Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-02
EIGHTY THOUSAND SHEEP.
How a Big California Range IL Nam
aged.
From the San Francisco Call.

From the San Francisco Call
The little schooner Santa Rosa arrived in port
from Santa Barbara a few days ago. She comes
up to this city twice 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 &c, 600
sheep that exist upon 1t. The island is about 80
miles south of Santa Barbara, and is "a miles in
length and 16 in BREADTH and contains about
1900 acres of land, which are admirably adaptcd
to sheep-raising. Last June Moore clipped l LOLA
sacks Of wool from these sheep each sack con-
tanning an average Of 40 pounds of wool, MAX
Ing total Of ll5, 40 pounds. which he sold at
q cents pound, bringing him in s112, $40 so,
or clear profit of over 80 coo. This is said to
be low yield. so 1t is evident that sheep-rais-
Ing there, when taken into consideration that
shearing takes place twice year. and that a
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
angles. and the sheep have not to be herded,
like those ranging abont the foothills
-Four men are employed regularly 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 day Is about
ninety, for which cents clip is paid, thus
~ hco % uos oN'H- iihuC W VdCll uliil, UT some
thing over $500 for the season, or over S4OO for
ninety days out of the year. Although the
she3ring OF ninety sheep day ia the average, a
great many will go as high as ITO, and one man
has been known to shear 1875. OF course every
man tries to shear IA many as he can. and owing
to haste frequently the animals are severely cut
hy the sharp shears. II 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 int1icting such wounds is discharged.
In the shearing of these $4,000 sheep hundred
or more are injured to such an extent as to
necessltate their being killed, but the wool and
meat arc 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 ntents and purposes
take the place OF shepherd dogs so necessary
in mountainous districts where sheep are
raised. Whenever tho animals are to be re-
moved from one quarter of the island to another,
the man in charge takes out with him several of
the goats, eXclaims in Spanish ''Cheva" (mean-
ing Sheep. The goat through its training un-
derstands 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 prevent the
sheep from contracting disease it is necessary
to give them washing twice a year. Moore
having so many on hand found it necessary to
invent some way to accomplish this whereby
lot 50 mucn expense would be incurred and
time wasted. After experimenting for some
time he had ditch dug eight feet in
depth. little over one foot in width
and one hundred feet long. In this he put COO
gallons of water, 200 pounds Of sulphur 100
pounds of lime. and pounds of soda, all of
which is heated to 1902. The goats lead the
sheep into 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 one and the same time
The owner OF the island and sheep, A. P.
Moore, few years ago purchased the property
from the widow of his deceased brother Henry
for s6OOO 600. Owing to ill-health he has rented
it to his brother Lawrence for $4,000 a year,
and soon starts for Boston, where he will settle
down for the rest of his life. He still retains an
interest in the Santa Cruz Island ranch, which
is about twenty-five miles southeast OF Santa
Barbara This island contains about 64 1000
acres, and on it are $4,000 sheep. On Catalina
Island. sixty miles east OF Santa Barbara, are
15.CO0 sheep. and OH Clementa Island. eighty
miles east of that city. are 10000 sheep.
Forty miles west of the same city is San Miguel,
On which are 2.C00 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.