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

1
1.-THE writer Of the following gives de-
scription Of the section from which he writes,
and then proceeds to show the results of prac-
tical experience in sheep raising. The article
will be Of interest to many of our farmers. =
Ed. VrRGrNIAN.l isftfs
| PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE.
In company with Mr.. q. II. Wadsworth, a
member of the State Board of Agri culture
| and the largest sheep owner in the State,
have spent some time, in studying the pract-
cal operation Of the sheep business on various
neighboring ranches. In the course of drive
over the gentle undulating prairie, south of
the Arkansas, Mr.. Wadsworth related some OF
his experiences, which are valuable as coming
from practical lifelong farmer and stock
raiser. Seven years ago Mr. Wadsworth came
| to Kansas from one of the Middle States, and
began with a flock Of 1900 sheep. The cost
of his ranch was about $500 for shepherds
house, corral and sheds, well and windmill,
! dipping watts and boiler. The ranch was on
Government land, 100 acres of which were
homesteaded. The expenses for the first year
were 81 $40, the largest expense being the cost
of shepherds, shearing, grain and hay. This
includes also twenty-three sheep that died.
The receipts were, from wool sold, 81 $50, and
from sheep sold, 81 ,475 so, making total re-
| ceipt Of $3,425.50 For the second year the
expenses were $12175O, and the receipts
S4,SS7.5 90, and for the third year the expenses
we're 81 1855. and the receipts $3.50. For the
three years, therefore, the total expenses were
80. $50 and the total receipts 81 1858 leav-
| ing net profit of 81 ,42O.50, on an original
Investment including cost of sheep, of a.
1850. From the original flock Mr.. Wads.
worth had also graded up a herd of 1900
young sheep, worth $1,000, in addition to the
sum given as profit. Since the expiration of
the first three years Mr.. Wadsworth has not
kept strict account of his sheep interests
owing to their diversity and extent. Last
year he owned wholly or in part 2S, 900 sheep,
and this year he holds 10000 of bis own, and
is interested in 5000 more.
This conversation occupied us for much of
the fifteen mile drive before Mr.. Wadsworth
pointed out large square house on distant
swell Of the prairie, which was his home
rancho. Near by were the long low sheds and
corrals peculiar to sheep ranches, while a
windmill whirled merrly above huge tank,
and beyond the straw stacks could be seen
fields Of sorghum and millet, which have been
found best adapted for sheep fodder. Not
tree was to be seen as my companion pointed
to the vast stretch Of priarie reaching every
where to the horizon and exclaimed: "No
eastern man can comprehend the measureless
expanse of these plains. They reach from
Wyoming down through Nebraska, Colorado,
Kansas, Indian Territory, into New Mexico
and Texas. Off here are millions of acres
without owners or settled inhabitants. This
boundless stretch is like nothing but mid
ocean, but is destined to feed the sheep and
cattle of the world" His words were cut
short by some beautiful black and yellow
dogs which came bounding out to greet their
master, while the prairie dogs that had been
sitting bolt upright at their burrows chirping
complsiningly at us, suddenly ceased their
plant, and all over the ground their tails
formed SO many twinkling vanishing points
as they took headers down below"
DIPPING SHEEP,
The smoke ascending near the corrals showed
that dipping was In progress, the most un-
pleasant feature of the Shepherds life. This
is to cure the 'scab," the only disease to which
Kansas sheep are subject, and one that sheep
men seem to consider inevitable until the en-
actment Of stringent laws against the importa-
ton Of diseased sheep especially from Colorado
and Missouri. "Seab" is a skin disease result
ing in loss OF flesh aud wool, and sometimes
death, supposed to be caused by the presence
of minute parasites in the skin, and therefore,
although highly Contagious, is not, as was
thought at one time, hereditary. II Gun be
entirely cured by dipping the sheep twice in
mixture Of sulphur and tobacco or lime with
sulphur. Mr. Wadsworth uses the latter prep
aratiOn and estimates the cost Of curing
'scab" at five cents u head The operation of
dipping presented u curious spectacle A long
tank over fre-box half buried III the earth
was filled with grcenish-yellow Tuning mix
ture of lime, sulphur and water. This was
boiled for half an hour then let off into
narrow tank four feet deep and sunk in the |
earth, extending from one sheep pen to an
other with the other end slopng gradually up.
When the nauseOus bath was ready the sun
burned herdsmen called to the dogs Round |
'em up. puppies" and off flew the dogs, fiat
tened to the ground, their bushy tails stream |
ing behind like banners and their tongues loll- |
ing out in their eagerness as they circled |
around flock Of 500 sheep just beyond the
yards and drove them toward the corral. A |
part of the flock was finally driven into mar.
row passage at one end Of the sunken tank
and then the dipping began.
Those who picture the shepherd as an limo.
cent creature with pink and white complex
ion. clad in q white frock, carrying crook
wreathed with ribbons and garlands and play
ing upon a pipe after the fashion Of the Ec-
logues and Georges, would have found their
illusions sadly dispelled by the sight. The
gentle shepherds were three swarthy men in
flannel shirts. top boots and broad trimmed
hats, with splashes Of green and yellow varie
eating the earthly hue of clothing and hands.
The first man, selling a sheep by the hind
leg, jerked it into the tank, where it sank
under the surface, emerging of vivid green
ish hue. only to be promptly 80 used again by
the second herdsman, who was equipped with
q forked stick. One after another the sheen
were pitched in until the tank was full of hid