The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-03-16

tural implements and cultivating vari-
Gus kinds of grain, which, has to run
the gauntlet of host of enemies and
casualties, such; as the birds, the GO
piers. the 'hoppers, the foods, the
drOuths, the storms, tile, blight, tile
rust, the frost.and when we reach the
end OF the5yearwe can hardly expect to
escape with all Tor even IF our crops
without serious INJURY, and when we
take our crop to market we have no
certainty of finding such a market as
will pay the cost Of production.
But. on the other hand, if we devote
our attention to the utilization of this
boundless cropof grass growing already
to our hand, it is hardly possible that a
failure can ever occur. But some of
you will ask what evidence we have
that our climate is suited to sheep shus-
bandry, and that our prairie grass gives
suitable pasture and hay for tile healthy
growth and development Of sheep; and
whether sheep IRE not liable to disease,
and what the actual cost of keeping
sheep here? and will they pay? :. i
The Hon. Henry s. Randall, in his
work entitled 1.-The Practical :Shep-
herd" in his chapter OH ''Prairie Sheep
Husbandry,"4 page $50, says: I'm all
the new Western States sheep have been
found to acclimate without the least
difficulty. In Texas in the extreme
south, in Minnesota in the extreme
north, and in every intermediate region
sheep remain signally healthy, thrive to
the highest degree, produce as much
wool, if as we'll fed as in the older East
ern States, and their wool is not deteri-
grated in any real quality;'' and he goes
on to say: 1T can require no formal
array of facts to show that the profits
of sheep hnsbandry on the prairie must
greatly exceed those obtained in States
lying farther east. where land is no bet
ter and costs from five to fifty times as
much" lie further says, on page PSI,
1T seems now also to be 4 conceded
fact that the profits of sheep production
decidedly exceed those of horse, cattle
or swine production on the prairie"
In the report of the Commission on
Agriculture, "undcr the head Of ''Slleep
on the Prairie," the Hon. J. B. Grim
nell, OF Iowa, says. ''At any point 200
miles from Chicago this ratio of cost
is we'll established: that to transport
your products to the sea board, on
wheat you pay so per cent. of it's value ;
OH pork, 80 per CENT: OIL beef, 20 per
cent; while on wool you pay only 4 per
cent. This is not conjecture but my
own experience, that give 50 per cent.
OF the value of my wheat, which impov-
erishes my farm, to find q market and
only 4 per cent. to find the best wool
market, the production Of which ell
riches my acres beyond computation. :"
Under the head of ''Pr;lirie Diseases, "
page 255, he says: ''Hoof rot, the great
est Scourge of the flocks of New Eng
land, New York, etc., does not yet
appear to establish itself on the prairies.
1t IS claimed, and no doubt is true. that
flocksz to some degree affected with this
disease in the Eastern States, OH being
driven to the prairies lose all traces Of
it," PHge PSI, lie says: HE who en-
parks extensively i'll sheep husbandry
i'll the older States, must buy a large
amount Of comparatively high priced
land, clear up the forest, fence his land
carefully, sow pastures and meadows,
build barns for WATER storage and for
shelter, or buy all these things already
fitted to his hand, before he is ready to
purchase flock of sheep to commence
business. All this requires the outlay
Of much capital. Tie prairie sheep
farmer can commence operations with
out buying anything but his sheep. His
principal necessary CT ital is Il decent
knowledge of the business, and enough
energy to persevere in it. Thus have
started 4 large majority OF the pioneer
farmers of the new States. The new
settler builds 4 small cabin for himself
and wife to sleep III, 4 pen covered with
prairie grass for his team and. COW, if
he is SO fortunate rs to own such a lux
ury, high yard for il fold, and then he
is ready for wool growing. And in ten
years time he can count more sheep,
and sometimes more dollars worth
OF property, than his eastern competitor
who commenced with everything pre-
pared to his hand. The pen gives place
to the stable. the uncovered fold yard
is succeeded by the fold yard and sheds,
fine fields Of domestic grass for fall and
spring feed, and of luxuriant corn for
winter feed, surround the farmhouse.
Noble tlocks of thousands are driven up
nightly by his boys and herd men, who
in five years more will be flock masters
themselves. Are such men to he told
that they ought not to commence sheep
husbandry OH the prairies, until they
have this or that preparation for it..
The sooner the prairie wool grower can
surround himself with all these conyen-
lent appliances the better; but he acts
wisely i'll not waiting for them"
The Hon. r. A. Loye]and, proprietor
OF large sheep establishment in Iowa,
says: II would quite as soon have good
upland prairie hay us timothy; the sheep
will eat it better" IIe further says:
II am satisfied that Iowa and Southern
Minnesota are especially adapted to
wool growing. My sheep have been re-
markably healthy. Out of $50 lambs
have lost but ore during the past win
ter.''
il have felt justified in quoting thus
largely from these very distinguished
and reliable sources, from the fact that
very little experience has thus far been
had, in our own immediate vicinity.
from which to bring examples; but so
lar rs our own experience goes, it is
very encouraging and fully confirms
the statements and opinions quoted
above.
1t is estimated that sheep will con-
sumo one pound of good hay to every
30 pounds live weight) per head, SO
that the average flock of grade merino
sheep will require about q to 3 pounds
daily. One-fourth of a ton of hay to
each sheep will be about fair estimate.
as an average, to winter sheep in this
locality, where more or less straw will
be fed and they are permitted to range
about in fair weather and pick, us sheep
are inclined to do. The actual cost Of
hay to the farmer on the prairie is prob
ably about $500 per ton, making the
cost of l:lv tn wintar q ol,on,, ol,n,,& "a