The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-04-10
SHEEP RAISING
IS FLOUR|SR|NG
MANY IN YAKIMA COUNTRY
The Immense Sheep Ranges and
Shearing Equipment of Cof-
fin Bros. of This City.

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While the Yakima country is prin-
cipally celebrated for its fruit pro-
duction, the sheep business has
reached vast proportions, and all
though there are many predictions
to the effect that the sheep range
will soon be entirely replaced by the
small raneher, at the present time
the sheep industry seems to be in as
tlourishing a condition as ever.
There are 100000 head of sheep
which will produce more than 2,000,-
600 pounds of wool this spring. Kit
titas county has large share of the
sheep, while Yakima, Douglas and
Chelan also afford pasturage for
large flocks. This is the lambins
season and the backward spring is
causing some apprehension on the
part of the sheepmen, as the grass
has not started sufficiently to afford
good pasturage.
Just at present large bands OF
shearers are busy removing the wool
from the focks and a number OF
large shearing camps have been es-
tablished.
Coffin Bros. have a shearing sta
ton in the Kittitas canyon where
1000 head a day are sheared by cleo
tricity. Wool buyers from eastern
mills are bidding high for the, prod
uct, the average price being II 1s
cents. Coffin Bros. own $4,000 acres
of decided land, besides $4,000 acres
of land leased from the state, upon
which are $4,000 sheep. This vast
area lies in Douglas, Chelan and Kit
titas counties and the central head
quarters is at Trinidad, in the heart
Of the winter range, where the large
flock of sheep is wintered. 1t lies on
the east side of the Columbia river
and extends 90 miles south along
the course of the stream, in what is
known as the winter bunch grass
range, where the flock feeds on the
native grass all winter without nay
or grain.
AT this season of the year the
herders begin to turn their hooks
westward and if the season is favor
able they are driven across the Co.
lumbia during the month OF April
and sent out into the summer range
running for many miles west of the
mountains. They are sent into the
Wenatchee mountains and into the
forest reserve in August, where they
stay until late in October, when the
heriers start south and east by slow,
easy stages until the river is reached
in December and they enter the win
ter range, where they remain until
the next spring.
In charge of the flock is the flock
master, who has number of couriers
under him, who ride the range and
select grazing places, directing the
shepherds when to move the flock.
One shepherd, with the aid of his
dogs, can care for flock of 5000,
the dogs being trained for their work
and are of unusual intelligence. Be
sides the large sheepmen, the ranch
ers are turning their attention to the
industry, which is paying large per-
centage on the investment. In fact,
the small rancher who raises flock
of from SO to 500 year is the man
who is deriving the handsome profits
told of by stock journals. 1t is no
uncommon thing to clip 50 worth Of
wool from a wether and then sell him
for mutton for Sc.
Coffin Bros. ship large part of
the flock to Chicago every year,
where they are fattened and sold.
They now have 10000 head in the
yards almost ready for market.