The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1904-06-01

chine Shearing Is Common.
Some modern philosophers contend
that the best way to avoid the high
prices of beef is to eat something else.
The sheepmen Of the far west are of
the opinion that the best substitute Is
mutton, and, Judging from the rapid
ity with which their possessions are
growing and the increased demand for
the salable animals of the focks, 9th
er persons must have the same feel
ing, says the special correspondent Of
the New York Post, writing from Rus
sell, Kan The development of the
sheep raising business in the west In
the last five years has been marvellous.
The focks which were formerly found
mostly on the sunburnt plains of Texas
and New Mexico on the pine dotted
mountain slopes of Wyoming and Mon
tana or in the least valuable regions
Of the plains region have been scat
tered lover a much wider territory.
The farmers Of the west as they d.
vided up their lands into smaller hold
profitable addition to the farm, 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 on
the western ranges varies greatly in
different parts of the country and with
different sheepmen. In some readily
accessible localities large and COM
modious sheep wagons follow the
bands of sheep from place to place,
and in these wagons the herders carry
their necessary utensils, food, cloth
ing and beds. The usual form of sheep
wagon contains a cook stove, conven-
lent arrangements for sleeping and a
supply of medicines. These wagons
are hauled by two or four horses, &C
cofding to the condition Of the roads.
In still more accessible places one wag-
on may be required to furnish service
for a number Of herders, who sleep In
tents at night near the sheep. In such
conditions each herder establishes a
camp in some locality convenient to
water, fuel and grass, protected by
lodges or trees from storm.
The old time herders, Swith their lone
some all summer trips into territory
remote from civilization, are passing
away, and the business is becoming a
much more commonplace one. There
are still dead lines" in some localities,
over which the sheep must not Craze,
and farmers have a government pro-
lection In a provision In some sections
that sheep must not come within TWO
miles of titled field or homestead.
These provisions are based on the we'll
known destructiveness Of the vast
herds of sheep, who, in their close
cropping of the grass, leave the sod
Ill fitted for cattle pasture, while, or
course, a growing crop would be de-
stroyed
Montana is taking position as the
greatest sheep state in the Union. This
season it will ship out nearly 3o,OOO,OOc
pounds Of wool, yet the first sheep
were brought to the state only twenty
five years ago. Great Falls and Bill
ungs are rivals for the honor of being
the largest wool shipping points in the
world. Single companies sell 25o,OOO
pounds Of wool at season. Some or
the best bred flocks yield ten pounds to
the sheep, though the average Is not
much above three pounds on the COM
mon range sheep.
Machine shearing is common, and 1t
Ia interesting to see the@long lines OF
workers with their clippers run by
rubber tubes, obtaining power from
shaft above their heads, taking off the
.deeces, Shearers who can take of
more than 100 f1eeces a day are COM
mon, and they receive cents fleece.
The rapid growth of the business has
been due largely to the increased price
of wool, though the larger demand for
mutton has also had it's effect.
The wool buyers begin early in the
spring on the great ranches of Texas,
visiting the shipping stations and ex-
aiming the wool as it is tramped in
to great sacks, bales of 500 pounds
each. Going northward with the ad-
vancing season, they take III CdlIot
MIA and Oregon, with excursions to
Wyoming and Colorado, then end late
in the spring or in early summer in
northern Montana. The remainder of
the time is spent in the eastern mar
kets.
In the Arkansas valley of Colorado
the sheepmen are making millions by
raising lambs for the early spring mar
ket. The dainty spring lamb, with its
mint sauce dressing, that comes to the
table so delightful a dish pays the
farmer a large profit. Where ordinary
mutton may bring him 5 cents pound,
he can get 8 to 10 for the lamb. The
sugar beet mills are also helping the
feeders of that section, as sheep are
fattened on the pulp secured at the
mills IT has proved q great fattener,