The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-07-05
SHEEP IN TEXAS-ADVICE TO
Eg4 +fg# FMTGR N7TS @

+ The adventurer from distance, seek
ing to invest in sheep husbandry in Texas,
is advised to proceed directly either to
Corpus Christi or San Antonio, from each
where he can make observations
with convenience, and obtain information
as to desirable locations He should spend
three or four months looking around for a
range. The ewes may be carried from the
West or bought in Texas Mexican ewes
can be purchased at Is cents per head.
and improved sheep for from ST 90 to 81.
Texas raised rams can be bought for $40,
and imported rams for from $50 to $50 1t
would be more safe to rent a tract of land,
which he can probably obtain at a very
cheap rate-say 500 per year for enough
land to feed two flocks of sheep of LOO
each. AS he may not like the business or
the locality, it would be more prudent at
first not to purchase range If he is will
ling to incur greater risks to secure the
proprietorship of an extensive range at
moderate price he may go higher into the
country, where the land belongs to the
State. A 64o-acre certificate of State land
can be bought for about $780, or certifi-
cate of the alternate lands granted to rail-
roads as low as $Ioo. Generally the ex-
pense to secure patent including certifi-
| cate and cost of surveying, would amount
to about so cents to the acre. AS two
acres are required for sheep, it will be
seen, from the statement of increase before
given, that the command of very broad
| range is required to make the increase
available; and that, with such command,
there are chances for very large profits
| The adventurer, if he has family must
place them in some of the towns or villa
ges most convenient to his range His
personal presence on his range will be in
fdispensible for his success, and he will
find ample occupation. But he can safe
| ly trust the Mexican baccierros when
making occasional visits to his family.
The advantages of Texas for sheep
growing are now attracting persons of ex-
perience in Australia and English and
Scotch Immigrants with capital Besides
our informant with his X 900 sheep, there
are others in Nueces and Duvall counties
with f1ocks often to twenty thousand head
The Callahan flock in Star county, the
proprietor living at Laredo, numbers sixty
thousand head. When we see how rapid
the increase is, and that there are So, ooo, 900
acres of land still INDICATED in Texas, we
can see that, if there, is no legislation to
disturb the wool business of the country,
and the Mexican and the Indian depreda-
tons are checked, it will not be many
years before Texas will rival Australia
Mr. Shaffer states, as an illustration of the
rapidity with which sheep husbandry is
advancing in this State, that in 1876 San
Antonio received but Co., 900 pounds of
wool, which is sent through Galveston. In
1877 she received 2, 200, 900 pounds. The
wool of Nueces aad the neighboring
counties is shipped from Corpus Christi
In 1866 there were shipped only 100000
pounds. This year there will be shipped
100000 pounds.
The following statement illustrative of
the profits which may be derived from
sheep growing in Texas, was made to us
by Col John S. Ford State Senator and
formerly a member of the Congress of
Texas before annexation. We give it ex-
actly in the language of Colonel Ford as
noted by US and subsequently read to him.
DR.. Thomas Kearney, formerly collec-
tor of customs of the port OF Corpus Chris
ii, and Major James Carr, made in 1870
or 1872 an investment of $1,000 in sheep
husbandry; bought ranch and buildings
about sixty miles northwest from Laredo,
Webb county, Texas, the land about I3,-
900 acres, and the sheep well improved
AT the end of five years DR.. Kearner sold
out his interest to Carr, that is one-half
interest, for $4,000. In August, 1877, Carr
refused SOC, 900 offer, which he had from
William Votaus, for his sheep ranch with
the sheep; the exact facts being that Vo-
taus offered 10000 in cash, and one of the
best improved places on the San Antonio
River, which had cost him about 500, ooo
Sheep Husbandry in the South.