Los Angeles daily herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1873-1876, 1874-02-06
From the Santa Barbara Press. ]
SHEEP AND THE FENCE LAW.
Letter from w. w. HOLSTER to III.
Otis, Washington, ID. q.


Letter from, w. W. Hollister TO II. G..
otis, Washington, ID. &.
SANTA BARBARA, CAL,
December 81, 1878.
Harrison G.. Otis, Washington, ID.
C.-Dear Sir: Your favor of I'd inst.
reached me in usual time. am so
much ofmy time engagedin my affairs
that | have been forced to postpone
the answer to your letter till now.
To answer your questions fully
woul1 require great deal of writing,
the Ie sure of which / cannot COM
ma d.
| will, in as concise manner as
boss, ..e, give you answers, such as the
routine of my own business enables
me to furnish, together with such
ideas as | gather from the general run
of sheep husbandry outside OF my own
operations.
Your first question
What, all things considered, is the
most profitable breed of sheep to grow
on the Pacific Coast?
While consider all kinds profitable
tn our State, the Merino, and different
grades of Merino seem best adapted
for large business.
Ffrst-Because the Merino is more
gregarious, and herds better in bands
and,
Seeoadly-The Merino, furnishing
to the world, as it does, the great sta
pie for the clothing woods, fills large
place in the economy ofliving. If this
class of wool was greatly diminished,
we should soon find out how small a
space was occupied by the combing or
long woods of the world.
Ihave no way of finding out, to any
thing like q certainty, what Is the
proportion of stritly clothing wool to
the combing, but should think that it
was seren to three, and, perhaps, even
eight to t,cO.
OF course, you know that we have
not enough of either. There Is no
danger of over-production in any kind
of wool, nor doubt of continued profit
in sheep husbandry for all time.
Your second question:
What Is the average annual increase
OF sheep under fair conditions
On small scale, with Merinos, one
hundred per cent; on large scale, l
count eighty per cent good, and BUSH
ness must be we'll attended to to make
that.
Your third question
What is the average annual yield
of wool from each animal?
Our flocks-meaning mine and part
ner's-will not vary much from six (6)
puunds once year.
We do not shear old sheep over one
year but once year. Lambs are usu-
ally shorn twice, as they keep in bet
ter condition during our winters here.
In like climates, think it is good
plan everywhere.
Fourth question:
What are the prices of the various
grades of wool in your nearest market ?
Prices vary, OF course, according to
demand-sometimes above and some
times below what / should call our
average for the past, and what it is
likely to be for the future say fifteen
tl5) cents for Fall wool, and twenty.
i've cents (25) for our Spring clip.
Fifth question:
What is the annual percentage of
losses in your fiocks when only one
epidemic is prevailing?
Very hard to answer. | should say,
from all causes, from five to ten % to
lO) per cent. We have had no cpl
denies, so far, on this coast. Our great
enemies have been, and continue to
be, scab and apolres. The cost of hand
ling one band of sheep of two thousand
5000 for one year, and raising the
lambs would, l should say, exclusive
of forage, be not far from twelve hum
dred Isl, 200 dollars.
We consider that number here a
fair one for one band of sheep herded
by one man, till the lambing season,
when more help is required.
Sixth question
Do you raise Angord goats, and if
SO, with what result
/ have handled them only in small
way, having had few, with one grade
buck fine; l suppose about dozen
common goats, for four or FIVE years.
The result was all l could ask-Uery
good; but, from the pressure OF other
pursuits, quit the care of them. /
believe in the business fully, and from
what / have seen and from what 1
have heard, think the raising of An
CORA goats one of the very best things
for the individual, and the country
that can be started. l say this only
for California, for here l know how
they thrive, and elsewhere do not
/, at least, should only follow the rails
ing of the animal here in California,
or in locations where the climate is
similar. Next to this State, Arizona
and NetC MericO are the best places
for goat and sheep-raising, chiefly on
account of climate. Texas and South
err, States adjoining are good, but not
as good, frequent changes of climate
making the difference.
have read the pamphlet sent, and
while 1 generally concede all the
points or arguments used, / will only
say that the large results in breeding
can only be fully realized on small
scale. AS business grows large, the
master must discontinue, to great
extent, his personal supervision. In
the hands of subalterns, no man can
expect such results as when he can
give his business his universal atten-
ton.
The Davenport Iowa Gazette has a
long account of the arrest at Council
Bluffs of Elijah Cowles, a brother-in.
law of Schuyler COlfax, for rObbing
the mails while route agent on the
Chicago and Rock Island Railroad
His operations has been going on fol
two years, and he confesses the crime
His robberies are placed at $4,000
Cowles was in good circumstances
He owned a fine stock farm near Kel'
logg. He is most respectfully con
nected, his wife being half-sistel
of ex-Vice-President ColfaX. Year.
ago, he was prosperous merchant al
the East. Heis fifty-two years of age