El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-11-02
NEW MExICO'S SHEEP INDUSTRY.
Summarized I'm Gov. Otero'S Annual
Report.

SumndTiZcu Ill WV VeS'o . '"
Report.
One of the chief industries of New
Mexico is sheep growing, which has
received big boom under the bene-
ficent influence of the DiDgley law.
On this subject Gov. Otero stys in
part:
That the hoof of the sheep is gol
den'has been demonstrated conc usive-
ly in New Mexico. Not even Aus
tralis, renowned the world over as the
sheep-growers' paradise, can surpsss
New Mexico in its advantages as al
| ideal she -p-breeding and wool-growing
section. The master hand of nature
| lavishly supplied our territory with
everything requls site for the successful
pursuit of the sheep and wool industry.
| Nature endowed her with
fpferless climate, neither hot
nbr cold yet Overlooking with sun
shine from January 10 December, pro-
duciug an atmosphere pure, ozone
laden and invigO-ating. Her graz ng
lands extend from the plains and me-
sas to the top OF the mountains. lO,OOO
feet high and bounIifuliy covered with
natures choicest nonrishmeut-grama
| grass-which retains to II surprising
| degree it's succuleuce and nutrition,
even when on y cured by wind and
weather. where it grew, aud with no
assistance from mankind. New MeXicO's
ua,ural adaptability to sheep-ralsing
aud wool growing was recognized by
the Spauiards when they settled In
this section bout 300 yeas ago, and
they introduced large numbers of me-
RHO sheep, which soon became the
| principal support of the people, fur
nishing them with food and raiment.
| Stree that time this ind ustry has occu-
pied a prominent position in the terri
tory. AT this time there are owned
within the borders OF the territory
over 600 600 head OF sheep, includi z
the lambs grown this year, and with
the exception of one state possessing
many SINH ar natural advantages, our
territory towers above all other states
in the number OF sheep owned.
| With their inherited and acquired
knowledge of the sheep business, 1t
would be difficult to find in any otner
section of the country a class OF grow
ers who can excel the New Mexican
sheep men in the intelligent and econ
omical management of their herds. In
the improvement of their hocks they
, have experimental with different
breeds. and the results have con-
| vinced our best sheep men that,
for the conditions prevailing In
, New Mexico, the American merino, Of
the ID -laine or Ram bouIltet types, Is
'superior to all other breeds tried, and
for the purpose of raising the standard
of their sheep they have imported
many fine bred rams from Vermont,
Pennsylvauia, Ohio and Michigan, for
, some of which as high as 800 per head
was paid. Nearly 100000 head OF
sheep were annually taken TO Colorado,
: Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Hi
moi ?, TO be fattened for market.
. The sheep make splendid feeders, as
| h. rn,.lv nd tan6
upon alfalfa, oats, corn, wheat screen
iDgs, etc, and take on weight very
rapidly. Their faculty for adapt og
themselves to existing conditions makes
them very desirable animals for the
feeders, as they are as much at home
10 fhe feed pens as they are upor
/ We ranges. Sheep are also being fat
<fened around Eddy, N. M, upon the
sugar beet pulp, and the susa factory
there is now able to advantageous j.
dispose of what was formerly waste
pr duct.
, No business offers more proftable
. returns than does that of sheep raisi q g
and wool growing in the territory OF New
Mexico at the present time. The cos
} of running the sheep for year is about
, 30c per head, which covers the expense
of herding, lam bing, she airing, dippin g
taxes, etc. The cost of SheAripe
amounts TO 23c 10 &c per head, accord
ing to the class of sheep shorn.
The fiocks usually run in bands o
from 1900 to 1000.
A few years ago sheep could bt
Dough for 75c per head, and even q
that price there were few buyers
Today ewes are selling freely from s.
, to 81 per head, yearlings lwetheFs,
81. so to 81 70; years and up (wethers.
SD to 50 25. aud 6 months. old lambs q
. frcm 81 TO 81 25 per head.
The wool eli D Of the territory will
am uut to fully 100000 pounds fol
age weight q flee e was very low,
: but now, owing To- improved breed ng
it will amount to a little over five
pounds per head. The wool grown il
New Mexico is of a diversified charac
ter, scaling from the finest Dslaine
Merino to the coarsest carpet. The im-
: provement in the grade OF the wool has
, been coincident with the improvement
in the sheep the growers are
4 still exertipg themselves in the lsuda-
BILE am bition of bringing their aocks
: and wool up 10 still higher standard
; OF quality. Many years are consumed
2 in breeding the rse-wooled stock up
, to the desired merino plane, and so to-
' day, while Giles are shorn that will
compare favorably with any in the
3 United States, the majority of them
4
tain fleeces producing sorts running
from fine to carpet.
The advance in the price of wool ba;
kept step with that of the sheep. Ii
} 1896, when sheep were only worth Z;
cents per head. the price of wool touch
ed the lowest point. Eastern commits
=. sion houses even refused to make an!
: advance on grease wool, and owner
: were offered 3 cents to cents pei
, pound for fine clips. To-day these
|. woods are worth llb to IA cents PEI
J, pound, and the importing price OF WOO