Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-03-28
From SAN Francisco Bulletin.l
sheep Raising I'm California---Its
Increase and Profits.

AANttA>s anu
There are now about eight millions of
sheep In California. This is an increase
Of three millions and twenty-five thou
sand since 1869. To the number first
mentioned must be added this springs
lambs, of which about three millions
will be raised. These figures show the
astonishing rapidity with which sheep
increase here, despite much poor breed
Ing and crossing and the most careless
and inhuman system of feeding
and treatment. The value of the
wool is as great as the increase in the
number of the sheep is rapid. There
are two clippings, the spring and fall.
In good years for feed the spring clip
averages six and the fall clip four
pounds. Each sheep will yield this
sprfng an average clip of four and a half
bou4ds, or 38,000,000 pounds in all,
while the total wool crop of last year
was only about 20,000,000 pounds.
Some prize bucks on Mr.. Jewett's ranch,
son Of S. W. Jewett. of Rutland, VT,
in Kern county, clipped a 30 pound
deeCe, and the ewes % pounds each,
which was. last June. worth % cents
pound, OF a total in the first case of
IS 90, and in the others of So 16.
Young bucks of six months to three
The orders are generally far ahead Of the
supply.
Our wool brought very good prices
last year, but probabilities favor better
prices this wear than ever before. 1t is
expected that 35 cents per pound will be
The ruling rate. If all the crop sold for
-. q total IF OR
800, 600 for the spring clip alone. These
figures are enormous, considering how
.rudely the business of sheep raising has
n.eu followed and its comparative in
fancy in California.
70 branch of agriculture has proved
.y well or been so safe and unYarying i'll
gs yield as sheep raising. The market
cannot Dee glutted either. Purchasers
are now scattered all over the State, and
are offering better prices than were paid
tog even the highest priced wsol last
,par. Our wool has this advantage: 1t
can be placed in the Eastern market and
supply the wants of the manufactures
therc two months before the Atlantic
-haaring is performed. California wool
has of late come into great favor, too,
and for the same reason that our wheat
is Preferred Our climate is very dry,
and our wool is, therefore, less oily, and
consequently shrinks less than that
raised in the much more humid climate
of the Atlantic States and Canada.
The foothills and mountains are
thought by many to be tho best portions
oi California for sheep raising. The
water there is purcr, the air cooler, the
shade Of trees better, and the feed keeps
green and succulcnt longer. The ad-
vantage Of GOOD water is a great one.
The shcep is q very dainty animal in
This respect He will almost die of
thirst rather han drink muddy or aka
line water lie will thrive better on
good water and poor feed than on good
iced and bad water.
Of course Grst-Claas sheep runs on
public land are now comparatively
scarce in this State, but as there are still
many millions Of acres of Government
land in the foothills and upper ranges
of the Sierra Nevada, good locations can
still be hunted up by the expenditure OF
one or two months time. Shecpare now
always driven DOM into the valleys
from the upper mountains in winter, but
this need not he the case. The provision
of even rude shelter and the storage of
hay viii do away with the necessity OF
change Of location.
Railroads are being extended, and cN-
tended rapidly, either directly through
or contiguous to those localities where
cheap O: Government land is most plenty
and where sheep raising pays best. The
Ban Joaquin Valley branch of the Cen
tIal Pacific road is being built at the
rate Of mile a day. The town of Wis
ala (Which is so miles from MerceO
will be reached early this summer. Pro
Rress is likewise being made on the Cali
fornia aud Oregon branch Of the Central
Pacific. Wool-grOWers and farmers
along the foothills north and south are
thus brought in easy communication
with the great central markets at a large
saving III time ana money, as compared
with their former condition.
We direct the especial attention of the
sheep-raisars Of Vermont, New Hamp-
shire and the other New England States
and of the Cauadas, to the foregoing
facts about sleep-raising in California.
Many Of them would net two to three
times as much from the business by a
removal to this State with their hlooded
msrinO5 rs the profits they now make in
their old homes, where the climate is
less favorable and the soil much less
prolific,