Sheep And Wool At The State Fair

The wool business in Michigan is mure anti more assuming proportions of great financial importunoo. We have endeavored to do our part in bringing forward this great interest in our county and in this seotion of the State. Like cottou in the South, wool in tb a North 1 wayH brings the oash, and there is this fact about the sale of wool, it not only brings cash but it is easily marketed, and it Bells and brings the money just previous to the harvest when money is needed by the farmers. It is a chesp and easy way to market the graan and grain of the farm in a clip of wool. The improvement in the quality of Michigan wool, whioh is apparent to all, is due to the introduotion of improved ewes and of well-bred and thoroughbred rains, and for this reason we oommand the aotion of the State Agricultural Sooiety in adding to its premium list a new class- Class 20, División O- Thoroughbred Merinos. We hope to see a fine exhibition of these sheep at the ooming State Fair, to be held at Jaokeon, September lïth to 21st, inolusive. The premiums are liberal and are as follows : DIVISIÓN C- OLASS 20 - THOROUGIIBRED MERINOS, lst 2d 3.1 Prem. Preni. Preni. Buck, two years old or over, 15 00 10 00 85 00 Bucle, oue year old, - -12 00 800 400 Tliroe Buck Latnbs, - - 10 00 5 00 8 0 Three Ewes, two years old or 0Ter '. . . 15 00 10 00 50o Three Ewes, one year old, 12 00 8 00 4 0 Three Ewe Lauibs, - - 10 00 6 00 S 00 Nots.- Seoep shown In this class shall have pure pedigrees, tracín to the iniportations known a the ' Atwood," "Hammond,1, " AndrcwCock," ani " Robinson," as published iu KaudalI's Practica Shepherd. Now as we have said the quality o Michigan wool has advanoed somewha during the past year or two. This hai been brought about by the selection o the best breeding owes and by the in troduction of improved and thorough bred rama. The work of selectio should go on until every flock i brought to the highost state ol perfec tion. We hope to eee a lively interes among flock-masterB for improved ewes and espeoially for thoroughbred rams and it is at the State Fair that the bes samples of such animáis can be seen The best in the State, it is safe to sa] will be there. The premium for Amer ioan Merinos are the Bame as thos above for Thoroughbreds and so are th premiums for Southdown and othe middle wooled sheep, as well as for Cots wold, Leicester and other long-woojec sheep. Of these we are promised a fin and large exhibition. There is a profi in a well telected or sorted flock of shee - the profit being in the wool, in th lambs, in the increasod wsight of oar cass and last, but not least, in the man ure. Every farmer should look thi over and see that his sheep pay. Ther is, we believe, more profit in sniall flock in proportion, than in large ones, anc sheep in small flocks are leas Hable t diaease, and we therefore oommend th( propriety of keeping at least a ma flock of sheep to every farmer. Le thewe who are able keep the large flock and let it also be remembered, that no man can afford to sell Cotswold, o long wool, at the same price he eau th fine wools of the American Merinos, fo the simple reason that the former i produced at greater cost. We also coinmend the action of th State Agricultural Society in offerin premiums for wool. This is a new fea ture in our State Fairs and we hope t see a fine exhibition. The premium are as follows : DIVISIÓN J- CLASS 46.- MATERIALS. lst M 3d rreiu. ■ Pmn Best display of wool from any „ m M $2 M íwvi1YíiK WihWtfoois, not less than teu samples by one exhibitor, - - - 300 200100 Best display of long wools, not less than ten samples by one exhlbitor, 3 00 2 00 1 00 Bost display of middle wools, not less than ten samples by one exhibitor, - - 3 00 2 00 1 00 Note. - The individual fleece, weight of same, age, sex, variety, and breeder's name, shall be shown upon a card attached to cach articles. lst 2d 3d Prem. Prem. Prem. Best display of flax from any county in Michigan, $5 00 83 00 $2 00 Best display of prepared flax raised by exhibitor, (00 3 00 2 00 Best display of flag, willow cane and material for best chair work from any county in Michigan, - - -500 300200