Dollar Weekly Mirror

How to Get a Good Staple.

A good staple of wool is only to be had from off healthy sheep, and then it will be strong and of good length. Wool cannot grow fast unless it has something to grow upon. It is impossible to get income enough to pay for their keeping, from a flock of sheep kept so poor through the winter that they just make a live of it. The average weight of fleeces in this State is not what it ought to be. There are few flocks of sheep in this State, comparatively, that might not, with judicious care in breeding, average one pound of wool per head more than they now do. I have seen flocks during the past year that would not shear three pounds of wool per head on an average. Now allowing that such a flock will just pay for their keeping from year to year, it will be admitted by every one that a flock that will shear four, five, six or more pounds are the ones to keep in preference to the others. Perhaps some one who has a flock that will average only three pounds will inquire what he shall do. He can have his choice from among the following: Keep what he has in the same way as years back—or sell and buy some better ones—or improve those he now has by careful and judicious breeding. One great fault with a large number of sheep raisers in New Hampshire is, they do not exercise any care whatever in the selection of a buck; if they would use one quarter as much as the best breeders of sheep do, the value of the sheep in this State would increase every year. There is only one rule, and that is to select the very best buck that can be obtained. There will be a few dollars more expense in the first place, but it is money well invested—paying better than any State bank or railroad stock. Take for example a pure bred flock of sheep; by using anything and everything that happens, it is only a short way to nothing. On the other hand, a flock of common sheep can be improved year by year if the proper selection of a buck is made, (he should always be pure-blooded), the fleece can be improved and increased yearly, the shape improved, and all those other characteristics which are so desirable to all who take a fancy and an interest in good sheep.—Journal of Agriculture.