Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-10
AN EXTENSIVE SHEEP RANGE
How Eighty Thousand Sheep are wash
ed-PrOfits of the Ranch.

San Francisco CaU.

The little schooner Santa Rosa arrived
in port from Santa Barbara few days ago.
She comes up to this city twice a year to
secure provisions, clothing, lumber, etc.,
for use on Santa Rosa Island, being owned
by the great sheep raiser, A. P. Moore,
who owns the island and the $4,000 sheep
that exist upon it. The island is about
30 miles south Of Santa Barbara, and
is "a miles in length and I6 in breadth.
and contains about $4,000 acres of land,
which are admirably adapted to sheep
raising. Last June Moore clipped 1,014
sacks OF wool from these sheep, each sack
containing an average of 40 pounds of
wool, making a total of 415, 740 pounds.
which he had sold at p cents pound,
bringing him in $112,249 so, or a clear
profit of over $50, 900. This is said to be a
low yield, so it is evident that sheep rals-
ing there, when taken into consideration
that shearing takes place twice a year
and that profit is made off the sale of
mutton, ETC., is very profitable. The
island is divided into four quarters by
fences running clear across at right an
giles, and the sheep have not to be bearded
like those running about the foothills.
-Four men are employed regularly the
year round to keep the ranch in order and
to look after the sheep, and during shear
ing time 80 or more shearers are employ
ed. These men secure 40 or 80 days
work, and the average number of sheep
sheared day is about 80, for which
cents clip is paid, thus 81 80 day be-
Ing made by each man, or something
over $500 for the season, or over $400 for
80 days out of the year. Although
the shearing of 80 sheep a day is the
average, great many will go as high as
11O, and one man has been known to
shear 125. OF course every man tries to
shear as many as he can, and owing to
haste frequently the sheep are severely
cut by the sharp shears. If the wound is
serious the sheep Immediately has its
throat cut and is turned into mutton and
disposed of to the butchers, and the
shearer, if in the habit of frequently in
tlicting such wounds, is discharged. In
the shearing of these $4,000 sheep a hun
dred or mole are injured to such an eX-
tent as to necessitate their being killed,
but the wool and meat are of course turned
into profit.
Although no herding is necessary,
about 200 or more trained goats are kept
on the island continually, which to all in
tents and purposes take the place of the
shepherd dogs so necessary in mountain
GUS districts where sheep are raised.
Whenever the ANIMALS are to be removed
from one quarter of the island to another,
the man in charge takes out with him
several of the goats, eXclaims in Spanish,
"Cheva" (meaning Sheep. The goat
through its training understands what is
wanted. and Immediately runs to the
band and the sheep accept it as their
leader, following wherever it goes. The
goat in turn follows the man to whatever
point he wishes to take the band. To pre-
vent the sheep from contracting diseas
it is necessary to give them a washing
twice year. Moore having so many on
hand, found it necessary to invent some
way to accomplish this whereby not so
much expense would be incurred and
time wasted. After experimenting for
some time he had a ditch dug feet in
depth, a little over l foot in width, and
100 feet long. In this he put 600 gallons
of water, 200 pounds of sulphur, 100
pounds of lime and 6 pounds OF soda, all
of which is heated to 130 degrees. The
goats lead the sheep into a corral or trap
at one end, and the animals are compelled
to swim through to the further end, thus
securing bath and taking their medicine
at the same time.
The owner of the island and sheep, A.
p. Moore, a few years ago purchased the
property from the widow of his deceased
brother, Henry, for $600,000. Owing to ill
health he has rented it to his brother
Lawrence, for $4,000 year, and soon
starts for Boston, where he will settle
down for the rest of his life. He still re-
tains an interest in the Santa Cruz
island ranch, which is about twenty five
miles southeast of Santa Barbara. This
island contains about $4,000 acres, and
on it are $4,000 sheep. On Catalina
Island, 80 miles east of Santa Barbara,
are $4,000 sheep, and on Clementa Island,
80 miles east Of that city, are 10000 sheep.
Forty miles west of the same city is San
Miguel, on which are 1000 sheep. Each
one of these ranches has a sailing vessel
to carry freight, etc., to and fro between
the island and the mainland, and
they are kept busy the greater part of the
time.