The Saline County journal., 1880-04-15
SHEEP RAISING AND WOOL GROWING

y CT uOhCs 1NONNOCo.
SHEEP RAISING AND WOOL GROWING.
Editors of the Saline County JOURNAL.
In travelling over large part of
Western and Central Kansas 1 find an
industry growing quite rapidly, of
which but little is said in our
local papers, viz: that of sheep raising
and wool growing. From observation
1 think there is no business in this
portion of the State which pays so
well as sheep raising and wool grow
ing. One thing certain, there can be
no better country found on the conti-
nent for the business. 1t is dry and
healthy, the surface gently rolling,
somewhat broken and bordering on
the picturesque, and covered with
good and nutritious grasses-that afford
the best of pasture for sheep, and well
supplied with good water.
There are interspersed here and
there any amount Of good agricultural
lands where sheep ranches can be es-
tablished, which are well adapted to
raising corn, millet and rice corn. The
latter is being raised quite extensively
by sheep men in Russell and other
western counties and they find it al
most certain and productive crop,
which is considered better feed for
sheep than corn. In proof of this fact
you may place shell corn and the rice
corn in the same feed trough and the
sheep will pick out the rice corn and
leave the other until it is consumed.
The rice corn plant can be raised on
sod, or where sorghum or sugar cane
will grow, and is somewhat of the ma
ture of the sugar cane. 1t is adapted
to all kinds of seasons, wet or dry. On
old ground it is cultivated the same rs
corn. The grain forms in clusters on ,
top of the stock the same as sorghum,
and can be cut As corn when ripe, or
the tops cut and cared for in the same
manner as any small grain, and thresh-
ed in the same way. Mr.. f. {. Church,
on Wolf Creek, Russell county, had
seventeen acres last year of rice corn.
He had just One-half threshed out, and
it measured 6S4 bushels on an acreage
of 80 bushels per acre. Mr.. Church is
one of the mast extensive sheep raisers
in Western Kansas. He SAYS the rice
corn is his favorite feed for his sheep
and millet next, all of which he raises
on his farm.
The proceeds of his sheep ranch last
year amounted to over nine thousand
dollars for sheepand wool. He has on
hand four thousand sheep TO clip this
year. We had occasion To stop with
Mr.. Church q day during the snow
storm, Nov. II. We found him to be
q noble and generous host. He has a
fine and well ordered place, which
shows Ii is governed by master hand,
skilled In the business and economy
which always insures success. From I,
Mr.. Church We learned that within y !
radius Of twenty-five miles Of his place,
there are some twenty-five to thirty |
sheep men, with herds Of from six |
hundred to four thousand head: and
could be at least located from three to |
five times a. many more sheep ranches
equally as good. Il
AuOSucI htuusuy VIC iouuu -uI.
Church very much interested in, it |
WAS the cultivating new sample OF I
sugar cane, viz: The ambeI-a variety
that enters largely into the production 7
Of sugar. He and some gentlemen u
Russell propose to organize joint
stock company, with sufficient paid up
capital to test the experiment of manu-t
sugar on = small scale. The
SUCCESS Of this enterprise will add very
much to an industry that will benefit
al Western Kansas. as the plant will
yrow wet or dry and on all kinds Of
oil. and is within the reach Of every
new settler. II can be grown at little
,ost, requiring no capitAl-only labor.
We trust many more sections will en-
yage in this enterprise, as il can no
iOubt be made success
In my extended travels farther up
he Saline valley, I found the new
Mills erected by Messrs. Caldwell 4
Knight, near the county lines Of Rus
ell and Ellis. on the Horse Shoe Bend
4 the Saline river. They have built
eubatantial dam across the river as L. !.
makes its course North, from which
hey have cut . ditch at Fight-anxles
Icross low neck of land. some sixty
DDS where limestone building IL erect
d. In this mill i- placed one Of the
est Of water wheels and the hest Of
for all kinds Of grain. The
nill has two run Of burTs and room Cor
NO or three more. The advannexsi
{ this mill site are, that il il some
hree miles around the bend of the
liver from the dam to the mouth ofi
he ditch. or tail race, which with .
IL foot dam giyes them some =. fSt
all and ample power for all the ma
hinesy required.
The enterprise Is quite success lbrl
be ovnefs ood . very great b<sseflt 20
be surrounding sDantsy. Ssme nf.
zen miles further uV the SAliue, in
.llis county, another mill has been {
utle, hut co06 lesTn bat little Of tss
ApAc3xy. So much Tor the industries I
WsuNsRA aA<& fNA0tpw1 K~A~>~