Dollar Weekly Mirror

Sheep Raising.

CHESTER, VT., April 14th, 1862.

Editor of Mirror:—After an absence of two months from home, I found on looking over the back numbers of the Mirror, some very able and interesting articles on sheep raising, breeding, &c. I notice the question is often raised "Shall we wash our Sheep?" Friend Cushing has given us his opinion and practice in regard to it. Mr. C. is one of our best flock masters and his opinions are certainly entitled to consideration; but with all due deference I must beg leave to differ with him, or at least go so far as to say that I think his method will not work well as a general rule. The old way, I think, is better for wool growers generally; the exceptions apply to those who raise fancy stock.

In the first place I think it must be injurious to sheep to keep them up to the barn so late. The grass in our pastures grows very rapidly in the spring, and I think it for the health as well as comfort of the sheep to go out about the 20th of April, or from that to the 1st of May, as the season may be.

Then again the 1st of May is a very busy time with farmers and it would seem out of season for shearing sheep; then it seems to me that sheep must suffer in the cold May storms unless they are sheltered. In fact, I think sheep need sheltering more when shorn early; even in the fall, as well as spring; for fall rains are often succeeded by cold, and those sheep which have the most wool and oil suffer most. Lambs need sheltering more in the fall than other sheep, for the same reason.

To those who can afford to shelter their sheep at all times it makes but little difference when they are sheared, provided it is done when they will show to the best advantage.

In regard to unwashed wool; some correspondent I think says there is a market value. Now I don't understand how you can come at the market value, or real value, of wool grown on sheep bred differently, except by cleansing. I am aware that the same difficulty exists in regard to washed wool. In our section it is customary for those who sell unwashed wool, to shrink it one quarter. Now if in washing it actually shrinks but one-sixth (1/6) which I think is true when sheep are kept clean; it would take but little figuring to show a material difference in favor of washing. The Ohio correspondent thinks it inhuman to wash sheep, when they are so averse to water, and then he says perhaps let them run in a drenching rain 3 or 4 days. There are but few children who are not exceedingly averse to having their faces washed, and yet who would argue from that fact, that it was injurious to them. And then I would like to know how much wetter a sheep would be after being out in a drenching rain of 3 or 4 days, for having been washed before the rain. We do not wash our sheep till the weather is warm enough so that no injurious effects will be felt. Sheep suffer more or less from heat I suppose, when not sheared until the middle of June, but perhaps not more than from the cold when sheared the 1st of May. I think my sheep thrive as well before shearing as in any part of the season; and I have never had a sheep injured by washing to my knowledge. I do not have the lambs in the yard with the sheep when being washed.

I am aware that I am advocating an unpopular doctrine, but you can have my opinion for what it is worth.

I notice also that there is considerable said in regard to marking sheep. Your Weathersfield correspondent says he marks on each sheep the weight of fleece, general characteristics, &c., so that the sheep carries its own account. Now that must make a good deal of marking, and I have heard of manufacturers finding fault with this same way of proceeding. It certainly must subject them to some inconvenience, besides, I suppose what is clipped off, is not very valuable. There are characteristics about sheep very important I know, which you cannot easily put upon their backs in "black and white." For instance I have two ewes of the same age and breed, one inferior to the other and would be called an ordinary sheep, but she invariably raises a very nice ewe lamb, while the other raises an ordinary buck lamb; such a sheep should be sold, as they do not improve the flock, while the other should be kept as long as she will breed. I keep about 200 sheep, and if I was not sufficiently acquainted with the character of each sheep without marking it on their backs, I should call myself a poor shepherd.

I designed saying something in regard to raising roots for sheep, but see I have already written more than I intended. Friend Lovell in his last article, speaks my mind in regard to the value of turnips, but thinks it is well to raise them. I differ with him there, as I think them an exhausting crop, and although, as he says easily raised, still the amount of labor bestowed on them from the time they are sown till they are fed, is not trifling; as far as the health of the sheep is concerned I can keep them healthy enough without them. I do not feed roots to my sheep, except a few potatoes, in the spring to ewes that have lambs, and the loss from all causes probably does not exceed two in a year.

I have taken the trouble to weigh the lambs from two of my thorough bred ewes this spring, and was somewhat surprised at their weight, as I never weighed any lambs before. The 1st, a single lamb weighed when 3 days old 12 lbs. The 2d, a pair of twins, when dropped weighed 16 lbs; I don't know as it is unusual, but it struck me they were pretty good size. As shearing time is drawing nigh, I hope soon to hear from our sheep men, and shall expect to hear of some tall shearing.

Very truly yours,
D. D. WILLIAMS.