, 1901-01-18

fence in the business in a number of
different states, in Australia, New Tea
land or other foreign countries, while
a few had no experience, and hlrdly
knew a sheep from a goat before en-
tering into the sheep-growing BUSINESS
on the western plains.
Western Wool Growing.
When l went west, thirty-three ycars
ago, there was not a sheep ~(eXcerting
of course. wild mountain Sheep in the
entire country now included in the
state of Wyoming and yet that state
is at this hour almost at the head of
the list in number of sheep and aggre-
gate number of pounds of wool pro-
duced, while she has been for two years
at the head of the list of states. in
weight of fleece per head of her focks.
At the time speak of there was nc
sheep worth mentioning in all hat sur
rounding plains and mountain country.
and no cattle were there under what
ia known as the open range system"
Government forts. stage routes and
freight trails had been established in
the country, and the sweet, succulent
%pasturage had become well-known and
duly appreciated. 1t was only after the
enforced or accidental turning out upon
the plains in winter of some old bull
trains which had hauled freight in the
summer, or the turning loose of impov-
erished horses or mules of hunters or
trappers-and the freight bulls, mules
and horses had turned up. the next
spring. sleek and happy-that winter
grazing was. as I may say, discover
ed" 1t had been thus demonstrated
that the summers growth of grass, left
standing to dry and cure under the sun
and winds of late fall and early win
ter, became the best of hay. retaining
all Of its nutritious qualities instead
Of becoming dead straw, as in humid
countries.
And so it came to pass that a few
courageous ones ventured a little mon
ey in small herds of horses and cattle;
and later on. in sheep. Between 1868
and 1893 sheep-growing in the ranch
country became a considerable indus
try, paying moderately well those who
were sober, Industrious and economi-
cal, and who pursued their business
with ability and continuity.
1t was during this time that the great
open range cattle industry grew up.
Strange as it may seem, the rapid
growth in cattle investment was, in
those days, largely in the ventures Of
totally inexperienced men-rich mems
sons from our own and foreign coun-
tries, some worthy and careful, others
reckless, e~xtravagant and ignorant
alike of their own holdings and Of the
recognized rules of successful business.
A few of this latter class invested in
sheep; and the result was that, while
every mothers son of them that invest
ed in cattle, made money; yet every
last n Of the inattentive, inexperienc-
ed investors in sheep, recorded fail
ure.
In those days of ~aristocratic owner
ship, when the cattle king and the
cattle baron" were in power, it was
quite the thing for an owner, and even
his foreman, to live in town, at club
or hotel, and often abroad, trusting the
business to underlings. In cattle no
counts were made, and the original
number in tally-book plus all calves
born, and minus the beeves sold, was
insisted to be the correct inventory of
his stock on hand. This is where the
cattlemen and the %sheepmen differed.
The cattlemen went on for years, grow
ing rich-in his mind-because he did
not count his live stock; while the
sheepmen, with flocks under herd,
knew his losses and appreciated his
condition, from day to day.
But ever the Industrious and exper-
fenced woolgrowers came to grief, be-
cause Of new conditions and still newer.
ones arising from day to day. Unex-
pected heavy falls of snow, or billiards.,
or both together, often swallowed up
the whole or great portions of the flock.
So that, on the whole, sheepgrowing in
those days. was most precarious. And
l will claim that during that period the
western ranchmen, as a class, took
greater risks and endured greater hard
ships, and the successful ones exhib-
tied greater ability, than ever exper-
fenced in any other business or profess
sion. The number Of men who went
out Of the sheep business, discouraged
and poor, was large. Some Of those
who went broke" in their first ven
ture, pluckily stood their ground, start
Ing again as sheep herders, expanding
next to nothing, and saving their earn
ings until they had secured enough to
buy another small flock. Very many
went out Of the sheep and into the cat
Gle. under the impression that sheep
could be profitable. while cattle
were and always would be. II
During all that period the wool in.