Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1905-03-25
PRO TABLE INDUSTRY
~ NEW MEXICO

~ NEW MEXICO
the nuiuth MINI. Evening Herald
nuh anis the following article on the
sheep industry 81 New Mexico.
Alhuuuefuuc. n Mex. Maroi il--Nc
part Oi arU Mexico iicH below IN ricft-
zion nf lnn feet above the sen level tho
avernrp elevation being 6un 20 ieD
though many 1T her mountain peaks
uaoh an altitude % between iaon ana
ituo feet slipping from north TO south
u Hes su 20 speak. broadHlde 20 the sun
throughout its vast UKtont Of i2.aN'
square miles. ur an AREA rfrnirt than ihe
land surface % AN New England. New
YORK ana Maryland combined.
sheiierinn mountain peaks ana chains
protect he's magnificent Hrasinf ranges ~
table lands ana foot hills from the ice
ianacn Drse1es ana through her loeor
Ivine valleys, like silver threads. many
streams wgnd their way a. the Atlantic
divide oxteuda through the territory from
north to south turning hcr waters part
o. the east ana part 10 the west
Faf the stock raiser. New Meaico ie
the ideal place. No disease attacks her
herds Of sheep or cattle. Hrr mountains
and meaae are famous for their hounte-
oua GOVERNS % beautiful and nutritious
grasses curing into hay where a rrova.
that the happy Hooks may nihhle an
through the winter without their being
gathered into shelter
,rhr nrut sheep TINT touched what 80
now tho United siatoa came from spain
40 New Mexico with Francisco NeHaucE De
coronado N 1880. but they ana NOT last
f'ifty years later Juan de ouato brought
the mcrino n1cka. whose descendants re-
main today. dow. ChntcH. the FIRST ruler
of New Mcxico under the Mexican repuh-
he had million sheep u o. said. ana
Kept l.fo1 hcrdorH always on the RANGE
with them From that lime the Hiaa %
the focka steadily diminished, until
few years aEn the last OF the old time
sheep KINGS Don Jose icnndro Pcrca Of
uernnlilio on the Rio orande. died, leav-
iug ao.Wu
rhen oamo the restisss land hungry
title grabbing Americans. locating thoir
iG1-nurp homestead claims over spring
or Htrune aionE down river IN m-aore
tracts. ~ the law allows covering hnth
banks uf the stream and securing water
auppiy beyond dispute and with u q free
range Of tbs uutlouH grass ON either SIDE
as FAR aH the eye can reach useless Co
aayanc except the man with the water
Here thoy rrazs their locks. bringing
them to wuter along The river when nocea-
HitY requires.
sheep rnisiug h. considered the most
urugtnblo business in this great south
Wesi country. and there are many people
who starred from tcn 90 twenty years
ago with practically nn curttnl to-day hud
aanccs which proves concluHeFlv thnt
in this favored Locality the hoof oi ihr
ahopp "a golden.
n h. the business that b. pro-emincnuy
adapted 60 the poor man or men az small
meana. for ~ only half attended 90 it
will keep ths owner from want az ai
times. but OF late years tn profits of the
business HAY, been 20 large that capital,
with ts cvrr-graaping hand. has been
attracted and now great ayndicates are
forming. buying the water rights ana
noidiuNH uf the original settlers.
Their great Hooks nrr run ga hands ~
from aOo 60 5.Uo each, with two or three
hcFdora 90 each band ana "a number on
dogs ERch flock also han a donkey ON
which the hc.iors load their mtions ana
camp equlpnRo. which iH driven along
with the herd as they roam the country.
The sheep are grHzed from place 20 place,
the whole year
Tne Ito Of the hcrdrrs is solitary but
not arduoua, there n usually plenty of
grass ana no great distance Co travel O.
water; be- has leisure 10 cook, ana n he
psecses 90 read The company manager
vista the Wueront Hooks often, 90 re-
plenish the supplies ana 40 SEQ thnt thc
sheep are doing we'll
Hhearing h. done in che early anring. az
which time there a. plenty 81 work for
the shuepmnn and all in his employ u
r. hnsd iut that OF the sheep at this
period. an-y are caught ahoarcd ana
dipped. uecgssitatinG "a lot % driving,
huHtling. starving aud shutting up in pens
ana they sufcr under the process " not
properly handled.
OF late years the introduction OF the
ncxihlo shaft shenring machine has great
~ facilitated the rapid handling of the
Rocks ana iH great saving OF wool. time
and labor and saves the sheep from much
hacking ana hutChcring Whore "a Hook 40
be ahcarod II large, many of these ma
chimes are placed In q row and connected
by an overhead shaft turned 10y siea1n
or other power, ana the Hhoaring thai ~
the uid-fashiouvd method would take
wrecks. D. done la q few days
The principal cost In the management OF
flock ~ tho pay OF tbc hordera and
their rations. The entire expense. whom
run in large beuda seldom exceeding 81
cents a lead.
There Is clipped from each animal from
nix 90 ten pounds uf wool every year
which al the present price. estimating the
clip az eight pounds for each nheop, brings
sl.25. then the sounE male mutton lambs
sold when six months old, ada another
n TO the credit OF cHch stock animal
making the profit, uftar paying an cXs
penses about s. GO, without the female In
crease. which iH added 90 the flock. lt
certainly does not seem strange that cap
ftal iH seeking en- Investment of this sort