The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1881-02-10
WILL SHEEP PAY IN KANSAS.

SUBJECT OF uccp IutcTcst W ho""S
farmers we extract from recent issue
ofthe Newton Republican
One of the great questions now agi-
taiing the minds Of many Of our citi-
zens in this and other parts Of Kansas,
is, evil sheep pay in Kansas"
The question, as 1 shall consider it,
comprehends sheep culture only, as
trickster may succeede in pushing of
on those acquainted with sheep stock
resulting from cross between Next
can and some other ser ub stock for
high grade Merinoes ;and unfortunate
ly nothing can convinc persons who
are thus misled that they have been de-
fraudcd but three pound instead Of
an eight pound clip and good lamp to
boot which they confidently expect
ed.
In the light Of much experience in
handling sheep and from the quality of
the bulk of the sheep have seen in this
part of Kansas together with the care
bestowed upon them and the disease
with which they are afflicted or the ma
joritty of them say in the light Of all
these, sheep, ere two years, will be de-
claimed failure by the masses in Kan
sas. undertake to say that mal9 of
the essential conditions 10 success in
sheep culture in this part of Kansas are
almost wholly wanting aud they are to
be found in both sheep and shepherds.
To begin with the bulk arc Meqican
and if they were sound and had the
same care bestowed upon them that is
usuelly bestowed on flock in Vermont
that Yield to exceed seven pounds and
that about as in feriOr in price as it is
in pounds. Prof. Hallock (than whom
on this subject there is no better au-
thority in the state pcrhaps,) inform
me that he has critically examined
many of these sheep and believes that
they are almost universal afflicted
with the scabc. Add this to their light
clip of inferior wool and the conclusion
that sheep culture, under the above con
ditions, is a failure, is inevitable. will
not stop here to show the manner in
which the average Kansas shepherd
treats his sheep, but before closing will
give some general hints as TO how l
think he ought to treat them, how he
must treat them if he would succeed.
The question may arise here, Can
we not remedy these evils by proper
crossing, etc?" In answer would say,
that il the sheep were sound think it
could be done profitably, but when dis
case and coarse blood have to be COM
battcd at the same time, very few, ap-
prchcnd, have the judgment, patience,
perseverance and capital essential to
success.
On the other hand, let us look back at
some flocks of high grade merinos, (fOr
the greater part of which l am indebted
to the report Of the Wool Growers
and Sheep Breeders Association, which
met last month in Greenwood county,
this State.)
From that report Mr.. Robert 10y, liv-
ing near Eureka has flock Of $50 sheep
from which he took eleven pounds OF
wool per head last clip. Prof. Thomp-
son, near the same place, has flock OF
800, from which he took eight and one
fourth pounds per head. The report
con,ains..nothinga about lambs, but Pref
Hallock. who visited these flocks, in
forms me that they raised hundred per
cent. of their lambs last year.
Another flock Of Merino ewes num-
bcring $50, with which am personally
acquainted. yielded 1900 pounds Of
wool and 675 lambs. In these cases a
in many others that might bc.mention
ed. let it be understood, that thorough
sheep breeders are owners, and arc will
their flocks, and administer TO their CIV
cry want.
These successful sheep men viii eve
be ready 10 bear witness to the truthful
ness Of the adages that eternal vigi
lance is The price Of success" and "ther'
is no excellence without great labor"
A sheep, in order to yield goot
fleece. must have a. healthy, vigorous
BODY. The foundation for good win
tering must be laid in the fall. II tn
sheep is thin at the beginning Of til
winter. no matter how good the care ]
the fleece will be comparatively light
: The oil and alcohol contained in tn
corn makes it capable Of pcrformin
the double office of giving heat to III
body ahd oil to the wool, which 'r-vie
crates the sheep and gives weight to tn
wool, hence its superiority over all 9th
er grain. and tho more the sheep can b
(. made to cat of il without surfeiting tn
: better fer both sheep and fleece. 4
5 change, however, is good occasionally
No flock. however small, should be win
: tered all together. In my judgment. 50
is large number TO b. fed together .
: the strong grow stronger and the veal
/: grow weaker, hence they should be sep
! arated into two o. more focks. A shcel
| is Just as afFeciionate as il is timid. ant
r knows. loves or fears its master just il
/. the measure Of his treatment TO it, an,
{ will go little further and say II
r profitable in the same measure. In tn
1 latter view sheep culture win pay ant
pay largely in kNasas. J. H. ".