The Red Cloud chief., 1879-04-17
Sheep Raising n Colorado

The most reliable information obenin-
ed gives the number Of sheep In this
State s. shout ?.Ooo,ooo, valued ~ = ?.23
per head, or $4,000 IN total value
Last years clip OF wool was about s..
Ue,OUc pounds, estimated q. l.. cents
Per pound, es15,0U0. There should b
added 70 this 100000 lambs, valued II
$50 per head, $4,000. During 1873
5000 head were driven in from Cali
fornia and 1900 from New Mexico.
The shipments u wool the coming 20
son viii be about 10000 pounds,
which at last years price will amour, 10
sl,225,0Oo, 20 which may be added The
value OF 5000 lambs n, $3.50 per
head, sl,i25,Ooo, making S2,S50.ooo
income from sheep alone. These ds-
ures may not be realized, bu, | have
given you the loves, estimates. Owing
70 the long distance, and the want VI
double-decked cars, The railroad freigh;
on sheep 10 Eastern markets is 30 high
tina, it will not pay To ship mutton %
any great extent. Thus far the bu siness
Of sheep raising in Colorado has been
very profitable, and ! can see no reason
why It should not continue 50 for years
10 come when conducted with sufficient
capital and experience. will mention
one instance where large profits have
been realized. A dock OF 1880 ewes,
costing $500, were placed oil q ranch
in southern Colorado. In eight years
1000 sheep were killed for mutton and
consumed on the rauch (this is almost
equal 10 the Consumption Of fresh beef
a. our county hoE.s), and 7,140 were
sold for S29, 500. There are II. 500 head
on hand worth, at 50 per head, Sii.40O.
The wool crops paid for shepherds and
all current expenses. The result shows
q net profit over the original investment
OF SG9,520, equal to ls3 per cent. per
annum for eight years in succession.
Now turn and look at the other side Of
the picture. Dat Of q flock Of 1000 very
fine selected ewes, worth 81 per head,
80 died during q storm Of two days last
March.
We at the East can hardly realize the
isolation oftentimes attending ranch
life. A few days since We renewed the
acquaintance of q young gentleman
whom we met at Denver last year. He
is of a distinguished family Of Northern
New York and q graduate OF n of our
Eastern colleges. He came to this State
about a year since for the benefit of his
health, which was considerably i'm
paired. His physician advised him to
60 on a sheep ranch, where he would
have constant outdoor employment. He
soon engaged himself TO two Scotch
shepherds to assist them in the care Of
sheep, and for five months the three
men managed the affairs of the ranch,
both indoors and out, each taking his
turn in the art of cooking, and each
doing his own washing. Tho ranch is
situated IS miles from Colorado Springs,
which is their base of supplies.
The unvarying duties Of a shepherd
are about as follows: At sunrise to take
his flock, usually from 400 to 600, &C
companied by his trusty horse and faith
full dogs, to green pastures and beside
still waters, Il he can find them, and
there remain all the day long with q
watchful eye over his charge 70 see that
none fall into the ditch or 60 astray.
When the sun goes down behind the
Rocky Mountains it is time TO start for
home. The signal is given by the shop
herd-the dog is on tie alert-the ''bell
wether" leads the way to the fold or cor
raj for the night, and when safely pro-
tected from foes without, such as prairie
wolves, the days work is done, only TO
be repeated day in and day out, month
after month. The dog is q valuable
auxiliary in the care of sheep. The
"Scotch collie" surpasses all others in
its natural aptitude for the work, and
oftentimes one well trained sells for
S150.-Cor. Troy On. " Times.