The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-03-26
Agricultural Experiment station,

Prof. James Wilson Of the Iowa Agri.
cultural College. says:
The sheep industry Of the United
States along mutton lines. IL one Of
growing importance The Department,
Of Agriculture at Washington reports
%. 2ss. 7S3 head In January 1896. valued
at So. le7.735. The United States eK-
ported lO5.7ls sheep In 1895. valued
at l2.65O.6 CSC. and during the same year
imported 29i. i6i head. valued at tss2.-
CTS. Analysis OF these movements VIII
show that We send fat sheep 10 Europe
and import principally lambs from
Canada and breeding sheep from Eng
land. The sheep industry OF the Unit
cd States has gone through periods OF
prosperity and depression. Federal
laws NJ one time favored the fne wool
breeds. the modification and final re-
peal Of those statutes made it evident
that mora attention must be given 10
the mutton feature and that wool
should only be incidental. The exports
Of sheep In 1891 were G3.9i7; IN 1892.
1890; In 1898. 1890; In 1884. ia2.-
go. and In 1885. i05.7is. a total value
Of ti.501 .057. showing that the Amori-
can farmers are rapidly turning their
attention 10 production Tor export. The
Imports Tor the same time amounted
90 i5.Si3.5i2. showing that We have
imported more sheep In the past Ave
years than We have exported. t2Oi.-
72a Of this was Tor breeding sheep from
the United Kingdom. The total mum
Der Of sheep In the state Of Iowa In
January. 1896. as given In the year
book OF the Department OF Agrieul-
turo at Washington was SOS. i37. valued
at ti.39s .2Ts The state census Tor
1895 reports the total number az ts2.-
SIS. valued at ti.l60.555. The latter
authority reports the value Of sheep
sold for slaughter In 1894 At tiiS,sss
and the value OF leecea al sss0,sIa.
The state census shows that Iowa
farmers are giving attention 10 the
improved breeds. reporting $3.50 Me-
rinos. 3a.5S2 Cotswolda. 9.6s9 Leices-
tiers. asa sunolks, 100000 Shropshire
Downs. sass Oxford Downs. T.i2s
south-Downs. and l.629 Hampshire
Downs. These numbers are. perhaps
not all eligible TO registry. The cen
sus takers have. doubtless. included
some grades OF different breeds. but
the report indicates the extent 20
which improved blood is being used
IN the state. Il IL sometimes said that
Iowa lands are too valuable 10 be de-
voted 10 sheep raising. but the high
priced lands OF Great Britain sustain
$50 sheep per 1000 acres Of agricultur-
al lands. and Scotland IN 1898 had even
as high az 1850 sheep per 1000 acres,
according to Professor John Wright
son OF London. Iowa has at the pres
ent time. according 70 state statistics.
not more than twenty-five sheep per
thousand acres Of agricultural lands.
The county OF Lincolnshire, England.
has over twice as many sheep as the en-
tire state Of Iowa. Il Is well known that
the skill OF the breeder has done much
toward improving the sheep, early ma
turlty has been brought about with
some breeds. together with increased
amounts OF weight on the high selling
parts. and wool that sells Tor compare
lively high prices. Il is also generally
known that the bes, mutton breeds are
probably handled on the riches, lands
Of Europe. suggesting to us that the
state OF Iowa with its rich grasses and
cheap grains may become the home Of
the best breeds Of mutton sheep. that
can probably rival other domestic ami
mails IN farm economy.