Vol.  LXXXII. 
Published  Weekly  by  The  Rural  Publishing  Co., 
333  W.  30th  St.,  New  York.  Price  One  Dollar  a  Year. 
NEW  YORK,  MAY  19,  1929 
Entered  as  Second-Class  Matter,  .Tune  26.  1879.  at  the  Post  TVo  4749 
Office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the  Act  of  March  3,  1879. 
Sheep  Raising,  Industry  in  New  York  State 
ANY  PRIZE  WINNERS.— Ac¬ 
cording  to  the  latest  Govern¬ 
ment  statistics,  there  are  only 
512,000  sheep  in  New  York 
State.  This  is  certainly  a 
relatively  small  number  in 
proportion  to  our  population,  and  the 
numerous  wool  and  mutton  markets  at 
our  very  doors.  However,  considered 
from  the  standpoint  of  quality,  it  is 
doubtful  if  there  is  another  State  in 
the  T’nion  which  has  so  many  outstand¬ 
ingly  good  flocks.  An  examination  of 
1  lie  winnings  at  the  leading  shows  for 
the  past,  few  years  will  support  this 
assertion.  Such  winnings  conclusively 
show  that  New  York  State  can  raise  as 
good  or  better  sheep  than  those  pro¬ 
duced  in  States  where  the  land  is  no 
more  fertile,  but  is  much  higher  in 
price  per  acre. 
A  SHEEP  QUESTIONNAIRE.— To 
obtain  some  definite  information  from 
New  York  State  sheep  breeders  a  sur¬ 
vey  was  made  by  sending  out  ques¬ 
tionnaires  to  all  sheep  breeders  and 
owners.  Over  100  replies  were  re¬ 
ceived.  The  following  two  are  good 
examples  of  the  interest  shown ;  these 
are  not  purposely  chosen  because  they 
are  favorable,  but  because  they  are 
fairly  representative  of  the  majority. 
Reply  No.  1,  from  W.  II.  Miner,  owner 
of  Heart’s  Delight  Farm,  Clinton  Co., 
N.  Y.,  shows  a  total  of  727  head,  in¬ 
cluding  442  breeding  ewes.  These  ewes 
receive  a  ration  of  silage,  turnips  and 
clover  hay :  no  concentrates  are  fed. 
For  fattening  a  ration  of  cracked  corn 
and  oilmeal,  turnips,  silage  and  clover 
hay  are  fed.  The  average  weight  of 
fleece  was  9  lbs.,  which  pays  for  the 
cost  of  keeping  the  ewe. 
Reply  No.  2,  from  E.  E.  Gifford,  man¬ 
ager  of  Glimmerglen  Farms,  Inc.,  Ot¬ 
sego  Co.,  N.  Y.,  shows  a  total  of  504 
head,  including  372  breeding  ewes  and 
50  yearling  ewes.  Concentrates  con¬ 
sisting  of  a  mixture  of  wheat  bran, 
corn,  oats  and  oil  cake,  wei*e  fed :  for 
roughage  hay,  turnips  and  beets.  For 
fattening  a  ration  of  corn  and  bran, 
hay  and  silage  Avas  used.  Their  aver¬ 
age  weight  of  fleece  was  8  lbs.  Mr. 
Gifford  states:  ‘’Our  wool  does  not 
quite  pay  for  the  keep,  because  we  fit 
a  great  many  show  sheep.  I  believe 
the  outlook  for  the  sheep  industry  in 
New  York  State  is  very  bright.” 
From  a  summary  of  all  the  answers 
received  the  following  conclusions  may 
be  drawn : 
1.  In  the  larger  flocks  the  price  ob¬ 
tained  for  the  fleece  pays  for  the  keep 
of  the  ewe. 
2.  In  the  smaller  flocks  the  price  ob¬ 
tained  for  the  fleece  does  not  quite  pay 
for  the  keep  of  the  ewes  on  the  aver- 
Cheviot  type  and  character  of  the  highest  kind.  Cheviot  ram  owned  by 
Glimmerglen  Farms,  Inc.,  New  York. 
Mutton  type  is  excellently  illustrated  by  this  group  of  Southdown  ewes  and  ram 
The  Missouri  Experiment  Station  demonstrated  that  superior  rams  used  on 
common  ewes  are  much  more  profitable  than  inferior  rams.  These  rams  illus¬ 
trate  desirable  mutton  type  and  character. 
age,  except  in  the  fine  wool  grades. 
3.  The  average  weight  of  fleece  for 
all  breeds  reported  was  9  lbs.  The  lowest 
reported  was  a  5dl>.  average  from  a 
Dorset  flock.  The  heaviest  average  re¬ 
ported  from  a  single  flock  was  14  lbs. 
from  a  small  flock  of  Rambouillets. 
4.  AIL  except  one  breeder  reported 
they  considered  the  future  outlook  for 
the  sheep  raising  industry  in  New  Yo rk 
State  as  exceptionally  good. 
5.  Successful  sheepmen  strongly  ad¬ 
vocate  rotation  of  pasture  and  not 
overstocking. 
G.  Sheep  raising  on  Long  Island  has 
not  proven  profitable,  due  to  limited 
pasture  and  high-priced  land. 
7.  The  general  practice  for  wintering 
ewes  in  lamb  is  to  feed  very  little,  if 
any,  concentrates  so  long  as  good  rough- 
age,  such  as  clover.  Alfalfa,  silage  and 
roots  are  available. 
8.  Wheat  bran,  oats,  corn,  barley  and 
buckwheat  were  fed  in  various  mix¬ 
tures  throughout  the  State. 
9.  Many  successful  sheep  raisers  feed 
cabbage  for  a  succulent  roughage. 
10.  Comparatively  few  feeder  sheep 
are  fattened  in  New  York  State. 
11.  Sheep  breeders  think  there  is  a 
great  deal  of  comparatively  cheat*  land 
now  lying  idle  that  could  be  profitably 
used  for  sheep  raising. 
12.  Sheep  furnish  two  cash  crops — 
wool  and  lambs. 
13.  Sheep  require  a  relatively  small 
amount  of  care. 
14.  Proper  attention  at  the  proper 
time  eliminates  most  of  the  difficulties 
causing  sheep  losses. 
15.  Present  high  prices  for  wool  and 
mutton  will  probably  prevail  for  some 
time. 
EXPERIM  ENTAL  DATA.  —  Work 
done  at  the  Missouri  Experiment  Sta¬ 
tion  shows  iii  Circular  No.  61  that 
docked  and  castrated  lambs  are  more 
profitable  than  those  left  entire.  In 
work  done  to  demonstrate  the  value  of 
a  good  purebred  ram  versus  a  grade  or 
scrub  they  found  a  difference  of  $1.86 
more  profit  per  head  where  a  superior 
ra m  was  used  over  an  inferior  indi¬ 
vidual.  The  average  birth  weight  of 
lambs  from  ewes  bred  to  inferior  rams 
was  8.79  lbs.,  while  those  sired  from 
superior  rams  were  9.75  lbs.  When 
finished  and  sold  at  the  National  Stock 
Yards,  Chicago,  Ill.,  the  lambs  sired  by 
the  inferior  ram  sold  for  84.50  per  ewt., 
while  those  sired  by  the  good  ram  sold 
for  $7.35  per  cwt.  These  lambs  were 
marketed  the  latter  part  of  June,  1912. 
Bulletin  1GS,  Purdue.  Ind.,  gives  re¬ 
sults  of  a  test  on  corn  vs.  oats  for  fat¬ 
tening  lambs.  The  results  of  this  test 
showed  corn  to  be  the  more  profitable. 
Nine  different  rations  and  methods  of 
