The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-11-26
THE AMERICAN SHEEP INTEREST;

AOA'O"AhBS Wu1Cn SC6mS 1917
statement of the present condition of the
sheep interest Of this country, is from the
New York Tribune:
The sheep business is beginning to set
tie down upon regular basis with vast
proportions. The time has long passed
when farmers in the eastern states could
grow wool at a profit In competition
flrss with Ohio, and then with Michigan
and illinois. It was wise in them,
therefore, to breed good animals to be
sold for propagatlng purposes. and thus
Vermont men did good service to the
sheep interest by raising the grade Of
American Merinos to what is indlspens
able-a fixed type. Presently wool
growers further west competed with
Ohio men by producing large quantities
" wool, and so they of Ohio began
breeding fine sheep; thus gradually one
section alter another has been superseded
as ESPECIALLY wool-producirg one, and
they found greatest profit in breeding
for tue points, and now good bucks are
produced in western Iowa and Missouri 20
De sent to she plains and the Rocky
Mountain countries.
Some i've years ago the Texas flock
masters Introduced good male animals
from Vermont and Ohio with speedy
favorable results, and last year the large
tiockmasters of New Mexico followed
their example. The Texas wool of this
year is every way acceptable to manu-
facturers, as the total shrinkage was
only about 40 per cent. and as they
paid from thirty-eight to forty cents
only per pound, and, as most oft is capa
bic OF making fine delalnes, the profits
have been handsome. The best of
Texas wool comes from the northern
part OF the state, region of plateaus,
Wnere the grass is fine and rich. More
care has been taken with the fiocks than
formerly, as good blood has come in, and
the Average gain has been oyer pound.
In few years more it is likely to be in-
creased to three and even four pounds.
The wool Genes into market free from
dust and dirt, becousa it is now larpelv
transported by rail, while formerly it
was hauled several hundred miles over
dusty roads for weeks to reach a point
OF shipment. The business is now
rapidly spreading over vast extent OF
country reaching from southern Texas
to the Missouri River, while the advarc-
ing large focks have found their way
through the passes of the mountains into
elevated valleys ofthe Grand and Gunnison
Rivers.
The increase Of the wool product OF
California has been almost miraculous
and it is estimated that the clip of this
year will reach 6O,0O0,0OO Of pounds,
against 100000 in 1878. The wool
capacity of that country is cartaiply
Rreas, and also is that of the country
east, including Nevada and Utah but
it is doubtful whether the grass will
eyer produce wool as probably as that
grown in the Rocky Mountain country
and the plains of Texas. The present
aspect IN this direction is unfavorable.
for the shrinkage of California wool is
over fi:ty per centrum, though this may
be due to the comparatively low grade
and to the extremity large focks, as such
do not generally receive the care given
to smaller ones. The profits TO sheep
growers in these regions is greater than
10 any other part of our country, for it is
stated on what seems good authority that
the increase of ffocks IS from so to 80
per centum per annum, leaving the wool
which will far more than balance the
outiays for herding. As a general thing
no winter feed is required except for
ewes.
But with such advantages, the bus
mess is far from being popular, for the
reason that constant attention is required.
fhe sheep must be in sight of sheperd
all day long, and their condition must be
watched by an experienced eye with the
view of providing remedies in detail
whenever needed. This signifies that
one is to be as faithful as first class
mechanic or salesman, and for want of
those qualities the losses il sheep grow
ing nave been SO h avy that larg focks
nave gone to ruin, both in the settled
md ont 1 l,