of wool; at 32 cents per lb.,

Now take the $40 that the sheep sold for, and you have $65.60 as

$25.60.

Subtract cost from this and you have $33.60 profit on 8 sheep

total receipts.

against $8 profit on 1 steer, both weighing the same at same age, and both

fleeces,

costing the same for keep, leaving a balance of $25.60 in favor of sheep,

showing clearly that it is better to keep sheep than cattte, especially where

we have small farms.

I think that this estimate is correct, taking prices in

this neighborhood as a basis.

Remarks.— Thx?, shows very clearly, for all ordinary cases, that there is

more real profit in sheep than cattle; still every farmer must consider his situation as to the adaptation of his farm to one or the other, and perhaps keep

both, if his farm is large and adapted to either; otherwise he must keep the

kind of stock best adapted to the circumstances around him; but it is always

an advantage to be well posted in everything in which he may engage. But

I do think that every farmer should keep a few sheep, under all circumstances.

Sheep, a Pew Short Rules for the Care of.— The American

Emigrant Company's circular says

Keep sheep dry under foot, with litter. This is even more importI.

ant than roofing them. But never let them stand, or lie, in the mud or snow.

Drop or take out the lowest bars as the sheep enter or leave a yard,

II.

:

thus saving broken limbs.

Begin graining with the greatest care, and use the smallest quantity

III.

at first.

IV.

If a ewe loses her lamb, milk her daily for a few days, and

mix a

little alum with her salt.

V.

Give the lambs a little mill feed in time of- weaning,

VI Never frighten the sheep if it is possible to avoid it.

Vn. Sow rye, for weak ones in cold weather, if you can

VIII. Separate all weak, or thin, or sick, from those strong in the fall

and give them especial care.

IX. If any sheep is hurt, catch it at once and wash the wound witl

something healing. If a limb is broken, bind it with splinters tightly, loosen

ing as the limb swells.

X. Keep a number of good bells on the sheep.

XI. If one is lame, examine the foot, clean out between the hoofs, pavt

the hoof if unsound, and apply tobacco with blue vitriol boiled in water.

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

733

Xn. Shear at once any sheep commencing to shed its wool, unless the

weather is too severe.

Remarks.— These are excellent rules for the care of sheep, but as they do

not give the strength of the vitriol wash for the foot, in rule XI, it will be well

to use the recipe for foot wash, in cases needing such treatment.

Sheep, Their Value for Fertilizing and Improving Worn

Out Soil. — A correspondent of the American Farmer writes on the subject

of the capacity of sheep to improve

soil,

and to renovate and bring up wora

He says: " From many years' experience and observation I am fully

out land.

—

convinced that plowing in green crops with lime such as clover and others

is the most economical and speediest means that a farmer can use for bringing

up worn soil. Yet it can be very profitably done by the use of sheep in pas-

—

More than once and on more than one farm, I have seen dry,

barren spots, such as gravel knolls and side-hills made fertile and productive in

a single season, simply by salting a small flock of sheep on those barren spots

twice a week during the summer; the sheep would be sure to resort there several times a day to lick up the salt, and thus leave their droppings, both liquid

and solid, which are very rich fertilizers; then the next season the most rank

and luxuriant growths of grass and grain would be produced on those 'galled

spots' of any other portion of the whole field thus the best kind of manure

was applied and spread just where most wanted without any hard labor.

Weight for weight, sheep manure is more fertilizing than either horse or cow

manure, and next in value to hen. or hog droppings. Sheep are valuable fertilturing even.

;

am very siue."

Remarks. The author trusts that what has been said about sheep will induce all who have not got them upon the farm, to begin with them as soon as

they can and that those who have them wilt make use of them to clean up

brier patches, weeds, etc., and also to make use of their fertilizing power to

renovate worn out soils, gravel knolls, side-hills, etc.

izers I

—

;

Sheep, Care of in Winter.

—The weak ones should be separated from

the strong, and wethers from the ewes; and especial care should be given to

ewes that are to drop their lambs early. The springing of the udder is an

The ewe should then be removed

unfailing sign of approaching parturition.

to a separate pen and kept quiet, but should be visited at least every 3 hours,

and the last thing at night. It is rarely that any help is needed, except in very

cold weather, to wrap a piece of soft blanket about the lamb, and to help it, as

soon as possible, to get its first meal from the mother, when it will be all right;

and the ewe may be left for a few hours.

If apples are abundant in winter, a feed, once or twice a week, may be

given to sheep; or, in their absence, a feed of turnips, or other roots, cabbage,

may be given them as often as necessary to avoid costiveness, or stretches,

says a writer, an ailment common to sheep in this country, but unknown in

etc.,

Great Britain, where turnips are fed daily. Sheep feel the change from the

green pastures to the dry feed of winter, as quickly, if not more so, than any

Other of our domestic animals, hence the importance of some of these juicy

DB. CHASE'S RECIPES.

734

foods, in winter;

and salt is of the same importance in winter as in summer; in

fact it is better for any and all animals if they have daily access to salt.

But

I

doubt the efficiency of General Marshall's plan, of New York, in

forcing sheep to eat the orts or coarse butts of poor hay left in the racks by

He places these orts in

other animals, simply to get what salt they need.

box-racks under cover for the sheep, which he says they eat readily after they

have been well sprinkled with salt water. But my plan would be, if I had

poor hay, to cut it in a suitable cutter and sprinkle it with sweetened water

necessary (see "Fattening Cattle, Use of Molasses in"); then mixing in a

little meal to make up for the poor hay, and so there should be no orts left,

and give to all animals daily access to salt; but I should not force my sheep

to eat the poorest parts of the poor hay, left by the other stock, to obtain

what little salt they needed. Sheep should be fed with the best of hay if you

expect them to do well.

if

Sheep, Sulphur and Salt Valuable for.

—There are those among

sheep breeders who consider, especially in winter, that sulphur, 4 ozs., to salt,

2 qts., mixed and put where sheep can have access to it, under shelter, is valuable in helping to ward off diseases, as foot rot, scab, mange, etc. It is undoubtedly valuable, occasionally, for all stock, as well as for persons, who

by the "grandmother plan," which was a good one, mix it with cream of tartar

and molasses every spring and take a tea-spoonful every morning for 3 mornSheep,

ings, and skip 3, for the whole family, till 9 doses had been taken.

however, will eat it mixed with salt without the molasses.

—

Breeding Ewes, Care of, for Profit. Have good winter shelter,

good clover hay, a few roots, a little grain daily, and water handy ^water is

more necessary in winter than in summer. Have no fears of their becoming

too fat. If, occasionally, one gets too fat and drops her lamb out of season,

she will be in season for the butcher, at a good price, after shearing. Sheep

Feed thus from the time they come

are cheap in the fall, when all are fat.

into winter quarters, or earlier, if pasture is short, and until it is good in the

spring; and your wool will be better and more of it, the ewes will be better

—

supplied with milk, especially those raising twins; the lambs will be in better condition for the butcher;

so will

general failure to raise a Iamb or two,

any of the flock, which from age or

it

will be best to dispose of.

If not

cared for through the winter, but allowed to become poor, you can not sell

till

fall,

when everybody else has them also for sale.

Sheep, Peas, and Pea Straw, a Valuable Winter Food For.—

There are so many useful things in the following item, which every sensible man

can see, who reads it, I am constrained to give them a place, although I do

not know who the writer was.

If I did know I should take great pleasure

in giving liim credit; still, I know so well that it contains too much good

comtnon sense to llirow it away, and from what I know of raising peas for

hogs, as given under that head, I know great benefit will arise to all who

have suitable land for peas,

directs for sheep.

He says:

if

they raise them and use them as this writer

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

735

L "I have made peas one of my principal crops for several years, and

Peas are as sure a crop as any other, and one which

The yield will vary with the soil,

40 bush, being a large yield. In preparing the land I aim to fall plow and fit

with cultivator in the spring; although the best corn I ever raised was on corn

stubble, spring plowed.

Peas are better if drilled, but can be sown broadcast

on the furrow if rolled afterward. Peas like a fine, dry loam or sandy soil

best, but will thrive well on a clayey soil, if well fitted.

I never have tlireshed

peas with a machine, as it splits them badly, and sheep will not relish the straw

If the vines are very luxuriant, sheep will

as well as if threshed with the flail.

not eat them very closely, but if cut before all the top pods have grown white,

sheep will not only eat, but relish the straw exceedingly well. If the straw is

fed at night sheep will eat more than if fed in the morning or at noon.

"Bugs in Peas, to Avoid. We have been troubled with bugs which

II.

find these advantages:

leaves the ground in tlie best order for wheat.

—

sting the peas while yet soft, leaving the small eggs, which are hatched, the

worm feeding upon the pea, leaving but a thin shell by the following spring.

This is obviated by the early sowing so as to have the majority of the pods so

hard by the time the fly arrives at maturity that it is impossible to pierce them.

If the season be backward and this cannot be done, very late sowing will secure

the same result.

Good crops have been raised when sown as late as the 15th or

20th of May. The quantity of seed will depend on the soil. If veiy fine and

rich, 13^ bus. to the acre; on ordinary soil, 2, and on very poor, 3, or better not

sow any."

Remarks.

remarks.

—

There is not an inconsistent statement in this gentleman's

Never let no one fear to venture upon raising peas for this purpose.

Beans have been considered especially the food for sheep, but peas are easier

raised, and will, no doubt, do just as well as beans fed in like quantity, about a

gill, I believe,

for each sheep, once daily.

I must say here, however, that I

am

of the opinion it would be a decided advantage in raising peas to sow sufficient

oats with them to hold

them up, as suggested in relation to raising them for

hogs, which see.

Oats are then fed also to sheep; then, as they are a great

help in supporting pea vines, which are to be allowed to ripen for sheep, why

not sow them together and feed them together? Whoever tries them both ways,

I have not a doubt but what he will afterwards always sow them together.

Sheep vs. Dogs— How to Give the Advantage to the Sheep.

A remedy for sheep-killing dogs is given by a correspondent of the Prairie

Farmer, which is better than legal enactments, as the case is settled without

He says: " I have kept a flock of

sheep for several years, varying from 100 to over 2,000 head, and for the last 8

years have not lost a sheep killed by dogs.

I keep my sheep yarded nights, and

occasionally, varying from once in two weeks to once a month, I go out at

bedtime and place around the outside of the pen bits of meat containing

strychnine, which I take up again early in the morning if not eaten during the

night.

Result, immunity from dogs, and an old well on the farm has received

a layer of dogs and a layer of dirt imtil it is about f ulL I have never killed a

complaints, without lawyers, judge or jury.

—

"

I>R-

736

CEASE'S BECIPES.

man's dog through malice, or anywhere except on my own premises and in protection of my own property, and have not, to my knowledge, received any

injury in retaliation for the death of any dog. The plan is just and right, and

every fair-minded man must acknowledge it."

Remarks. The author can see only one point in this plan which may be

wrong. It is in that he put out his strychnined meat only once or twice a

month, whereas I should think twice a week would be better if there were

—

many dogs about.

Fattening Sheep. — An Ohio sheep-raiser, writing to the Rural New

" Sheep picked out for the butcher should be fed generously and

Yorker, says:

regularly, and upon this point too much stress cannot be laid.

Care should be

taken, however, to give the sheep only just enough for one meal at each feeding time. My own experience agrees with that of most successful sheep owners,

that fattening cattle should be fed three times a day, though some of my neighbors think twice often enough. It is also very important that the sheep should

not be allowed to suffer from want of water; neither should they lack a supply

of salt; for although salt is not so necessary to them in the winter as in summer,

still

they will thrive better if it is fed to them at least once a week at all

seasons.

—

Remarks. The author would say here that sheep as well as cattle should

have daily access to salt and also to pure water. If fed salt only once a week

they will eat so much of it as to make them over-dry, and consequently to overdrink, which is a bad thing to do. I have never seen an account of any animals

over-eating salt when it is kept where they can have access to it whenever they

like; and I believe they will eat only what is good for them if it is so placed.

Pea and Oatmeal for Fattening Sheep.— As nothing was said

above as to what kind of food should be used for fattening sheep, the author

would suggest peas and oats, which may have been grown together, or, better

still, to grind them together; then cut nice hay and properly wet it with sweetened water if you like (see " Fattening Cattle, Molasses for," etc.); then mix in

this mixed meal, and I will guarantee the fattening to

be quickly and satisfac-

See also peas for sheep, above.

torily done.

Foot Bot in Sheep, Successful Bemedy.— Sulphuric acid, 2 ozs.,

water, 1 oz.

;

and put into the mixture 3 old copper cents (I say old, because the

old ones are purer copper than the new ones), and when the cents are dissolved

it is ready

Directions— Remove all the rotten and decaying parts of

for use.

—

the hoof with a knife or any convenient instrument a knife like the blacksmiths use in horseshoeing, have the end bent up or around a little, is best

the knife being sharp to cut off

hoof, avoiding

if

possible,

to every part which

ally

be

sufficient;

if need be any projecting bits of the decaying

any bleeding; then apply the mixture thoroughly

was diseased.

but

if

there

is

If

thorouglily applied, once will gener-

any of the disease between the

hoofs,

besides cleaning out all that can be with the knife, a piece of soft cord or string

must be wet with the mixture and drawn through to make thorough work of it

and prevent its spreading again from this part.

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

Bemarks.

in

737

— Some persons have recommended tar as a cure for the disease, but

my estimation there is nothing curative in it; but if the disease is first killed

by the use of this acid mixture, or some of those below, then immediately

apply tar over the affected part, it will protect the foot from the dampness of

the ground and help to hold the acid mixture in place to make a more certain

and positive cure. This acid mixture I am much in favor of, as it is very much

like the celebrated Longworth cure of scrofula in persons.

He puts 2 coppers

into 1 oz. of nitric acid on a plate, and when effervescence ceases,

i.

e.,

after

it

ceases to eat the copper any more, he then adds 2 ozs. of pure vinegar; then,

with a swab, wash the scrofulous sores twice daily; and if it causes too much

One man is reported

pain, reduce, so it can be borne, with a little rainwater.

in my " Second Receipt Book" as using this mixture upon his ankle for fourThe copteen months, which effected a perfect cure, after years of suffering.

per not only neutralizes much of the strength of either of the acids, but it adds

to their power of destroying or killing the disease in sheep's feet, or on the

scrofulous sores of persons, as above indicated. The difference, it will be seen,

is, that for the foot-rot 2 ozs. of the acid is used to 1 of water, while for the

scrofula 1 oz. oniy of the acid is used to 2 of vinegar, and this to be still

reduced with water if need be, although the stronger it can be borne upon the

scrofulous sore, the sooner will be the cure. There are those who think footrot in sheep, like scrofula, is a disease of the blood; but I think not, but that it

is contagious and

wholly external; while in treating scrofula internal

altera-

no objection

to the mixture of sulphur and salt, as given above, being placed where the sheep

tives should be taken to make the quicker cure, still there can be

can have daily access to it.

Persons should also take the sulphur mixture a&

given under the head of scrofula, which see.

Sheep, Foot-Rot in—A Flockmaster's Sure Cure for.— A corre

spondent signing himself "Flockmaster," writing to the Post and Tribune, says

"I have seen for the last year, inquiries for what will cure foot-rot in sheep,

and for the sake of the valuable animal I will give to the readers of the Post

and Tribune a sure cure for the disease in all its stages: Muriatic acid, 3 ozs.j

Mix in an openTake the sheep and cut the decaying hoof away to the quick

of the foot, as long as any opening can be found penetrating deeply into the

hoof, but avoid making it bleed.

[He don't tell us why, but blood neutralizea

the butter of antimony.] Then with a smooth, sharp stick dip in the bottle and

thoroughly rub the foot all over. It is a harsh treatment, but I will warrant a

butter of antimony and corrosive sublimate; each, 1 oz.

mouthed bottle.

cure every time, if it is thoroughly applied."

—

Remarks. He gives us no address, still I have no doubt of its efficacy. He

Bays to " i-ub the foot all over," by which I suppose he means only the diseased

part or parts, as it is no object to put it on the sound parts of the hoof; but a

Boft cord or string wet with it may be drawn between the hoofs, if there is

any

Care should always be used not to apply too freely, nor to get

any of these mixtures upon your person, eyes, etc.; and don't let them lay

around loose for children to get at, as they are poisonous as well as corrosive

disease there.

and destructive to healthy parts as well as to the diseased part.

"

DR- CHASE'S RECIPES.

738

Another Remedy—Never Known to Pail.—A writer m the Ohio

"For foot-rot, here is a cui'e I have never known to fail:

FttrmcT says:

tarbolic acid and pour it on a piece of copper

Take

—an old-fashioned penny will do

Be sure not to apply till the acid

Keep the copper in all the time. Clean the hoof and

•—let it stand until the acid ceases to act on it.

ceases to eat the copper.

apply with a swab.

Remarks.

One or two applications will be sufficient.

—He does not say how much acid.

druggists in the form of crystais, but

is

Carbolic acid is obtained by

generally kept dissolved in the least

amount of water that will dissolve it. This is the kind he refers to, and 1 oz.

may be put upon 1 cent, and if it eats it all up put in another, so there is some

copper still

left

undissolved

cases, to cleanse off

is

the

way to use it; otherwise, as in the above

But now we

decaying parts of the hoof before applying.

come to a

—

a Mr. Karkeek, who is claimed

good authority, writes to one of the agricultural papers that when the

prevalence of wet weather makes it probable that toot-rot may set in, "it Is

easily prevented by carting a quantity of earth and throwing it up in the form

of a mound in the center of the yard attached to the shed, and upon this mound

Preventive of Foot-Rot in Sheep.

to be

strew small quantities of freshly slacked lime."

Remarks.

—This confirms the general idea that foot-rot

is

brought on by

external causes rather than internal, and hence the idea given in one of the

" Short Rules for the Care of Sheep," and that is: "Keep sheep dry under foot

Sheep dearly love rolling, or even hilly, land, and cannot be

well kept on low, wet grounds, and especially so if there are no knolls nor

elevated dry grounds upon which they can gather themselves to rest and sleep,

and hence the advantage of the mound in the yard or litter to keep their feet

"witn litter," etc.

<iry in winter.

Sheep Ticks, Dip and Other Remedies for.— it is important,

soon after shearing sheep, to see that the lambs, especially, are freed from these

pests; for after shearing, to get away from the light, and the exposures of the

cold, when the old sheep have parted with their covering, the ticks will escape

to the lambs, often to such an extent as to stunt their growth, reduce them in

flesh, and seriously weaken them by the loss of blood when, otherwise, they

would be in their best condition. The Hearth and Home gives us the usual

4Strength of the dip necessary to free them when numerous, as follows: "Cheap

plug tobacco, 5 lbs., broken up and boiled in 2 pails of water; then 30 gals,

added, will make dip enough for 100 lambs, or 50 sheep. After dipping keep

them dry a day or two."

To dip them have a water-tight box large enough lo hold a lamb, or a

sheep, if any are to be dipped, so as to entirely cover them with the dip. Arrange a sloping table at the side of the box which will allow all the liquid to

run back into it. Then take a lamb by the forelegs with one hand, with the

other cover up the mouth and nostrils, let an assistant take the hind legs, and

immerse the lamb entirely, long enough to allow the dip to penetrate the wool,

lay the lamb on the sloping table and squeeze out the surplus liquid, and the

operation is complete. If this is done every year, it is claimed that ticks will

;

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

739

soon disappear altogether; but it strikes the author that ticks are as natural to

sheep as lice are to hairy animals, and that they must be thus destroyed whenIf fowls are permitted access to the sheep yards they will

ever they appear.

eagerly search for ticks and pick them out of the wool, but we would rather

trust to the more effectual process of dipping.

Not long after this process of

dipping, a careful examination of the lambs should be made, and

if

there is

only occasionally a tick seen, every one of them must be snipped with a pair of

small scissors; but if very many are left from a want of proper penetration of

the dip into the wool, it must be repeated, to make a thorough destruction of

them, to eradicate them from the flock, before cold weather sets in.

Scab in Sheep, Successful Remedy.— Quick silver, 1 lb. Venice

;

turpentine,

% lb. spirits of turpentine, 2 ozs. melted lard, 4^^ lbs.

;

;

Direc-

—Work the articles together thoroughly in a mortar; then mix into

until cold.

Apply to

the warm lard and

scabs, and

places indicating

the disease — shearing, or whenever any indications appear—use a swab, or

t:ions

first

stir

all

all

at

sponge, in applying, rubbing carefully when the skin demands it.

farmer of Olney, Oregon, who had used it 10 years says:

Remarks.

" It saves wool and sheep." There is not a doubt of the success of this ointment for scab in sheep, and I have not a doubt, either, but what it will cure all

—A

eruptive skin diseases of persons.

If less in

amount is needed,