Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1904-07-16


is mutton; and. judging from the rap
idity with which their possessions are
growing. and the increased demand
for the salelble animals of the fOcks.
other persons must have the same feel
ing. The development OF the sheep
raising business in the West in the
last five years has been marvellous.
The fIocks which were formerly found
mostly on the sunburnt plains of Texas
and New Mexico. on the pine-dOtted
mountain slopes of Wyoming and
Montana, or in the least valuable re-
gions of the plains region. have been
scattered over q much wider territory.
The farmers of the West, rs they di-
vided up their lands into smaller hold
ings. found that sheep were very
profitable addition to the farm. Small
fiOclls have become numerous. and the
feeders who once devoted all their at
tention to cattle have discovered that
there is an equal profit and less risk
in fattening sheep.
The manner of managing sheep OH
the Western ranges varies greatly i'll
different parts of the country. and with
different sheepmen. In some readily
accessible localities large and commo-
dious sheep wagons follow the bands
of sheep from place to place. and in
these wagons the herdeys carry their
necessary utensils. food. clothing and
beds. The usual form Of sheep wagon
contains u cooSstoye. convenient ar
rangements for sleeping. anu 4 supply
of medicines. These wagons are hauSd
by two or four horses. according to the
condition OF the roads. In still more
accessible places one wagon may be re-
CURED TO furnish service for 4 num-
Der of herders. who sleep in tents at
night near the sheep. In such con
ditions. each herder establishes 4
camp in some locality convenient 10
water. fuel and grass. protected by
lodges or trees from Storm.
The old-time hcrders. with their
lonesome. aIl-summer trips into terri
tory remote from civilization. are pass
ing away. ana the business Is beeom.
ing a much more commonplace one.
There are still dead lines" in some
localities. over which the sheep must !
not Craze. and farmers have Il Gov
ernmcnt protection in Il provision in !
some sections thar sheep must not |
come within two miles of Il titled field |
Or homestead. These provisions are |
based on the wcil-suown destructive
ness of the vas; herds Of sheep. who.
in their close-croppirG oil the grass.
leave the sod III lifted for cattle pas
ture. while. of courGc. a growing crop |
would BIZ destroyed.
There is another element Of the from
tier stockman's life that is being mod
ilicd-;hc feud between cattlCmen and
Sheepme1. The time has been when
battles occurred. whom eat
tie herderS and shepherds tried to de-
stroy tie lives and property Of each
other. when dynamite seut hundreds
Of innocent sheep to death and when
cattle were stampcdcd down dangerous
cliffs TO destruction. But this battle
for the range is being adjusted on Il
business basis. The shccpmen and
ratt'cmen are buying or Leasing their
pastures. fencing them whcI,- possible. |
Dr at least possessing some Kind of Il
liuc that is liked 10y legal
lite. The open range * passing away.
md where it exists. mostly in the
foothills. il is used only With
occasional conflict. The Sheep Com
missioner of Wyoming says that very
little trouble now exists in that State.
md that shccpmcn and catilemen are
wen learning to use the same range
II companionable GOOD nature.
Montana * taku= ruS.iinu ~ the
greatest sheep STATE "a the Uuiou.
This spring it will. shin GA, nearly -
10000 pounds of wool. yet .ac first
.hecp were brought 20 Jhr Sta., oi.ly
twenty-five years ago. Great Falls
md Billings are rivals for th" honor
# being the largest wool shipping
,oiuis in the world. Single companies
ell 2JO.OOO pounds OF wool 81 = sea
on. Some Of tho best bred locks
'ield ten pounds TO he slccp. though
he average is moi much above three
POUNDS on the COMMON range shcep.
Machine sheariu: = common. and It
5 interesting to seq the long lines of
workers. with tLeir clippers ram iy
ubbcr tubes. oa;ainicg power from Il
hiatt aboy, their heads. taking o.
he necces. Sliearrrs who can take .
n more than 100 hccces day are -,
ommou. and they receive eight cents
fleece Tho rapid growth Ct the {
.usiucs, has been due largely 20 the a..
price &c wool. though the 4,
anger demand for lut.pI hes as, had I
Is effect. :
The wool buyers Lcail e.r.y ir the 0
prlus on the great rarcli-s d Texas. s.
listing -, shipping stations and OK G
mining thc Wo1i as e. il rJwpsg iGt3 1
rca, sacks. bales oc $50 pounds caca.
iOin- rOrihwarl with The advancing
eason. they take in California AID
oregon. with excursions TO Wyoming I.
nd Colorado. then end late - the Z
prins or in early summer in northern n