The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1882-10-14

| covered SIX square miles, not mean
ing that he owned the land, which il
entirely unnecessary, but that h,
could pasture his sheep upon tina
extent without hindrance. He own.
about 100 acres near the ranch, anC
he estimates the capacity OF his
ranch and range at yearly yield o
from 1000 to $4,000, or a net prof
Of $4,000 a year. The estimate O
feeding sheep is an acre head for s
year, or a cost of 10 cents. The av
erage weight of a clip is about five
pounds, and the price here % cents
a pound. Mutton brings from So. sc
to 81 hundred pounds gross. From
a hundred sheep the herdsman car
calculate upon about rs lambs. Mr.
Wadsworth's greatest percentage o.
profit was 80 per cent. in a year, but
he states that 30 to So per cent. is q
fair estimate Of the average profit
The wool goes to commission houses
chiefly in Boston, with Philadelphia
second as wool market. The ex-
tent of the business here may be APP
prcciated from the fact that Mr..
Wadsworth alone has bought this
year on commission $4,000 pounds
of wool and sold 10000 pounds from
his own flocks and those in which he
is interested.
l have endeavored to procure as
detailed and accurate statements as
are attainable in regard to this in
dustry on account Of the interest de-
veloped in the East within the last
few years in Western sheep growing,
especially among young men. This
is shown not only by the number
continually coming out to- engage in
the business, but by the quantities
ofletters constantly received by Mr..
Wadsworth and other leading sheep
men of the State. Speaking of this
he said: eff man has $4,000 l
should advise him to buy 1,000 sheep
at So head, allow 81 200 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 l 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 him
self to it entirely. l 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 and at
tending to nothing but the business,
a man can count upon at least 80 per
cent profit every year, and by putting
in say $500, in ten years can gain q
modest competence.
/ drove to another raneh-that of
Joshua Smith, who three years ago
began with 600 sheep, adding to the
number until it reached LOO. Now
by natural increase he has flock of
1000, and his profits this year will
amount to $4,000 or $4,000. Just
beyond the ranch | encountered a
young herder reading in the shade
afforded by an old sod house, while
his faithful dog watched the flock
that was gathered togather in little
circles, each sheep seeking the shade
afforded by its neighbor and painting
lilo n p,;niotppo ctoo,,, on ,r;no ,,nIor
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 energetic
ally away from dead rattlesnake
that lay upon the prairie, and Mr..
Smith brought forth q rather novel
fact by stating that rattlesnake's
bite causes two little bags filed with
water to form under sleeps jaws,
and that if these sacks are opened,
the sheep promptly 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 | 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
II 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
work brings enormous profits, while
they differ somewhat in their figures
-one saying that he kept sheep for
year at cost of 31t cents a head
The figures l have given may be
taken as trustworthy, and in no way
exaggerated. But to gain this pc
cuniary reward man must renounce
friends and social pleasures, think
of nothing but sheep, follow his herd,
usually on foot, day after day if he
happens to lack herders, 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. beginning with a
reasonable capitai, the Kansas 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