The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1891-02-20
INDUSTRY
Most Profitable Product for South
Dakota Farmers.

sheep Raising In the Central Part Of
I the State Takes the Place OF
Wheat-Corn and Hogs.
MITCHELL, S. D., Feb. 11.--1t begins
to look as II the farmers OF South Da-i
kota had found something that will
surely make them some money. For
i many years they have tried wheat at .
loss and they persisted at this industry
SO long that they reached the verge OF
bankruptcy. A good crop ono year
made them wild to try it another. and
while failure followed failure, they did
not take tho warning in time to avoid
the years OF hard times which have
been the lot of the agriculturalists OF
| this state. In the older counties OF
| Union, Clay, Turner, Yankton, Bon
Homme, Hutchinson and Lincoln, wheat
raising, as a business, was abandoned
some years ago, and corn and stock took
Its place. Tho farmers in these coun-
| ties for some years have worked at
| profit, lifting the mortgages wheat
farming placed on their lands and chat.
! tells, and building nice homes and
otherwise improving their possesssons.
But in the newer counties, following
the phenomenal winter of 1880 when
there was no lack OF moisture for sew
eral seasons, the farmers naturally slid
into the rut OF wheat culture, and
since then have not been able or will
ing to get out of it. In such counties
as Brown, Sphinx, Faulk, Potter, Ed
munds. Sully and others where fos
three years. following 1880 there were
wonderful yields of wheat and booming
times in which yonng cities grew and
farmers ideas expanded accordingly,
the last six years have been worse than
failures. The fatal idea that these
good crops would always last, led men
to 60 into debt, expecting to easily mset
these obligations. But drouth stepped
in and the once fertile fields failed to
followed, and the close OF 1889 found a
bad state of affairs in these new counties.
But there is a limit to
human patience even in experiments.
AS most OF the farmers had no other re-
sources beyond what they could bring
| from their lands it became necessary to
do something rather than surrender the
little they owned and start in anew
Being out of the Corn belt they had
to look around for something different
from corn and hogs, which have been
SO profitable in the southern tier Of
counties. At last they hit upon sheep
culture, which has thus far proved
/ eminently successful. The climate and
the grasses of South Dakota seem to be
particularly adapted to sheep. No dis
eases arc reported from any OF the conn
ties whero there are large fiocks OF
sheep To the contrary sheep thrive
as we'll as could be wished. No trouble
has been experienced in raising lambs.
In Jerauld county on sheep ranch Of
over 1000 head, the owner reports the
loss OF seven lambs out OF total OF ls3
for 1890.
There is good money in sheep. A
young man in Clark county put ST, 100
into sheep two years ago. The cost of
caring for them has been very small,
and really figured no cash outlay. He
informs your correspondent that in two
years he has sold enough of wool and
sheep to- get back his original invest
ment and still leave him few more
with. This beats wheat raising even in
the best times and most bounteous
crops.
In nearly all the newer counties
sheep are fast taking tho place of
wheat In Clark county there are at
least 10000 head. Jerauld. Aurora,
Sanborn, Beadle, Kingsbury, Minor,
Sphinx and Brown report fully as many.
In every instance where men have gone
at it intelligently and carefully, they
have made money VITA sheep. The out
look Is that sheep will become leading
industry in the central part of the state
at least. The farmers are wise in chang
ing from wheat. and undoubtedly better
times can be expected when this new
industry is once in full operation.
In view of the fact that this industry
will from now on be great factor in the
state, several matters need Legislative
attention. law should be passed
fixing penalties for the importation OF
diseased, unhealthy animals. One bunch
from Montana, of the kind, found Its
way into Jerauld county near Alpena,
but has been shipped back. Such ship
ments should be prohibited. Another
matter which needs attention is that OF
vicious dogs. Some law should bc
passed to make the owners of dogs re-
sponsible beyond question for losses to
owners of sheep from their ravages
Now that sheep are being treated as
e profitable industry wooden mills would
also be profitable Investments. 1t
would pay some OF the enterprisinp
towns to look into this matter, and thus
build up large manufactures.