The morning call., 1894-09-22
CATTLE AND SHEEP.

The lrrepressible conflict between cattle
ana sheep has broken cut with peculiar
vIr1lence in Western Colorado. 1t seem:
that the shepherds OF Utah who have been
feeding hocks on the plateau adjoining the
BOOK Mountains have discovered better
pastures II the valleys lying on .he eas'
and have driven their animal Is into counties
which the cattlemen have considered theiI
own. There is little water in Eastern
Utah, and plenty in the aff1uents of the
GunnisOD, Grand and Roaring Fork In
the upper plateau country of the western
tier OF counties in Colorado sheep fatten
rapidly, and within few years the best
pastures have been taken up by shepherds.
Their Invasion has been Intellectually re-
sisted by the cattlemen, who, driven to
extremiii4s, have at last nally resorted t.
open war. A week ago TWO flocks of sheep
were driven over the cliffs of the Book
range and killed BY their fall upon the
rocks at the bottom OF a canyon, and SIM
ultaneously from $500 to 5000 sheep were
slaughtered in a corral. The shepherds
have responded by taking up arms, and a
renewal of the Wyoming war, though on
different grounds, is expected By people al
Denver.
II Is an axiom in the pasture lands If the
prairie country that horses and cattle VIII
not feed where sheep browse. The mott n
is that the sheep impregnate the grass vii h
an odOr which horses ana cattle cannot
endure. How much of this belief is delu-
sion is a question. In Europe cattle aud
sheep are often pastured on the same land,
and the larger animals file 10 protest But
l. is undoubtedly fact that if sheep are
allowed to feed on newly esta blished pas
lures before the plants have taken firm
root they will eat the crown of the tender
clover seedlings and leave nOthi & but the
coarser grasses behind. In Kansas, Colo
RADIO and New Mexico the cattlemen will
not al Ow f1ocks of sheep to be brought in o
their ranges. Stories are told Of horses
which undergo pangs from hunger rather
than Craze on prairies which sheep have
trampled. How true the stories are may
perhaps be open to argument.
The whole trouble arises from the de-
termination of both ca,t.emen and sheep.
raisers to feed their animals on land which
does not belong to them. The Western
PASTURES form part OF the public domain.
Very little land is in private ownership.
Thus the prior appropr attr has a plima-
facie title which i superior t. that of the
breeder who comes after him. And on
the other hand il sheep-raiser chooses TO
drive his flock into plains which form part
of cattle range the question Of pOssessory
right can only be adjus ed by the law of
The strongest The cattlemen of Routt
County, Colorado, redress their wrongs By
Wholesale killing IF sheep. but if the Utah
shepherds avenge the injury by shooting
or strineing up the cattlemen it is odds
that the crime will 60 unpuni5hed.
In every woo'-growing country but this
and Argentine the sheep-ranger owns his
shee pwalk. 1t costs a little money, but in
country so poor that it is fit for nothing
but sheep pasture land is not dear. In
Australia the great wool-g!owers own vast
tracts, which thew bought from the Govern
ment and fenced in. The Australian ex-
ample is being followed to a limited extent
in this country, but in Texas and north
ward well on toward Canada the Industry
ia still 10 the primitive stage. In Call
fOrnia sheep are pastursd on the Coast
Range and IN the foothill counties Once
or twice year they are driven over the
intervening prairie for change of pasture,
greatly to the damage of the wool they
carry. which accumulates dirt, burrs and
seeds. II costs a large proportion of its
value to make 1t clean. The quality Of the
wool is all right. The trouble is with the
conditions under which it i, raised and
marketed. If our wool Industry does not
disappear under the free-woul clause of
the present tariff our growers may fnd it
to their advantage TO improve their meth