Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-02-01
A California Sheep Ranch.


The Santa Rosa Islands and some
other islands are great sheep ranches.
The Santa Rosa Island is owned by Mr..
A. p. Moore There are said to be
eighty thousand sheep on the island,
which is about thirty miles south OF
Santa Barbara. 1t istwenty-four miles
in length and contains seventy-four
thousand acres Of very fine sheep land.
A San Francisco paper states that last
June MIR. Moore clipped LOLA sacks OF
wool from these sheep, each sack con-
tanning an average of 40 pounds OF
wool, makinga total of 4l5, 740 pounds,
which he sold Mt twenty-seven cents a
pound, bringing him in S112, 2,349. 80, OF
clear profit of over SS0,000. This is
said to be a low yield, so it is evident
that sheep-rising there, when taken into
consideration that shearing takes place
twice year, and that profit is made
on the sale of mutton ETC., is very prof
table. The island is divided into four
quarters by fences running clear across
at right angles, and the sheep have not
to be herded like those ranging about
the foothills.
-Four men are employed regular
ly the year round to keep the ranch
in order and to look after the sheep,
and during shearing time fifty or more
shearers are employed. These men
secure forty or fifty days. work, and
the average number of sheep sheared a
day is about ninety, for which five
cents clip is paid, thus $3.50 day
being made by each man, or something
overS20O for the season, or over S4O0 for
ninety days out of the year. Although
the shearing of ninety sheep day is
the average, great many will go as
high as no, and one man has been
known to shear 1875. OF course every
man tries to shear as many as he can
and, owing to haste, frequently the an
imals 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 dis
posed of to the butchers, and the shear
er, if in the habit OF frequently intlict-
ing such wounds, is discharged In
the shearing of these $4,000 sheep a
hundred or more are injured to such
an extent as to ncessitate their being
killed, but the wool and meat are OF
course turned into profit.
Although no herding is necessary
about two hundred or more trained
goats are kept on the island continual.
ly, which, to all intents and purposes,
take the place of the shepherd dogs SC
necessary in mountainous 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 sew.
eral of the goats. exclaiming 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 theil
leader, following wherever it goes. The
goat in turn follows the man to what
ever point he wishes to bring the band
To prevent the sheep from contracting
disease it is necessary to give them
washing twice year. Mr.. Moore hav
ing so many on hand, found it necessr,
to invent some way to accomplish thi
whereby SO much expense would not b,
incurred and no time wasted, Afte
experimenting for some time he had
ditch dug eight feet in depth, littl,
over one foot in width, and one hun
dred feet long. In this he put six hun
dred gallons of water, two hundred
pounds of sulphur, one hundred pound
of lime, and six pounds of soda, al
| of which is heated to 130 degrees. Th
| goats lead the sheep into a corral o
trap at one end, and the animals ar
compelled to swim through to the fur
ther end, thus securing a bath ant
| taking their medicine at one and th
same time.
The owner of the island and sheep
few years ago purchased the propert
from the widow of his deceased brothe
for 100000. Owing to ill health h
has rented it to another brother fo
$4,000 year, and soon starts for Bos
ton, where he will settle down for tn
rest of his life. He still retains an in
terest in the Santa Cruz island ranch
which is about twenty-five miles south
east of Santa Barbara. This islam
contains about $4,000 acres, and on
are $4,000 sheep. On Catalina island
sixty miles east of Santa Barbara, ar
$4,000 sheep, and on Clementa island
eighty miles east of that city, are 10,
600. Forty miles west of the same cit
is San Miguel on which are 1000 sheep
Each one of these ranches has
sail vessel to carry freight, etc., to an
| fro between the island and the main
land, and they are kept busy th
greater part of the time.-Calyorni
Paper.