The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-09-21
sheep Raising in Texas ~ HuSl
ness.

ESQ, Of Marshall, in answer to- an i'll
quiry from him AS to the proper place
in our Slate for raising sheep, the ship
ping facilities, price Of labor, land, etc,
is writ en- by M old citizen of Texas
one vino understands the subject Of
which he writes, aud whose name h
n household word with our people,
We publish IL for the facts il contains,
believing that they will be apprecia-
ted by our readers, and also valuable
10 persons coming into the State who
wish to engage in the business Of
which the letter treats. IL also serves
as n reply to many letters which we
have received, and we trust IL may
be generally copied by our cotempo-
p0ralies:
MCKINNEY, Texas, Sept. Is, rs.
j. d, DAVIS, Esq, Marshal;
DEAR SIR--Your letter of inquiry
concerning the proper place for sheep
raising, shipping facilities, prices OF
labor land, etc, has remained unan-
swered thus long, Tor want Of time to
give you the proper information.
The sheep business has been followed
with great success in Texas for many
Years more especially Lelore the war
but not TO the same extent since. Dur
| ing and since the war to Il great eX-
tent, the neglect Of llocks, caused great
deterioration In numbers, from the
deprodations of dogs, wolves, the scab,
etc, and the disposition among our
stock mon since the war, to FOLLOW the
cattle business; Tut in some localities
| the sheep ranches have been kept up
with profit.
A hllly or broken O. untry, with pleliy
of shade and short grass and running
water, Is most desirable as sheen
rancho. If were to establish sheep
cry for myself, | should 90 to Pnlu
Pinto county, 1t has all the requisites
for success In the business. Land is
CheAp--say from one TO five dollars PEI
acre. A situation could be had that
would tie desirable for sheep, as well as
for cattle, horses, and for general farm.
| ing purposes. As u matter of course
| ii it was desired % purchase good agri
cultural lands, Il better price woulc
! have 60 epaid than for purely pasture
lands; nat you could hardly net even
II pasture tract without finding goOt
agricultural soil also on the same
What Is here said OF Palo Pinto
county applies In great measure t
Jack, Eraih, Hood and other counties
in that section. At present each OF
those counties named are about til,
same distance from railroad facilities
AZ soon As the Texas aud Pacific Rail
r0pd Company can put their lands il
market, most desirable situations fu
sheep pnA stock pisug, rs well as To-
agricultural purposes all combined
can he had doubtless at cheap rates
and on lorg times of payment, in Pale
Pinto and Jack counties. The Unl,
present DRAWBACK Is distance say sew
enty-iive niles from railroad facilities
By the Time, however, one gets thor
0ughly under Roadway in the busi
ness, this distance will he greatly les
Sened, There is also liability of Indian
raids in the counties named at present
tut this trouble, | imagine, is yer,
nearly over new. Wise, Parker, Tar
rant, Denton and Johnson countie
nv" free FROM tho laot objection, nca
to railroad facilities, and pretty nearl,
rs good ior sheep; but lands are high
~, though have no doubt good land
Tor such purposes can Le had for from
/ two dollars and fifty cents to tire
dollars per acre. Indeed, some of tn
very hest lands can now be had TO
from four to five dollars per acre. Thes
last counties ARE more populous, an,
have not the same extensive outlet TO
pastnage, etc, though II pennsylvh
MAN, expect, would think four to iivt
aud six miles without farms yer,
good outlet for his wandering herds
All the counties | have named grow
cotton, wheat, oats, barley, rye, Irisl
and sweet potatoes, all kinds of vege
tables, tobacco, fruit, etc Farm labo
is worth SD per month, or by the day
about seVenty-tive cents. My owl
judgment is that sheep should he raise(
with goats; beginning with the com
mon freed and improving the quality
of both stocks. Goats are said to keel
large iocks of sheep more healthy
Their flesh is desirable rs food, ant
their skins, particularly the Ions
wooded variety, are very valuable ant
becoming in great demand, dressed
with the wool on for rugs, covers TO
saddles, etc. No animal can be raise,
80 cheaply rs the goat, aud none af
fOrds better or more healthful meat a
iood. ! think n sheep rancho, within
fifty to seventy-iive miles of ship
ping facilities is sufficiently near to Il,
profitable. II would not be too far t
haul The clip, or TO drive the mutton o
goats to market. But should such dis
lance be Objectionable, in most of tin
counties mentioned desirable situa
tons can he found near to the line O
the Texas and Pacific Railway. In
deed, in Dallas county, near Eagl
Ford, on South or Mountain Creek
snch places can he procured, but tn
price of land would I've from five to ten
dollars per acre. In the Cross Timber
between Eagle Ford and Fort Worth
and in and near the vicinity of For
Worth, most excellent ranches can b,
found. But Palo Pinto county is IN,
iavorlto for Il sheep rancho. 1t is ,
beautiful, healthful country, climat,
uneXceptionahle and the soil rich an,
productive. An intelligent German
who has travelled much Throughout
this country said to me not long since
that Palo Pinto county was the Swift
erland of America.
Yours very truly,
j, w, ~.