The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-10-12

paratively little value for mutton. and he
the tendency in both sheep and cattle is Co
stantly to grade up better stock.
COST AND PROFIT.
while was Inspecting the buildings an
sheep with Mr.. Wadsworth, he stated that h
range for sheep covered six square miles, ne
meaning that he owned the land which is Ell
tlrely unnecessary, but that he could pastur
his sheep upon that extent without hindranc
lie owns about 100 acres near the ranch. an
he estimates the capacity of his ranch an
range alta yearly yield offrom 81, 900 to $40 OO(
or net profit of $4,000 year. The estimat
OF feedlng sheep is an acre head for veal
or cost of 70 cents. The average weight O
the clip is about five pounds, and the price i
% cents pound. Mutton brings from 80 S,
to 81 hundred pounds gross. From hun
dred sheep the herdsman can calculate upor
about rs lambs. Mr.. Wadsworths creates
percentage of profit was so per cent in a year
but he states that 35 to So per cent is fair es
innate OF average profit. The wool goes tc
commission houses chiefly in Boston, with
, Philadelphia second as wool market The
extent OF the business here may be appreciated
from the fact that Mr.. Wadsworth alone has
bought thisyear on commission $50 900 pounds
of wool and sold 72,000 pounds from his OWL
fiocks and those in which he is interested.
have endeavored to procure as detailed and
accurate statementsas are attanablc in regard
to this industry on account Of the interest de.
veloped in the East within the last few wears
in Western sheep-growng, especially among
young men. This is shown not only by the
number continually coming out to engage in
the business but by the quantities of letters
constantly received by Mr.. Wadsworth and
other leading sheep men of the State. Speak
ing of this he said: "If man has $4,000, |
should advise him to buy 1000 sheep at So a
head, allow 81 900 for his buildings, corral and
team, $500 for wintering the sheep and $500
for living expenses. 1t is unnecessary to buy
any land whatever. If he has $500 should
tell him to buy all the sheep he could, put
them with some small flock, and work for the
owner so that he could get living wages and
learn the business. To be successful man
must devote himself to it entirely have seen
young men come out here who thought they
could spend their time in the towns driving
fast horses, and let some hired man take care
OF their sheep. That course is sure to fail
But by giving up everything else ana attend
ing to nothing but the business, a man can
count upon AT least 80 per cent profit every
year. and by putting In say $4,000 in ten years
can gain modest competence"
drove TO another ranch--that ofMr. Joshua
Smith, who three years ago began with 600
sheep, adding 10 the number until it reached
I ,10O Now by natural increase he has flock
of 900, and his profits this year will amount
to between 5000 and $4,000. Just beyond
the ranch I encountered young herder read
ing in the shade afforded by an old sod-house
while his faithful dog watched the flock that
was gathered together in little circles, each
sheep seeking the shade afforded by its neigh
Dor and painting like miniature steam engine
under the MONDAY blaze OF the sun The size
and vigor OF the lambs made it seem almost
incredible that they were only this seasons
growth. One little fellow was skipping ener-
getically away from dead rattlesnake that
lay upon the prairie, and Mr.. Smith brought
forth rather novel fact by stating that rat.
tlesnake's bite causes two little bags filled
with water to form under sleeps jaws, and
that if these sacs are opened the sheep prompt
ly RECEIVERS. The sheep after being watched
all day are driven into the sheds at night for
better protection, and these long low sheds
form the distinguishing feature of every sheep
ranch. AT one ranch which I visited the
young owner had just brought home his bride,
and he was felicitating himself that she would
not be lonely because they were so near the
town-which was twelve miles away, while
there was not more than one house in sight
from his ranch.
Other sheep men whom l have met agree in
the statement that faithful works brings enor-
nous profits, while they differ somewhat in
their fgures-one saying that he kept sheep
for year at a cost of only 81 cents head
The figures l have given may be taken as
trustworthy aud in no way exaggerated. But
w 6uAA thio PCSuHidlJ lCWdlu Ii Lltu LuuSG It.
nounce friends and social pleasures, think of
nothing but sheep, follow his herd-usually on
after day fhe happens to lack herd
ers. attend to shearing, with the thousand and
one details of stock raising, and worst of all,
the dipping In ten years time, if he does this
with reasonable capital, the Kan
sas sheep ranges will yield him a competence,
for in Southwestern Kansas he has nothing to
fear from wintry storms or greedy neighbors
This is what Kansas sheep-raising offers. 1t
is sure, and the profits are large. But to win
its rewards man must make weighty sacri-
fees and to many it will be a difficult question
whether rewards or sacrifices weigh heavier
in the scale. OF course the smaller the cap
ital the slower will be the progress toward
pecuniary independence. The man with only
q few hundreds can hardly erect buildings, but
should hire out and let his sheep run with his
employers herd, while the man without cap
ital can only hope to save enough from his
wages, which for herdsmen are very small, to
buy a few sheep and then turn them into the
general herd. A man can start with any
amount, but he who has So, 900 is a long way
in advance of the man with only $500.
CAN'T RECOvER.-"No, this town has never
recovered from the war, said the VTginian,
rs he crossed his legs and looked up and down
The deserted street.
"Was it burned 2"
"No"
ANY of its people killed %
'.No."
"Have any great manufacturing establish
ments been removed ?"
"We never had any to remove"
"Any epidemic frightened the people away"
"Not as know Of"
Then why is it that the town has never re-
covered from the war ?"
swell, some lay it to this and some to that,
out it's my opinion that what ails this town is
the fact that man will come here from New
York and peck around and ask questions and
want to know all about everything and every
,ody and never ask leading citizen if he is
Try. l tell you such Il line Of policy, ifpursued
Tor ten or fifteen years takes the ambition right
out of men,"