The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-01-11

From lhe New York Herald. December %.

From the New York Herald. December 20.
Some three years ago, while Mr.
George Grant, an English gentleman
was travelling through the west on I
pleasure tour. he became convinced
that the land In Ellis county, Kansas,
was eminently adapted 10 grazing large
hocks and herds, and, without much
ade, entered into n contract with the
Kansas Pacific Railway for the pur-
chase of 100, 900 acres, which he subse-
quently divided into sections or stock
farms, one mile square each. Mr..
Grant was in tho city yesterday, and
an the course of conversation with q
Herald representative furnished some
very interesting information. The
most successful results, he said, had at
tended his enterprise, and il was safe
to predict that in q few years large
amounts of capital will flow toward
carrying out the object intendsd,--the
rising OF improved breeds of sheep,
cattle and horses, and to cultivate por-
tions Of the land according to the most
progressive farming ideas Of modern
times. fr-n
That Mr.. Grants foresight and judg-
ment have been well rewarded is pret-
ty thoroughly established by the num-
erous applications made for tracts Of
land in that vicinity whereon to follow
his example. But il should be borne in
mind that he does not sell less than q
square mile, or $40 acres, his intention
being TO divide his lands in compare
lively large estates, thereby attracting
men with sufficient means in order that
the country may be developed the more
rapidly. Mr.. Grant has already dis
posed Of large number Of square miles
to gentlemen abroad and in the States,
who have already erected elegant and
substantial buildings OF stone, some of
them owning from one to six square
miles each. Mr.. Grant sells his land
at from $500 to el0.0 according to
location and convenience. He has Mt
present about Il, 900 sheep principally
breeding ewes OF the merino grade.
These are being crossed by long wool
imported rams Of the highest pedigree;
over 100 English rams, principally Ok
ford Downs, Cotswolds, Lcicesters,
Lincolns aud South Downs have been
imported by him; and, having purchas-
Ell Colorado graded ewes for breeding,
the experiment OF crossing the merinos
with the long woods was attended with
very encouraging results. Apart from
WEI Weight they eRbp|5a ~ FORM sJ .sa. size an and
half TO seven pounds OF wool, which is
much larger than that Of the native
stock.
In describing the arrangements OF
]
Mr.. Grant said that the sheep were di-
vided into focks Of about 1 200 each,
under the charge OF seperate shepherds.
and remain out in the open prairie over
three-fourths of the year, the climate
being everything that could be desired.
He has erected commodious covered
corrals OF the Kansas stone, which is
found in abundance in the neighbor-
hood, for the winter shelter. Exper-
fence has shown him the proPriety OF
| feeding tho sheep at such times and In
stormy weather on crushed corn, the
result Of which was a very small death
rate in comparison with that which fol-
lowed hay feed. Mr.. Grant expects to
have on his estate within fivs years 100,
600 ewes OF improved breeds. He pro.
nounces his stock as in the best oi
health. Twice q year, in june and
September. he marches 10000 sheep
through q bathing trough 4 feet deeT
and Is feet long, filed with n solution
of 20 pounds OF tobacco and pounds
of sulpher to 100 galloons of water, ai
a temperature OF l20 degrees. The
sheep are completely submerged, and
in their efforts to get out become per
fectly soaked. They ascend TO n per
from which all the dripping flows bach
into the trough. Two thousand sheer
and more can thus be dipped each day
Such bath costs about two cents pei
head, aud yields TO the owner a rstuIr
Of wool of an additional half pound anc
sometimes more, besides freeing the
sheep from scab, ticks aud other yer
min, Mr.. Grant has over 80 psniel
for his herdor, and about ms many worl
horses, breeding mares, and severa
first-class stock horses. Adjoining hi
estate are the farms Of Msssrs. Gunth
or, the Hon. Walter Maxwell, Waite
Shields, and others, all giving promis
Of satisfactory results. Victoria Colo
nv is very advantageously situated
part Of the estate being near Fort Hays
; an important military post. A station
has been erected on the estate, through
which tho Kansas Pacific Railway runs
Altogether the prospects are exceeding
ly bright. Not many years ago count
, less buffaloes roamed sole denizens O
this region. To-day handsome resi-
J dences, fields of grain, and the fines
cattle and sheep in the country plainl
, indicate in what direction the star @
empire moves. Mr.. Grant leaves 10
England next Sunday week, and wi
return in April next.