The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-05-11
PRINCE MERINO.

|
statement MS to the actual or approximate
| number of sheep in the State, but we are
safe in saying that the number reaches into
the millions. In 1879 tho wool shipments
from Corpus Christi alone, was the rise OF
six million pounds, and San Antonio was but
little ifany behind this place. Waco, Aus
tin, Brownsville and other points, all OF
minor importance in this particular, have
their yearly receipts and shipments of wool
so that We think we can say with all prCpriety,
that the wool crop of 1879 was fifteen mil
lion pounds, This wool averaged not less
than twenty cents a pound, giving
an aggregate TO producers OF
S3,750,00O. We cannot assert that these
figures are not greatly too small, but we do
know thew are not too large. Taking 1t Tor
granted that these figures are in the neigh
borhood Of correct, we can add to them what
ia realized by sheep-breeders from mutton
sheep sold to various markets, and we think
il will increase the sum total to S5,0OJ,OOO.
Well, 100000 is no small sum Of money.
1t il the outcome Of an interest well calcu-
lated to attract and engage the attention of
every. one. Every year the sheep
interest increases. Flocks multiply in
numbers and the quality of wool increases
10 grade and fineness by the improvement of
the stock. We know that the rule with sheep
breeders has been to buy flock of Mexican
ewes, which are of the lowest and commonest
quality of the animal, and cross them with
Cotswolls, Southdowns and pure Merinoes.
As breeders means increased, he increased
the number ofhis Mernoes, thus tho more
rapidly raising the grade Of his Hooks and the
quality of his wool. This has gone on
for years, commencing before tho war,
until now there are immense droyes OF sheep
nearly pure Merino where the original Hooks
were Of the MOI, ordinary kind. Since the
war, here and there throughout .no 0'"'e,
small locks of pure Mennoes' oU'NS ana
ewes have been introduced and kept pure
Up in Denton county, ON the rancho Oh W.
j. McCausland aud IL. j. EXall, on GrapeV'he
Prairie, there is flock Of pure Merinos' l'zoo
in all, which are doing well, increasing rap
idly and thriving in this climate ms well as III
any climate On the tpce 9th globe. Ihesc
sheep will shear fifteen pounds each'
and the wool brings the highest
price in the market. OF course
it pays best to have the finest sheep when tho
breeder can afford it, because they do us well
us theloNer grades, eat no more, require no
more care and give bigger yield OF wool
which commands u higher price. These
facts bring us to consider that phase OF the
wool-growng interests of the State. We in
tended when we started out in this article to
treat of As we said of cattle growing, the
number must be reduced. The vast
acres Of pasture land necessary for
the sustenance of immense hocks IS
rapidly becoming, ana will still more rapidly
become as railroads are built, necessary for
agricultural purposes. Instead OF multi
piled thousands of mixed grades of sheep
roaming over the praires with company oil
heriers looking after them, the breeder must
reduce the number and have only the highest
grades instead. WHY, oac gentleman in
Duval county, member of the Six
teenth Legislature, had last year
$4,000 head Of graded sheep, which
brought him in an immense revenue, Inc
requirements OF the State in an agricultural
sense, as it progresses and develops, will ne
cessitate the reduction OF such nocks, There
will not be space for them to roam nor pas
turage from which to draw sustenance'
AIerino sheep, pure bloods, are what our
shepherds must supply themselves with
They can do it gradually ifthey commence at
once, dispo:ing of their lower grades for
mutton TO supply the hungry millions
of the world with food.
Furthermore, the enterprise of our
State must be directed toward wooden mills.
We need them in our midst. We ought to
keep our vast cargocs of wool at home, and
manufacture it ourselves, rather than send it
abroad to come back to us again in the
needed fannels, cashmeres, broadcloths, etc.
But this is another branch of the subject
which we will not further here elucidate
We again urge, lessen the numbers and get
the highest quality of sheep that Texas may
become the leading wool State of the Union.
-----------------
| Nh. BLAINE's friends claim that Nebraska
will send full delegation to the Chicago
convention INSTRUCTED to vote for him as a
unit They may vote for him as unit, but
he will be cypher IN that convention, and
Sherman zoe will sigh for that he will never
get. Everybody may take it for Granted
----------- ---
NEw HAMPSHIRE in her Republican con-
venton expresses a preference for Blaine, but
sends an unnstructed delegation to Chicago,
and New Jersey expresses a preference for
no one. What does this portend? Does it