The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1877-10-03
VOL. IL.
Wool Growing,

The severe lesson that has been taught
the farmers Of this county the past two
years should he made an ultimate source
Of profit, or ut least should be the means
Of turning the attention Of our land own.
ers and tillers to the raising Of stock, in
connection with the sowing of grain and
the planting Of corn.
No argument or assertion is needed in
support Of the fact that an entire depend
ence upon grain crop, is unsafe; drowt,
too much ram, or grasshoppers are liable
to occur, either Of which may prove fatal
to the annual crop. Such has been the
case, and no assurance can he given that
1t will I've otherwise again. Further, it Is
not every wheat crop that pays by any
means. The price is more often below,
than equal to, or above a paying profitable
investment or labor. States that once
were hoted for their grain producing
qualities, now look to this new Country
for their bread stuff. Land becomes de.
pieted, its properties peculiar in the nutri
tive elements, for wheat growing, are cx.
haustcd, and demands thorough and ex-
pens,ve system Of fertiliziny which eau
only he adopted at great expense; hence,
those localities have abandoned wheat
growing is u staple, for stock raising, but.
ter making, and wool growing, all or
either Of which, when properly attended
to, proves more remunerative than any
other agricultural pursuit. The immense
quantities Of grass that goes to waste and
The large surplus Of barley, oats, and cora
tina, 1t does not pay to ship, Can only be
utilized in this way. Caille are always
salab'e aud 1t Jour own door; no season
can effect them as the crop is. Batter is
also cash and marketable commodity'
II requires some capita, it il true, bu.
small beginnings in time produces large
increase, stock Of every description can
be raised 50 easily and with but little Ia.
bOr.
But the mos, profitable investment for
the small amount Of immediate capita!
needed, is in snccp. O.ie hundred dbl.
lars investr;i In sheep will trpi,!' the !,ar-
chase in two seasons, including the wool
4 increase. It does not require hardly one
fourth the capital that Il does for cattle, to
begin with, and but very small amount
Of labor in caring for them; a boy can
heard three hundred sheep and their
range would he unlimited but a few days
labor with the mower would secure their
winter food. Sheds OF straw or Slough
grass can be cheaply constructed. Our
high and dry prairies are peculiarly adapt
ed for wool growing. Water is ample and
thousands of tons Of hay annually goes
to waste. s.-
Sheep raising in Texas has proved
more profitable than cattle raising. Me-
rino and other large varieties are raised st
7 cents u pound, and the sales last year,
when everything was at a low ebb, ranged
from % to 45 cents u pound. Large for
tunes have been made there and the same
can be done here upon our prairies where
some of the finest ranges in the world
now yield nutritious grasses only to be
burnt or wither unused. If each farmer
would commence by purchasing as many
sheep each season as they can raise money
for, but = few years would elapse before
they would be far beyond any fear of
grssshoppers, and with Tar less labor, care,
and anxiety, occasioned by fear of the
pest. would be nearer a competence than
if he persists III the routine of wheat
raising.