Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-12-19
A NEW INDUSTRY FOR THE DA-
kOTAS

Inc people OF ROrull anu OOuln DdkOta
have been discovering the same lesson
that all new communities have learned,
that it is not safe or judcious to intrust
all of their eggs to single basket Wheat
raising in good year is wonderfully
profitable occupation, and the vast major
lty of Dakota farmers originally entered
it. But succession of bad harvests oc
casioned widespread distress, and empha
sized the need of diversfication of in
dustry. The people can no more be all
wheat farmers in Dakota than they could
all be shoemakers in Massachusetts.
Among the new Industries that are as
suming prominence in Dakota, North
and South, the most promising and the
most important is unquestionably sheep
raising. All conditions are admirably
adapted for this purpose. The climate
and soil are dry. There are no swamps,
and the sheep are almost absolutely free
from the diseases that are so fatal to
them in less favored localities. The
grass, which grows with an abundance
unknown in the East is highly nutri-
tous. AS things are now, hay by the
tens of thousands of tons goes to waste
every year, or if cut has to be sold for
prices that would impoverish an Eastern
! farmer. The grain fields easily furnish
enormous quantities Of straw, which is
now usually burned because there is no
use for it. Grazing lands are very cheap.
They can be purchased for from two dol
lars an acre upward, and large unoccu-
pied tracts in some of the best counties
of the two States can be hired at mere
ly nominal rental. The fact that buffa-
: loes were more numerous in the early
days in Dakota than anywhere else sug-
gests the superior advantages of the
! region for stock raising. 1t would be
strange if these advantages were not
; promptly seen and utilized by the keen
; eyed and energetic men who are con-
stantly searching the whole West for
chances for secure and lucrative invest
, ments. Already sheep-rasing in North
e and South Dakota has reached a stage
2 where it is no longer an experiment.
There are a few large flocks and a great
g many medium sized and small ones, and
the unvarying testimony of Dakota sheep
=, raisers is that excellent results have at
3, tended their undertakings. We hear a
great deal in the East of the severity of
t. Dakota winters. 1t is true that winters
on the exposed prairies, particularly in
North Dakota. are severe. No well-in-
formed settler endeavors to deny it. But
< sheep will stand the cold and storms
rather better, if anything, than cattle
: will, and wherever they are kept they
need, and most certainly should have,
a warm and dry shelter in winter. Dakota
sheep raisers who have provided such
. shelter for their flocls have had no
serious losses during the cold season.
Flocks can he kept, it is stated, in ordi-
nary years for from 30 cents to - cents
=. never exceeding one dollar-a head, and
their increase i known to be 20 or 50 per
o cent in that period flocks of common
sheep in South Dakota produced the
o present year from GO to 10 pounds per
head of wool. Good markets are afford
Il ed at st. Paul. Sioux City and other
points, and the rapid growth of the sheep
raising business will, it is believed, soon
call large numbers of wool buyers an
nually into the region.
G Though the new industry has already
e obtained Importance in North and South
t Dakota, it is probably only on the TIRES
!" hold of its full development. Immense
:. areas of excellent grazing land are still
t, unoccupied. The great success that has
}; been experienced by sheep raisers in
Washington and Oregon affords bright
i augury for the future of the business il
the Dakotas, where the conditions
y, are so much more favorable. Tn,
whole country has good cause tt
o watch with interest the progress
T. of this new and promising industry il
l. these magnificent new States. If thu
business continues as it has begun i
D. cannot but contribute in most marked
+ degree to the security and well being o
an intelligent and courageous people, anc
&c eventually render the United States still
ne less dependent for its wool supply OF
d. foreign sources Boston Journal.