The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-10-25
sheep Raising In Dakota.

sheep Raising In Dakota.
John D. Wagner in Agriculturist.
There appears to be a mania for sheep
IN the Dakotas at present, which / am
pleased TO see. for. as l have ssid before
keep sheep cut of Dakota and we shall
be q bankrupt people. But there is
danger thai some will overdo the bust
ness. While in Ohio last fall an old &c
qualntance asked me if l remembered
advising him to &c slow in commencing
with sheep. He said that l seemed to
be doing well and he thought that he
could do as well, and did not heed my
advice. THIS man started with record
ed Merinos and procured, for those days
q fine outfit, v%enturing more than his
means, experience and reputation as a
breeder warranted. They began to de.
cline and he made a comparative failure.
We will not get too many sheep in Da-
kota if nine out of every ten farmers
keep sheep, providing they keep 40 more
than they can care for properly, for
Dakota if a second Vermont. l shall
not be surprised If soea some of eur
grand Marine stock rams are aiken into
the Green Mountain state to improve
fore sheep become aaprofitable here the
eastern states will have to suceuMb, for
they de not haye the free and cheap
lands to roam over, to say nothing of
oNr rpr. oNfI Ary call
No soil In America will yield SO readily
to the golden hoof," as that Of Dakota;
1t is like a sponge-takes all it can and
holds it-and no soil is 30 benefited by
surface manurins. Again, sheep utilize
weeds, which grow SO spontaneously
and lu%xuriantly, into mutton. wool and
fertilizer-a three-told process. For
Lhis reason sheep often return TO the
farmer three times the profit realized
from his cattle and horses. How much
better to lave the weeds kept Down by
sheep, thar to allow them to ripen and
scatter their seed, and choke the pillow,
harrow and seeder.
Whether 10 begin with grade or re-
corded sheep is an important question.
AT the present day American farmers
as a rsle know what they want and if an
animal is in honest hands, and come
down through honest hands, farmers
care little where they spend their money.
There is little danger that the grower of
recorded stock will ave difficulty in
finding purchasers.
Now us to grade sheep-grow up will,
: the country. Most Daketans would
| have succeeded better il We had not
encircled SO much land, lest the time
I come when we could not get it. Had
we improved and cultivated what we
i secured at first before grasping more. We
would have been better of financially
and happier. So with sheep business
: SO slow. The first year get only wha
e you can care for, then as your means
and experience improve increase you
e flock. Don't refuse to sell when 20,
have a good chance to dispose OF the oil,
u fleck or the lambs. How easy to fgur
thus: "If 100 sheep cost $500, and brinI
VI q ASdd W "Ool " Avn iahApS " ~
Z. SO each. the sheep are paid for in on
J. year, making 100 peY cent. on tho inves,
lie ment-not taking feed and corn into tn
III %aocount. The COW or horse don't d
"a that" Then go on-"this being TIL
case. why not get 500 Or l 900 sheep, c
J" hold on until I get that lumber"
SC Ufhsre is more figuring to he don'
We something like this: What dc l kno,
e about sheep? How many can care fol
IN Shall l borrow money to buy 500, or tax
ST 100 head? Will l be able to fence fe
IN them? If not. how about the wolves al
&c dogs? Can l get q good man 10 look aft'
on thsn? How can l utilize the sheep
IA cleaners and fertilizing? Will it pay n
rs to keep my sheep on my neighbol
1a land. or on a non-res.dents land, enrie'
ing it, and cultivate mine year eft
~ yoar, thereby improving it? Will i. pa
III to lose the service of a boy, who wou
Ut make q geod farm hand. to herd a fe
We sheep. and make a sheep out of tn. DO.
ca What protection can l give them in Il
winter? If the figuring is done wi
u judgment, SO that the farmer is net owe
hs stocked, and he will moi have to ha
'h out a lead Of carcasses for every load
oi feed drawn in, and he will not have
sling half the lambs up on the str,
roof-it will be we'll.