The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-28
BOGIE SHEEP.
Black Fellows Scare White Ones and
Cause Them to Scanper Away.

Cause Then to amp Away.
American Agriculturlst.
In ''lambing time" On a sheep ranch
the ranchman is as solicitous regarding
his flock as is an Eastern farmer con-
corning his newly planted crop. In a
flock consisting Of thousands of sheep
hundreds of lambs are dropped in a day,
n the herderS are kept proportionate-
ly busy seeing that the newcomers are
not trampled on and that the mothers
are willing to assume the responsibility
Of maternity. Sheep are peculiar in this
respect. Often they do not own their
new born lambs or display the least in
terest in them. Sheep being so much
alike in appearance it is difficult for
the herder to discover to which mother
a certain discarded orphan belongs, so
the lambling must be carried off the
range 10 the camp to be fed by hand I'M
til strong enough to follow the flock.
After the sheep are cogralled at even
ing the careful herder goes out again
over the range to search for missing
up with the flock. for, If left out at
night, both mother and offspring would
become prey to the wolves that infest
the country. Sheep herders are paid
about $25 a month ard get their blank
cts, tents and provisions, and they earn
every bit of compensation they receive.
Whether they herd on horseback or on
foot, the life Of the sheep herder is hard.
The plan is frequently adopted of not
penning the flock at night in order TO
prevent the wool from becoming dis
colored and soiled. as 1T must be when
a large number Of sheep are huddled
together in an inclosed space. The flock
is driven up into fresh, clean quarters
every night; quarters that are unfenced
and can be changed as often as seems
desirable. Their charge being thus I'M
protected, the herders must literally
sleep with n y open and one ear
on the alert. Often in the silent watches
of the night they rise, build fires, fire
off guns and resort to other devices
for frightening off the wolves.
Sheep are very timid. One of their
number. a black sheep, getting up in
the night to change his position will
sometimes cause the whole flock to dash
off frantically. they know not where,
afraid of they know not what. The
dark shape of the black sheep frightens
his companions who are near him, and
then 1T is an easy matter for the panic
to be communicated to the rest. The
sound of the simultaneous movement of
countless s~campering feet, a sound re-
sembling the heavy rumbling of thun-
der, wakens the herders, and they must
be up and away, following over briar
and bramble, scrambling up hills and
stumbling down over rocks and stones
until they succeed In heading off the
runaways. Perchance by that time day.
light is breaking and the night they
counted upon for repose has been spent
in fatigue. Another reason for not PEN
ming the flock Is that the sheep are
then at liberty to rise and
feeding as early as they please. the
herders keeping a lookout over them
as they prepare their hasty breakfast.
The secret Of making wool growing
profitable Is to raise the sheep at as
small expense as possible. This can
readily be done in a section of country
where the grass grows most OF the year.