1897 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Hi 
difference. Bat I think that there was a real differ¬ 
ence. Whether the green side would have become 
sweet when the skin turned yellow on that side, as it 
surely would in a short time, we could oaly imagine. 
Whether the sweet and yellow side had ever been 
sour and green, we cbuld only guess. I am g ad to 
have seen these specimens and want to follow up this 
matter, and get more specimens from this sou-ee, and 
from any other possible. 
That some apples are sour when unripe and sweet 
when ripe, I have long known, and it is entirely 
reasonable that there may be varieties which have 
the peculiarity of ripening on one side before the 
other, and changing flavors accordingly. This I have 
stated before. But the split-bud theory of origin I 
utterly disbelieve. n. e viN deman. 
THE OUTLOOK FOR SHEEP. 
wool. GROWERS PREDICT BETTER PRICES. 
What, In your opinion, is the present outlook for the sheep in¬ 
dustry in America? A good deal of interest is manifested 
among farmers just now as to the future of sheep, and we would 
like to ootain your opinion as to the probability of the future 
development of this industry. What seems to be the outlook for 
prices of mutton and wool ? What have been the recent changes 
in the breeding and handling of the breed of sheep that you rep¬ 
resent ? Is is probable that prices for either wool or mutton will 
return to those found in the palmy days of the past? 
Ohio Spanish Merino Sheep Breeders. 
In regard to the present outlook for sheep I can 
truly say that it is very encouraging. The price is 
ruling high for feeding lambs, which will have a 
tendency to bring many lambs to the block that other¬ 
wise would have been kept for breeding purposes. In 
my opinion, it will be, at least, three years before we 
increase our numbers 15 per cent. Our supply comes 
far short of being equal to the demand Stock sheep 
are 50 per cent higher than one year ago. Wool that 
sold in this section last year for 10 cents per pound, 
will sell readily for 16 at present. I look for some 
advance in wool yet, and think that prices will still 
be higher for fat sheep. The members of the Ohio 
Spanish Merino Sheep Breeders’ Association are very 
much encouraged. They are, this fall, using stock 
rams for a more dense fleece, seeking for fleeces that 
will grade XX and above, of which, at the present 
time, there is a great shortage, and will be for some 
time to come. wesley bishop. 
Secretary. 
Indiana Wool Growers' Association. 
I believe that there is now plenty of room for ex¬ 
pansion in all directions in the sheep business, for 
the reason that there must be a steady increase in 
the demand for food and clothing, at appreciating 
prices. We have fewer sheep in the United States now 
than we had in 1868, and they fail far short of pro¬ 
ducing the wool and mutton necessary to clothe and 
feed our people. Therefore, the demand for these 
two staples must result in a higher range of value for 
the animal that produces them. Our flocks should be 
doubled. Farmers need not worry about breeds ; 
select the one that suits them best, and improve and 
add to it, year by year, till it is as large as they have 
room for on their farms. One can’t make a mistake 
now in going into the sheep business. The demand 
will be greater next year, and the farmer who puts 
himself in the way to meet this demand will, in my 
opinion, reap a rich harvest. Everything that will 
produce good wool and mutton will be wanted. I 
have no doubt that, for the next eight or ten years, 
the sheep industry will be greatly developed and ex¬ 
tended in the United States. Our people are the best 
customers in the world for what they want, and their 
wants will increase with the improvement of busi¬ 
ness. If the values of the flocks in this country do 
not appreciate fully 50 per cent during the next two 
years, I shall be greatly disappointed. j. w. robe. 
Secretary. 
Vermont Merino Sheep Breeders. 
There is a very strong feeling in Marino sheep just 
now ; so many of the breeders went out of the busi¬ 
ness that it got down to a very low ebb, but it began 
to come back in 1896. There were within a very few 
of twice as many lambs recorded in 1896 as in 1895, 
but there were few new members this season. A good 
many are applying for membership, and many who 
dropped out are trying to get in again. It looks now, 
by the returns already in, as though there would be 
nearly twice as many lambs offered for registry as 
were recorded in 1896. Sheep are already held at 
good stiff prices. Daring the first two years after 
wool was put upon the free list, the Merino sheep of 
Addison County decreased fully 75 per cent. List 
fall, within two weeks after the election, I sold all 
the rams I had for sale, and could have sold more if 
they had been on hand. Wool has advanced almost 
100 per cent in a year, and I look for almost as high 
prices within two years as we had during 1881 and 
1882. I have never known so many breeders to go 
out entirely as within the past four years ; this is also 
true in New York, Michigan and Ohio. I am speak¬ 
ing, of course, of the Vermont Merino. On the other 
breeds, lam not posted at all, as I have never handled 
any but the Improved Spanish or Vermont Merino. 
We are breeding sheep to-day with very much more 
wiol, and of much greater length of staple. Where 
we formerly got all the wrinkles and grease we could, 
we now get length, density and an even fleece all 
over the sheep, with oil enough to keep the wool 
healthy, and give it luster. We have also lost some 
of the wrinkles, retaining enough to hold our density 
and set the sheep off in a tasty manner. 
C A. CHAPMAN. 
Montana Wool Growers’ Association. 
The unanimous belief among those interested, 
directly or otherwise, is to the effect that the future 
of the industry appears as bright as, if not more so, 
than any record we have of the sheep business. Of 
course, I am merely echoing the sentiment of the 
PUSHED ALONG BY SCREW POWER. Fig. 326. 
wool growers of this district, and not attempting to 
pass judgment for the entire country. Owing to the 
increased value of wool, making it once more, an 
object to handle sheep for the wool they produce, it 
is going to be good policy to take up again the, for a 
time, abandoned Merino, thus getting weight to 
fleece. The changed condition of the sheep business 
in this section borders on the marvellous, as compared 
with a year ago. h. f. giltman. 
Secretary. 
American Merino Sheep Association. 
There has been a great change in the sheep busi¬ 
ness since the decline. Creameries have taken its 
HOW THE BEETS ARE CARRIED UP. Fig. 327. 
place. Those who remain have raised the mutton 
breeds. A few fine Merinos remain, but not many. 
Mutton bears so good a price that it will take 30-cent 
wool to change to Merinos. I do not think that this 
price will ever be reached again. Fine wool belongs 
to the cheap lands of the world, mutton to civiliza¬ 
tion. Consumption of mutton is increasing. It is due 
to a superior quality induced by the mutton cross. 
Feeding western sheep is quite a business in some 
sections. Eighty good, fine, strong Merino ewes are 
offered at $2 ; mutton breeds would bring 35. A friend 
had 35 ewes of the mutton variety, raised 65 lambs, 
and sold all but the choicest ewes (lambs) for 82 40 
per head. This was a month ago. His flock of 35 
ewes netted him in wool and lambs over 85 50 per 
head, counting the lambs reserved at the same price 
that he sold the others. This man is only an ordin¬ 
ary farmer, with extra luck in raising lambs, but it 
shows that the interest is all one way. A. h. craig 
Sacretary. 
National Merino Sheep Register Association. 
The outlook is, beyond all doubt, full of promise. 
We have passed the dawn, and are now in the broad 
sunlight of prospsrity in the sheep industry. The 
prospect is exceedingly encouraging to those who 
are fortunate enough to be possessors of a flock ot the 
woolly tribe ; while fancy prices may not obtain gen¬ 
erally, it is evident that they will yield remunerative 
returns on care and investment. That we now have 
some protection on wool, will lead to the conclusion 
that the finer grades or Merino families will excel all 
other breeds in point of profit, and the American 
people will not be slow to avail themselves of the 
possibilities of the situation. Those who, a few years 
ago, were so anxious to get rid of their flocks, will 
now be scrambling over each other to get in line with 
the faithful shepherds who stood by their favorites 
through adversity. R. o. logan. 
Secretary. 
New York State American Merino Sheep Breeders, 
I do not look for the return of prices on wool and 
sheep that we obtained in the early eighties, but I 
look for a paying future for the American Merino. 
The many changes that have been made in the way 
of either closing out or crossing up our Merino flocks, 
and the apparent call again for fine wool, cannot help 
but make a demand for the Merino. Our best breeders 
have steadily improved their flacks, by breeding for 
size and constitution, but not at the expense of density 
offliece. Were it not for our reputation of breeding 
the densest-fleeced Merino sheep in the world, we 
could not hope to hold our foreign trade, for Australia, 
South Africa, and South America are now all asking 
for some of our best sheep. A breeder. 
LIME ON THE WINTER WHEAT. 
WILL IT HELP OR INJURE THE CROP? 
The following questions are asked by one of our readers in 
Pennsylvania: “ I have river bottom land. It is a sandy loam. 
This fall, it was sown to wheat. I would like to put lime on it 
during the winter when it is frozen or there is snow on the 
ground. What effect will 50 bushels of lime to the acre have on 
the wheat if it should be spread over it at the time above named ? 
Would it be beneficial or injurious to the wheat ? ” Have you 
had any experience in using lime during the winter ? If so, will 
you tell us what the result has been ? 
Changed Opinions as to Lime. 
I would not advise the application of lime on wheat 
during winter. The only effect it would be likely to 
have would be to neutralize any acidity that might 
be in this river bottom land. Lime, with most farmers 
in eastern Pennsylvania, has ceased to be considered 
a manure, acting mechanically only. The benefit, if 
any, it has on growing crops, is claimed to come from 
its ability to render inert matter in the soil active. 
This is theoretical. Formerly, it was the custom all 
through our region of country, to lime the land, at 
least once in five years, with from 40 to as high as 100 
bushels to the acre. This caused much labor and no 
little expense. Now not over one farmer in fifty uses 
lime for farm purposes, and we raise much heavier 
crops If your inquirer intends to apply lime, it 
would be best to put it on the wheat stubble after 
next harvest, that is, presuming that he intend to 
follow with clover and grass. wu, t. smedley. 
Chester County, Pa. 
Use Half the Amount. 
There is no reason why lime may not be spread 
during the winter on wheat when the ground is 
frozen. It would, of course, have little or no effect on 
the plants until they started to grow in the spring. It 
would seem wise to apply a rather less amount than 
indicated, since 25 bushels would be likely to produce 
as good results as 50 bushels, if evenly distributed over 
the land. This lime would have a tendency to produce 
bright straw and plump grains, provided the land is de¬ 
ficient in lime or is acid or contains a large amount 
of undecomposed vegetable mold. The suggestion is 
made that part of the field be left unlimed and the 
results noted. Farmers who have used lime think 
that it is most effective when spread late in the fall 
on the surface where plants are growing. 
Cornell Experiment Station. i. p. Roberts. 
Use With Most Vegetable Matter. 
My experience with lime has always been with it 
applied to the sod a year before planting to corn, or 
on the wheat stubble (young grass) in the fall after 
the wheat has been cut. My idea is that the main 
results of lime are due to its action upon vegetable 
matter in the soil, and that the proper time to 
apply it is when there is the most of this class of 
matter present; this is either on the sod for corn, or 
on the wheat stubble after the wheat is taken off. As 
a rule, > the lime -is in such poor condition when the 
