The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-12-09
SHEEP RAISING Is BOOM
ING AGAIN.
New York Sun, Nov. 49,


beaming with smiles on account OF
returning prosperity in one of the
most remunerative and fascinating
branches of their calling.
The counties of Genesee, Orleans,
Monroe, Livingston, Ontario and
Wayne, consisting largely of the
lands of the far-famed Genesee Val
ley and the smaller valleys of the
tributaries of the Genesee River.
contain not only the choicest farm
ing lands of the Empire State, but
comprise one of the richest and most
productive agricultural districts of
the whole country. The farms of
this district are generally quite large,
ranging from 100 to several hundred
acres each, and are in most cases
either occupied by the owners them
selves or under their personal sup
ervision. 1t has always been the
aim of these proprietors to not only
realize liberal income from their
broad acres, but to so rotate their
crops as to exhaust the soil as little
as possible, and to keep sufficient live
stock to consume all the coarse pro-
ducts on the premises.
Prior to the opening up of the
great West how to do this was prob
lem easily solved. Wheat and cat
tie both brought highly remunerative
prices, and there was alwaysa ready
market for them. In rotation they
raised extensive fields of wheat, clo-
yer, corn and oats. The wheat and
oats were marketed and the corn
and clover fed to cattle, the farmers
in each case realizing handsome
profit. Then the "cattle kings" Of
the West and Southwest came for
ward with their great herds, and
prices fell so low that the farmers
of this section could not compete
even in the Eastern markets.
Cattle no longer being profitable,
in the middle seventies they turned
their attention to sheep, and had
soon built up an industry of itself,
that of fatting sheep scientifically
and thus procuring mutton of a sup
erior quality for the Eastern markets
and the English export trade. 1t
was soon learned that to obtain sue
cess in this line two things were abb
solutely essential-the sheep must
have warm quarters ana must be fed
with regularity. Under their great
grain barns they built warm, COM
modious Easements. To these from
springs they piped pure water, which
they distributed in troughs where the
animals might quench their thirst at
will. Having thus prepared places
they looked about for the class of
sheep best suited for the purpose,
and found them in the States of
Michigan and Ohio. Under a wise
Tariff law which protected the wool
industry, the farmers of these states
had found Improbable to keep large
flocks. After shearing time each
year men made business of select
ing from these hocks two and three
year old wethers, the class of sheep
best suited for the purpose, and
shipping them to Buffalo during the
early fall months, where they were
eagerly sought after by the Western
New York farmers.
Buffalo became the greatest sheep
and lamb market in the country, and
each winter would find thousands of
these animals in focks varying from
one to several carloads each scatter
ed over the large farms of this sect
ion. The duration of the feeding
period-usually beginning in Octo-
Der or November-varied from two
to five months. The animals were
fed twice a day-in the morning
shrlled corn and coarse fodder like
cornstalks and coarse hay, about the
middle of the afternoon corn again
and fine clover hay. By this system
of feeding the animals reached a
splendid condition in a remarkably
short time. AS soon as they had
become what is called prime they
were shipped to New York to be
sold either for home consumption
or the English export trade, and al
ways brought the top prices of the
market. The profits were large, as
the farmers at marketing would re-
ccive an advance of from 50 to S. a
head above the price paid in the
fall, from 80 to 50 per cent of which
was clean profit, Those engaged in
the industry became prosperous, and
many made fortunes.
Then came the depressing times
of Clevelandism, and the Wilson bill
with its free wool schedule and 9th
er evil effects. The wool growers
of Michigan and Ohio, in common
with those of other States, could nc
LONGER afford m keen their Aockc and