Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-09-14
SHEEP AND WOOL NOTES.


sheep; in England they are acc orded
first place as early maturers, their
thriftineas is remarkable and their
growth before becoming a year
old is rivaled by no connndiug breed
Goats are the best land cleaners
known. One thousand head, put on
land SO brushy and shrubby that it will
rot feed stock at all will in three years
tine, by close herding, so clean oat
800 acres that not vesiige of under
growth will be lett there will be n
thick mating Of grass and sure profit
Of from 20 to 70 per cent. will be realiz-
ed Of the goats. The Angora goat is as
good a browser as the Mexican goat.
There is a real basis for the high
prices of pedigree stock whether
sneep, COWS or horses. 1t may seem
absurd to pay 5000 tor ram that
weighs little more than hundred
pounds; but if the progeny Of this
ram will shear eight or ten pounds of
wool, while common sheep average FIVE
or six pounds, with the same cost Of
Keeping the use of the pedigree sheep
as breeder will pay heavy interest on
much more than his increased price.
1t is not every farmer who can breed
fancy stock with profit, but there is
none who cannot improve his herds by
the use of the best male parentage.
The lombriz, says the Goliad Tex
Guard, that most dreaded of all the dis
eases of sheep, mas attacked the fl0css
on several different ranches, and quito
a number OF lambs have died, we are
told. This, however, has only been the
case in those localities where there has
been great deal of rain, which made
the grass rank. Mr.. Arnold, and Mr.
Chinn, of Nueces canyon, have both
lost number OF lambs within the past
week, but the former gentleman
moved his flock to another range.
higher up on the hills, where the grass
was much shorter, and thereby check
ing the ravages of the disease by re-
moving its cause. The commonly &C.
cepted theory that the disease is caused
by bad water cannot be correct, be
cause the water in the canyons is re-
markable for its great purity and
abundance, and the flocks have here
tofore been extrem ely healthy.
The Nelcs, of Galveston, Texas, al
vises all boys to save the money they
have been IN the habit Of spending in |
tire-crackers and paying admission TO
circuses to invest it in sheep, and be-
come rich. 1t says Mr.. +. A. HIT |
sons wool-ciip at Abilene, on the 10Th,
is worthy of prominent mention. He |
drove his flock of 1,450 sheep into
town and there sheared them publicly. |
The clip, it is stated, averaged II! |
pounds to the sheep-one ram yield |
ing 81 pounds, one eve 19l pounds, |
and year.o old 16 pounds. This is Ger.
tainly a remarkable clip. 1t is the
heaviest remembered to have been re-
ported in Texas, and shows what care
in the selection of breeds and care in |
the management will accomplish. |
Formerly, a fve-pound average was
considered a good clip, and no sheep
raiser ever doubted that there was
money IN the business at that average. |
When it comes to al pounds the |
profits loom up into the bonanza re-
gion. Mr.. Hittson's aggregate clip |
from 45O sheep was y ops pounds, |
which at twenty-foHr cents per pound |
yielded him the snug little sum of s., 046. |
His ranch is evidently in its infancy;
say that his flock only doubles annual
ly; five years will give him a clip from
46, 400 head, and if he should then
make the same average Of this chipping,
his crop will be $40 900 pounds, which
at n cents per pound will enable him
to pocket the enormous product of
500 9O4, What has been done may
be done, and therefore this picture of
the possibilities of Texas sheep
ranch is hardly overdrawn. The in
dusry, with Or without protection, is
probably more remuneratlye than any
in the country, 90 conditions
precluding adulteration, false weights,
chicane and roguery. The boy OF ten
years of age who has saved his uckels
and pennies can start ranch with
ram and eve, and mt q shear q flock
Of four thousand head, weight off a
zip of tifty-six thousand pounds, and
celebrate his majority with an annual
income of S12 In