Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1900-08-24

The Record Is entered at the Linton Post
Office as second-class matter.
DAKOTA SHEEP BRANCHING. |
.Adzress Of Dmea1d Campbell.
Esq.,, Of Ensnaons County,
President of the North Dakota
Sheep-Breeders' association,
at the Tenth annual Session
of the South Dakota Sheep
Breeders, at Br0okinSs, June
13, 1900.
The members of the North Dakota
Wool Growers association and q few
Of your members present will know
that some very strong influence has
been brought to bear on me before I
would face the ordeal Of having to
speak in public. But, indeed, when /
decided to come more than one influ-
ence had been at work. Your presi-
dent and your secretary had invited
me cordially and kindly. was desir-
GUS to show that we appreciated the
courtesy done to our northern associa-
tion, through one OF its officers, as well
as the honor conferred upon me per-
sonally. Besides that, recognize that
we Dakota shepherds are citizens of
no mean commonwealth, lab0rers In
no unfruitful vineyard. and it be-
hooves us as such to meet together
in friendly conference and as SEEK
ers after more knowledge.
An hour has been given me to tell
you of "Sheep-Growing Under Range
Conditions" but most of that hour
I should prefer to use by answer
ihg as best can what questions
of interest may be asked of me. II
had chosen my own subject I
would have spoken Of sheep-farming-
not sheep-ranging. The days of sheep
ranging, as of cattle-ranging, east Of
the Missouri river, are numbered.
There should be no regrets that such
is the case. The Dakotas have been
better sheep-ranging states from the
owners point of view than from the
sleeps or herders' standpoint.
/ have been engaged in what VIC
call Dakota sheep-ranchlng for over
seventeen years, and say now that, ex-
cept when sheep were being fed full
rations Of hay in the winter, I have
never felt that it was possible to make
thenHas happy and comfortable as they
deserved, or myself as contented as 1
wished. The winters in which we have
not attempted to range on account Of
snow have been the most satisfactory
for me and the best for the sheep.
When we have fed twenty or twenty
five tons OF hay to the hundred sheep,
| in four months winter, we have been
sheep farming more than ranging; and
the owner during these months has
been able to take genuine pleasure in
seeing well-alled sheep going out and
in a comfortable shed where, the bliz-
zard has no terror, and where the
prairie fire, the wolf, the wild oat and
the shortened range are not even
thought Of.
1t is in the spring when we move to
outside camps that the annoyances and
troubles OF the ranohnnen begin.
What we like thsn, Sd think we re-
quire, is fresh range N1 free range;
good water and l3ss.a faithful
herder and U kind osasssence. What
the ranger does not like are prairie
fires, wild oats, muddy waters, month
ly or weekly herders, and perhaps
worst of -becauses esunaccustomed t<
it-pointed information as to the 10
cation of section lines and corners. Il
it to be wondered at that, with those
likes and dislikes, the ranger is restless
and looks abroad for "a new locations
or, what is better for him and tn,
community, becomes sheep-farmer
Here in South Dakota you are far
ther removed from ranging and have
had more experience in sheep farming
than we have had in North Dakota
and that Is why hope these days K
learn much that is profitable and new
to me. One definition Of the ranger
as distinct from the sheep-farmel
would be that the former does not
own and does not know the acres ovel
which his herder grazes his, flock
whereas the latter both owns and
knows his acres and his sheep, which
possession and knowledge make him
more careful and contented.
In urcountry would say that the
smallest number for. which one car
profitsbly have q herder and outside
camps IL about /. 800 Of winter stock ani