The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-07-25

business than any other stock business
that can be conducted in this country.
But 10 know how to handle ~hcep right
" Ia no small consideration when you 90
10 figure on tho profits of your invest
meDt in sheep. venture TO say that
there are az many men who lose as make
in the sheep business, and IT is all IRON
a Iack OF knowledge OF the business, and
proper range and conveniences for hand
ling the stock, A word In regard to The
kind of sheep TO handle; Many get the
idea that IL is best to start with Mexican
ewcs and grade up. This is a mistaken
idea. They have neither the constitu
ton, carcass nor wool. They count TOR
sheep, and that Is all. Buy a good trade
at once--buy quality and not quantity,
If sheep that shears three pounoS OF
wool pays, one that will shear SIX or
eight will pay better, The expenses on
900 good sheep are no more than the
same number of common sheep, and
there you have the difference between
three pounds and eight pounds, or hVe
pounds more Of wool from your good
than from your common sheep Land
in Texas will soon be an object, and ev-
cry man will be compelled TO herd on his
own land, which, being worth a good
price, you can buy the lcss-so buy good
sheep and make a better per cent on
your Investment than when you handle
common sheep. The following figures
will show the cost, expenses n prollts
OF l55 ewes for n year. My statements
are exact, and any n can zee their cor
rectness by looking at my books l55
ewes at * per head cost 81 gao, and one
ram cost $75, Total cost OF sheep, w.
3l5. The 1855 ewes sheared ! 21O pounds
OF wool, which, at twenty-five and one
half cents, brought $27S. The expenses
Of herding, shearing, etc were Sl63'76'
Profit on wool $ll5.25, or a fraction UNI
der nine per cent. on the investment.
These ewes raise ninety five lambs which
are valued at $40 per head,
which ! think is a reasonable
figure (at least that would not
buy them). Then If TO the valued your
wool you add the value of the lambs,
you have a very handsome profit on your
Investment. We employ a boy to herd
these ewes at 81 per month. Oi course
the expenses are heavy IN proportion to
the income from wool on account Of the
small number OF sheep in the herd. But
it for 1000 of such ever you double the
expenses, and multiply the l,240 pounds
of wool by six and figure the wool at a
reasonable price, you have good profit on
your investment from the wool alone.
Then TO this add the value of the lambs,
and you nave a fine profit. This state
ment gives the profits Of sheep raising
where good attention ~ given to caring
for sheep. OF course the profits will be
leas in proportion IN you fail to attend
the sheep rightly. You must figure on
a loss per annum of about five per cent.
OF your number from various causes,
such AZ wolves, worms, carelessness
Of shepherds, etc, and in figuring
your amount Of increase il is not
sale to count for more than two lambs
from every three breeding yves Gen
orally where good attention il given a
much better per cont IA saved. The
article in the sun ppoke of lambs one
year old raising lambs. The Suns in
Dormant eau. beat us in this part Of the
country, hut az that article was most
probably written by come land or rail-
road agent, he had AZ well said what he
did ss anything else. My object has been
to give you a fair and exact statement Of
facts, which will show to any one good
profit on the investment, but no big,
rapid fortune. And any IN who thinks
TO make n fortune in two or three years,
and then, like the Chinaman, return TO
his native land to spend it, had best not
invest in sheep, for in nine cases out OF
ten he will loose instead OF make. II
those who come to Texas to go into the
sheep business would first go out on a
sheep ranch and herd and handle sheep
one year before buying, nine out of ten
would never invest.