Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-05-17
THs sHEEP INDUSTRY.

4 this time, ana II So where Is the most
eligible location to engage in the bust
ness. extensively; further, what-wiI be
the effect of the new tariff law on the
price of wool.
The effect of the new duties on wool
viii, no doubt, be to lower the price of
the finer grades; and yet we wonld not
advise those engaged in that branch
of sheep and wool industry, who have
given much attention to it, to abandon
it, but, rather, to keep right on in the
same direction OF maintaining and rails
ing the standard of fine wool sheep.
We can hardly afford to go backward.
it is possible the injustice done this
branch of sheep husbandy may be rem
edied. Besides there are some COM
pensations, if we mistake not in the
case. If the secretary of the treasury
will persist in reforming the updervalu-
alton "crookedness' in the custom
houses, which has long been q shame
and disgrace to the country, and the
rankest injustice to American WOOL
growers, an important step will have
been secured in portecting the domes-
tic wool industry. It appears to be
conceded now that the new duties will
not materially affect other descriptions
of wool, therefore, so far as that ques-
ton is concerned, it does not cut much
of a figure aside from the finer qualities,
in the case of our correspondent. AS
his inquiries evidently relate to wool
growing on an extensive scale, the first
and last questions are correllative, and
and an answer to one disposes of the
other.
AS to a location, portions of the states
of Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa
(to say nothing of New Mexico, Wyo-
ming, Montana etc., offer superior
inducements to sheep raising where
large flocks are the object. Without
disparaging other sections or localities,
it is we'll nown, if we except the coast
counties, Texas is adapted for sheep
raising and for the production of wool.
She has mild and genial climate, and
short winters. The last winter was
exceptionally severe everywhere in the
United States, and in absence of ade-
quate projections and generally no
protection at all-some losses occurred.
Common prudence, however, will pre-
vent losses of this kind to any serious
extent. There are immense tracts of
unoccupied, high rolling limestone
land with pure water and nutritious
grasses in abundance. During a re-
cent trip through the State we were
told that for several years large aOcks
OF sheep have been moved from the
southern portion of the state to the
northern and western portions where
the high rolling prairies, dry atmos-
phere and clear streams of pure water
afford opportunities of sheep husband
ry probably unsurpassed anywhere on
the globe. And it is believed the finer
wooded sheep pay the best We heard
the opinion expressed that the wool
of the Merino and other fine varieties,
can be produced at seven cents per
pound. With no very large amount of
capital, persons who are willing to go
upon a ranch in that section of the
State (and the same thing is true of
Yves tern Kansas and Nebraska) can Sc
cure locations, and with care and atten-
ton to business make money rapidly.
1t must not be understood that we
advise farmers in the older states to
give up their sheep ). far from it, While
other industries are largely local, this
is, in the United States, well-nigh uni
versal, and more or less important in
in every State and Territory, notwith-
standing the drawbacks it encounters,
the greatest of which is the dog nui-
sance. A good dog on a farm is use
full, but millions of worthless ours are
! permitted to live which are the bane
of sheep husbandry throughout the
Union. The losses from this source are
! appalling. In 1882, as appears from
the report of the statistics of the De-
partment of Agriculture at Washington,
the losses of sheep in the United States
was nearly 5000, 100000. The princi-
pal mischief is done by dogs, according
to the statistician, and we can readily
accept the statement as correct when
we look at the official returns of most
of the States. Salutary laws IN some
cases have resulted from vigorous
and healthy public sentiment through
which owners of sheep are reimbursed
to some extent for losses caused by
dogs. Thus this nuisance has been
largely abated in few instances, as in
Vermont and Massachusetts, but in
most of the states the statutes are not
up to the requirements of the case.
If we are to keep on in this industry
at the rate which ha We been going dur
ing the past few years, it behooves
every State to see that the interests of
farmers shall not suffer from lack of
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