The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-04-12
4 Mammoth Sheep Farm.

The Victoria stock farm Is in the heart
Of Kansas, and is already IN immense
estate, md Mr.. Grant is now in treaty
for the purchase Of tho whole county OF
Ellis, comprising about nine hundred
square miles or $4,000 acres. This
would bs larger, with one exception,
thau any estate held by any dukedom
in Europe. It is the intention OF tho
owners Of the farm to devote themselves
TO stock raising, much Of the stock
now being sheep. The flock numbers
10000, and the success in wintsring
stock has determined Mr., Grant to in
crease his flock, his aim being to have q
noCk OF 100, 900 Of improved breeds with
in five years. He has also largely i'm.
proved his stock Of cattle, having Upward
Of five hundred young cows, which have
been crossed with imported bulls OF the
highest pedigree.
Mfr. Grant believes in Blieltering cattle
through the winter and feeding them
when necessary. Many Of the sheep and
cattle owners OF the West, during the
past winter, lost nearly one.half Of their
stock, through exposure and cold, while
Mr.. Grant has not lost more than one
per cent. The cost per head for feed
averaged about thirty cents. His feed
for shccp on stormy days Is in allowance
Of crushed corn, which costs about one
cent per day per head. In difference to
his head shepherd, who was an advocate
for hay, Mr.. Grant divided flock OF
$500 young sheep, feeding one.llalf on
liay and the other on crushed corn. The
death rate was twenty.four to pnd, in
favor Of those fed on crushed corn. In
stormy weather, he now feeds on crushed
cora altogether, which can be done ut
great saving OF labor. One man can
easily provide tho crushed corn and put
1t into the binsfor 10, 900 sheep per day,
while II requires five men to feed hay.
Mr.. Grant has experimental success
fully with alfalfa clover, and intends to
SOW three hundred acres this season, be-
lieying it to be tho best feed for cattle
and sheep. Convinced that prevention
Is better than cure, ho has shcep.bath
in which he dips his sheep twice q year,
Immediately after Bhearingand ut the end
Of the summer, and by his arrangements
he can dip 5000 sheep per day. A solu.
ton OF twenty pounds Of tobacco and
tlyepounds Of sulphurtothe onehundred
gallons Of water Is prepared by being
boiled for two hours in two tanks, hold
ing each !, 1000 gallons, and used in the
bath at temperature Of one hundred
and twenty degrees Fahrenheit. The
solution Is then run into trough twenty
four feet long and six foCt deep, and the
sheep arc driven up to it in single file,
through narrt W pacsage on level
with tho top, and fall into the water.
After swimming through the water, the
sheep ascend from tho bath by steps to
dripping corral or inclosurc, where
thoy remain until the wash runs back
into tho bath, 30 that nothing is wasted.
Tho cost is about two cents per head for
each bath, and yields to the owner rc-
tnrn in wool, from tho improved condi-
tion Of the sheep, Of at least half q
pound, and worth twenty cents per head.
This bath also keeps out scabs, tick, and
other yermin to which sheep are sub
ject. Several interesting experiments in
crossing imported stock will DO made
this summer, and tho results carefully
noted,