Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1892-05-20
DAKOTA SHEEP lNDUsTRy

1t 10 planting Cattle Raising u ths
Lakotas-Its Advantages.
Mr.. II. II. CroUaH, Of Pierre, who r
on his way to Oregon, In IN Interview
says:
II expect 70 bring back With ne "a !
my ranch near Pierre" ssid Mr. Cloagh
between 5000 and 10000 shcsp. I
have had IN agent ~ EAseern
Some Of the sheep from that section
during the past year and haye proven
and est ecially adspted TO our climate
and surroundings In the DakotAA Ore.
gon sheep are generally sought 4ftor.
The Shccp Industry II South Dakota p
one OF the leading industries to-day.
The increase In the number Of sheep u
South Dakota during the past three
years has been phenominal. ] can
safely say that the increase has bean
SEQ per cent. No sooner had tho
change from cattle TO sheep 0aon started
than each farmer who saw hts petghoo1
making the change, wanted - make
the same change, and the result y that
the sheep Industsy has supplonted
cattle raising. This Is On accomplished
fact, aud not ono Of the things which
may bc. 1t will tend TO raise rtces Of
course. The eliminatjon Of cattle from
the Dakotas from the prOblem will eAf-
tainly raise prices.
This season there are scores ydA
hundreds-Of farmers In South DAkota
who are making the change 20 sheep
I hey are throwing their cattle 6n the
market, and though tho supply dinsln-
ishes the cattle continue 70 " sold.
They will finally, however, al be sold.
and mono will be raised for the market
Most Of the old cattle are now out Of the
hands OF the ranchmen, and in . short
time, when this fact 10 realized, values
will appreciate. All the owners of
small ranches are changing, and fur
ther TO the West the large ranches are
being stocked up. s
..There is every advantage for sheep
raising in the DAkotas. The grasses
are especially adapted 70 u. The win.
tcrs are short and dry and tho grasses
nutritious. Tho sheep require lfttls =
almost no attention. They cot eOm-s
psrativeiy little hsy, but prefer y pick
for themselves, aud do better whom
they do. know OF one iock of l.0s15
sheep which was kept the past winter
In good condition on less than ten tons
of hay. Then III Western South Dakota
beyond ths river We have snother ad.s
vantage. That is tho free range. The
country is open and al have tho besl-
eft. do not think th4t the free range
will bc cut Of until the aheep iudustrr
becomes Improbable. This Will not ~
soon. When there b moro profit q
farming the change may De made In
the meantime II will be better 70 f0nce:
the farms. Of course In EAstcrn South
Dakota there Il NO FREQ range, hu4 ths
farmers have smaller 6ocks and ges
along we'll. In any case sheep rataiu9
ID more profitable than cattle grOwinG4
The sheep which Is now most raised y
. cross between the Merin0 and tho
Shropshire, which makcs : good sheep
Of good size.
Il cannot give figures On Tho wool
clip. bat II ID . fact that the wool viii
In any year more than pay for tho 81
pense of keeping the sheep, Whlch
makes tho increase clear protik Ind -
big profit, too. The industry b princk
paliy wool, but the raisers Of theepg
have by no means lost sight Of the mst-
ton feature. As long ss the tariff ~
mains unchanged 70 will ~ along
nicely. A low tariff for CREST lenEtb
Of time would undoubtedly hurt the Jn.s
dustry. though do not bslicve tho
raising Of sheep would ever beconsc -
Improbable . ~ bO discarded Nnss
tlrcly. We aro exceedingly sAtisaHd
with the changes which tho pFcsaBts
Congress has failed V mako. "
Als..at the a,sioa Hasl Asssss attan.
A dispatch sent FROM PIERRE ~
number OF Outside papers 70 the 66Qot