New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-08
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
U.-SHEEP FARMING.

NOT so AMBITIOUS OF LARGE FLoCKs AS OF GOOD
sIEEP-DIGGRR INDIANS AND THEIR DINNERS.
IFRox AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TRIBUNE !
PLACERvILLE, June i6.-In the last six months
have received good many letters from persons desr
GUS 10 try sheep farming California and this has led
me 70 look little closely into this business IA u 10 mere
conducted There is doubt that the climate OF Cali
forna gives some exceptional advantages 20 the sheep
grazer. He need not in parts Of the State make
any provision against Winter He hasno need for barns
or expensive sheds for store OF hay roots His
sheep live ouoidoors all the year round and IL results
that those who have been fortunate as to secure
cheapy extensive ranges have made great deal OF
money even though they conducted the business very
carelessly. IL ought TO be understood now
ever, by persons who think OF beginning Win
sheep here that the business has changed considerably
in character within two three years Land, In the
first place. has very greatly risen in price large ranges
are no longer easily cheapy obtained and In South
ern California particularly, large tracts are now too
hghprced considering the quality OF the land and its
ability to carry sheep for prudent TO buy. More
over Southern California has some serious disadvaD-
ages for sheep grazing which the northern part Of the
State-the Sacramento Valley and the adjoining coast
range and Sierra footmlls-are without, and which
begin to tell strongly that the wool OF this State
begins 10 20 upon its merits and is longer bought
simply az California WOOL" regardless Of its quality
Southern California has troublesome burr which is
not found north OF Sacramento, except the lower
lands In Southern California IL s difficult 10 tide the
sheep the Fall months in good order whereas In the
northern part Of the State they have greater variety
OF land, and do this easily The southern wool
brings less by five six per pound than that OF
the Sacramento Valley; and this is due part to the
soil and climate and IN part TO the fact that sheep are
carefully kept in the northern part OF the State.
Many Of the sheep farmers in the Sacramento valley
have entirely done with the mschievous practice
OF corraling their sheep, combining them at night,
mean, in narrow, crowded quarters, practice which
makes and keeps the sheep scabby. They very gener
ally fence their lands and thus able to their
pasture and 10 manage 1t much more simultaneously.
They seem to careful about overstOcking, and
have discovered that to give Enclosure years rest
pays handsomely increased feed. In Australia and
NewZealand sheep inspectors are appointed, who have
the duty examine hocks and force the isolation of
scabby sheep: aud careless hockDaster who should
DO discovered driving scabby sheep through the country
would be heavily iued here the law says nothing
this head but have found this Spring several sheep
In the Sacramento Valley who assured me that
they had eradIcated scab entirely from their nocks,
that they dealt also by isolation with such few single
specimens as they found to have this disease.
A RIVALRY 10 RAISE THE BEST SHEEP.
Moreover / find that the sheep farmers aim to
keep not the largest ocks but the best sheep. There
is doubt that the sheep deterorates in this State
unless is carefully and constantly bred up We must
get the finest bucks from Australia the East our
State" said very successful sheep farmer TO
me, and must do this all the time, else hocks
will 20 back" at Is more profitable 10 keep fewer
sheep Of the best kind than not quite good. IL
is more profitable to keep few sheep always in good
condition than many with period OF semi-sarvaton
for them I'm theiFa" said another and added would
rather, II were to begin again, spend my
breed worth 20 head than one worth 50 or a. aud
would rather not keep sheep at all than not fence"
He had his land-abOnt $500 scres-feneed of in lois
of from 200 to COCO acres and into Of these he
from 5000 sheep leaving them to Craze
as they pleased He had noticed, he told me. that
whereas sheep under the usual corral system feed
the greater part Of the day. matter how hot the sun,
sheep these large pastures lying down from
in the morning 70 or in the afternoon and he often
fonnd them feeding far into the night and rising again
Craze long before daylight They at liberty TO
follow Their pleasure. having water always at
hand. An abundant supply of water he thought
OF great importance or course where the sheep are
turned out into fenced land, shepherds required
which makes important saving. One man, with
horse visits the different ocks and look after ten
or fifteen thousand head The farmer whom have
quoted does not dip his sheep 10 prevent cure scab
but mops the place. when he has soabby sheep
with sponge dipped into the scab mixture. He gets
he told me- from his flock of 10000 average
pounds per head of WOOL and he does shear
any except the lambs the Fau. IL is common but
bad practice here 10 shear all sheep twice year. ana
where, often the case flock very scabby,
no doubt this necessary. He had long sheds SHELTER
for his about LANDING time to protect them
against winds and cold rain storms and he saved
every year about tons Of hay from the wild pas
lures to feed in the rains should hold OF uncon-
monty late. His keep the sheep always In
good condition. that there should any weak
place the wool. His sheds cost him abont q per
running foot. The sheep found their way 10 them
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFITABLE sHEErRAIsrNG.
find 1t is the habit OF the forehanded sheep in
the sscram Valley to range in the foot hills
and another on the bottom lands During the Summer
the sheep kept In the bottoms, which then dry
and full Of rich grasses; in the Fall and Winter they
taken TO the uplands, and there they lamb and are
shOrn. Where the range lies too far away from any
they drive the sheep in May into the mountains.
where they have green grass all Summer and about
Red Bluff a curious slght-cattle and horses
dering, singy in small groups. OF their motion.
20 the mountains and actually crossing the Sacramento
without driving and told that in the Fan they
would return each 70 s masters ranch. satisfied
except perhaps for the region north OF Reddng
here the Winters cold and the Summers have
and green grass and where long wooded sheep will do
well MeriDO is the sheep for this state and the
finer the better" say the best sheep Near Red
Bluff some fine Colswods and in The valleys
north Of San Francisco these and LEICESTER am told
do well.
great deal Of the land which il used for sheep
Will in the next five, at most years, be powed
and cropped There tendency tax all land at its
real value; and, except with good management, 1t will
pay to keep sheep land fit for grain and taxed
grain land, which great deal Of the grazing land
As the State becomes popuous, the focks viii be
come smaller, and the wool will improve in quality at
the time. have seen good deal Of alfalfa in the
Sacramento Valley, but have also that the sheep
do not trust entirely They believe that will
do better for sheep hay than green food and this
ueene grows rankly and has unless It 10 frequently
cut, much woody stalk. that believe this also.
II makes extremely nice hay. Every man who
California farm ought to keep some sheep;