful agents 
aided bv our private selling instructions. Catalogue free. 
U. S. BUCCY & CART CO. I* 8*. Cincinnati, U 
STEEL WHEELS and HANDY WAGONS 
of every style and price are made ln our 
mammoth factory and sold direct to farmers. 
We supply all trucks used by U. S. Govt. 
Farmer’s Handy Wagon Co., Saginaw. Mich. 
That’s What 
we Save You 
on this Oeal. 
This Buggy 1* of such high quality 
and style, that any dealer, taking 
advantage of Its superior points, 
I would ask you $?(>. for it. 
Our Price $46.55 
It is first class in every particular 
_ and we stake our reputation on 
ts quality and wearing ability. We give with each buggy aold, 
Iu2-jeant’ guaranlce. Weshlp this buggy or any of ourvelilclee 
subject to your Inspection. If not found exactly as we deacrlbe it 
in our catalogue and not satslfactory In every way you may return It 
at our expense. This le hut one of the many bnrgalns offered In 
our Special Vehicle and Harness Catalogue. We have all kinds 
of buggies, carriages, surreys, road wagons, phaetons, spring wag¬ 
ons, all kinds of single, double and team HARNESS, SADDLES 
AND FLY NETS, Send for our large FREE CATALOGUE. 
Marvin Smith Co., 55-57-59 N. Jefferson St., T-16Chlcago. 
WALKER CARRIAGES 
AND HARNESS 
are sold direct from factory at 
WHOLESALE PRICES 
Highest quality, finest workmanship and perfect finish, yet at lowest 
cost. Wo ship any style vehicle anywhere for examination and subject 
to approval. No matter how far away you are you can do business with 
us and save money. We make all the vehicles we advertise, also fine 
harness. Send for our FREE Bookof 104 pages. It tells our plan in full. 
EDWiBD W. WALKER CARRIAGE CO., 9f Eighth St., Goshen, Ind. 
VEHICLES AND HARNESS 
Ours is not a mull order house, buying from some factory to sell again at an increased 
price Ours lx u lurge and completely equipped manufacturing plant devoted ex¬ 
clusively to tills line. We control absolutely all the elements of quality, style and 
finish and are thus enabled to sell you better goods for less money than any other 
tS,r 6 ' WE GUARANTEE EVERY VEHICLE OB HARNESS WE SELL 
as to quality of material, workmanship, style,etc. We have no dlaHutiftflcd customer*. 
Write at once for our large illustrated catalogue—shows every article we sell. Mailed free. 
KALAMAZOO CARRIAGE AND HARNESS CO., Box 30 KALAMAZOO, MICH. 
between the retailer’s price and the maker’s price on a buggy, 
carriage or harness. Buy from us and you have only one profit 
to pay. We make a big variety and an immense number of 
fine vehicles, and ship them to the buyer direct at factory 
prices. No other factory can turn out better work, or sell to 
the dealer cheaper, than we sell to you. A great stock of 
horse equipments, including robes and blankets, at prices that 
will save you dollars. You can order from our catalogue— 
which contains accurate pictures and complete descriptions of 
our full line—with absolute safety. 
We guarantee 
everything we 
sell, and will take 
back anything 
that may be un¬ 
satisfactory, re¬ 
funding the pur- 
No. 20S2 Runabout. Price $44.60. 
No. 604. 
Team 
Harness. 
Price 
$22.55. 
chase money, and paying freight both ways. Write for the catalogue—it’s 
free—and learn what a fine carriage, harness or robe we can sell you for 
the price the dealer would charge for the ordinary kinds. 
THE COLUMBUS CARRIAGE & HARNESS CO., COLUMBUS, OHIO. 
