The Lamar register., 1897-03-20
rhr sheep Inaa..ry il iowa

iuS AhHtp INDUSTRY OF tns OhfttN
States along mutton lines, is one OF
growing Importance. The Department
OF Agriculture at Washington reports
sS, ,29S,7S3 head in January 1896. valued
at s65.i6T.735. The United States ex
ported 405.T4s sheep in 1895, valued
at s2,630,6ss. and during the same yeai
imported s1.461 head. valued at s6s2
sis. Analysis of these movements viii
show that We send fat sheep to Europe
and import principally lambs from
Canada and breeding sheep from Eng
land. The sheep industry Of the Unit.
ed states has gone through periods OF
prosperity and depression Federai
laws az one time favored the fine wool
breeds; the modification and final re-
peal OF those statutes made 1t evident
that more attention must be given &c
the mutton feature and that WOO
should only be incidental The exports
OF sheep in 1891 were 60.gfT; in 1882
1880: In 1898. 81 .26O; in 1894. l32,
$40. and in 1885. 405. .74s. total value
OF Si.5o7 .057. showing that the Ameri-
can farmers are rapidly turning then
attention to production for export. This
imports for the same time amounted
to S5.Si3.5f2. showing that We have
imported more sheep In the past tiye
years than we have exported: S204.
IZa Of this was for breeding sheep fro;l
the United Kingdom. The total mum
Der OF sheep In the state Of Iowa IL
January, 1886, as given In the year
book OF the Department OF Agricul-
ture at Washington was 565. .1s7. valued
at 81. 500 .279. The state census foI
1885 reports the total number at 4s2.-
s75. valued at Sl.i6o.5 .535. The latter
authority reports the value of sheer
sold for slaughter in 1894 at s475,s
and the value OF fieeces at s3S0.SIS
The state census shows that lows
farmers are giving attention to this
improved breeds, reporting 1880 Me
rinos: 80. .5s2 Cotswulds. 3.69s Leiees-
ters. s.764 Suffolks. 100000 Shropshire
Downs. S.4s6 oxford-Downs. 7i2S
South-Downs. and 4.62s 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 &c
which improved blood is being used
in the state. 1t is sometimes said thai
Iowa lands are 100 valuable 10 be de
voted to sheep raising; but the high
I priced lands of Great Britain sustain
$50 sheep per 1000 acres Of agrieultur-
I al lands, and Scotland in 1898 had ever
/ as high as l.3So sheep per 1000 acres
according to Professor John Wright
son of London. Iowa has at the pres
ent time according to state statistics
/ not more than twenty-five sheep pei
I thousand acres OF agricultural lands
! The county Of Lincolnshire. England
| has over twice as many sheep as the en-
I tire state of Iowa. 1t is well known thai
/ the skill of the breeder has done muet
/ toward improving the sheep; early ma
4 turity has been brought about with
/ some breeds, together with increased
4 amounts of weight on the high sellini
/. parts, and wool that sells for compare
I lively high prices 1t is also general!
! known that the best mutton breeds ar,
\ profltably handled on the richest land
/ of Europe. suggesting to us that tn,
state of Iowa with its rich grasses an,
I cheap grains may become the home o
the best breeds OF mutton sheep. tina
! can profitably rival other domestic ami
mails in farm economy.
Thin Horses.-A large percentage G
| ,ha horses marketed would sell bette