East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-01-08

1850. As there is no open range In
the Willamette valley, the average
flocks contain from 100 to 500 sheep.
Record prices for sheep were
reached during 1907. Starting early
in the year, the market gradually ad-
vanced until, when the sales closed
in the fall, yearling ewes sold as high
as $5.75, wethers $4.75 and lambs
1915. These prices, compared with
those Of few years ago, when a eve
and her lamb after shearing were sold
for $1.20, and wool brought but s
cents a pound, explain the rapid in
crease In the wealth Of Oregon
sheepmen. The Oregon clip in 1907
sold at an average of II cents for the
heavy sand wools, 20 for the light
range and 27 and 2S for the valley
product.
While many sheepmen have pros
pered and some have become wealthy,
expenses have increased with the
high prices for sheep and WOOL The
vast free ranges of few years ago,
where the sheepmen were permitted
to Craze their flocks without let or
hindrance, are found no longer. All
woolgrowers now own or lease their
winter range, and the summer range
is either owned or rental is paid to
the United States government for the
privilege of grazing in the forest re-
serves which now include practically
jail the mountains.
The coyote has increased in Ore
gon to such alarming numbers since
the removal Of the bounty a few years
ago that 1t is estimated between 150,-
900 and 200,OO0 sheep fall prey an
nually to these animals. This, too, in
spite of the extra herders, coyote
proof fences and corrals.
1t now costs twice as much to lamb
band of ewes as when the bounty
prevailed. 1t was then customary to
scatter small bands of ewes over the
hills in lambing time. Now they are
not allowed outside Of coyote-proof
corrals, unless guarded by armed
herders. Sometimes the coyotes enter
the corrals at night and slaughter
both old and young.
Re-enactment OF the bounty law
would cost the state many thousands
OF dollars and it is, therefore, hoped
that the poisoning scheme that is to
be tried this month throughout east
ern oregon will prove successful. 1t
is believed that for less money the
state can get rid Of more coyotes with
poison than under the costly bounty
system.
For many years scab was consider
ed the most dangerous pest with
which the sheepmen had to deal. The
disease was thought incurable and,
indeed, growers usually kept a few
scabby sheep on hand with which to
fight unfriendly sheepmen. At the
last legislature, however, an annual
dipping law was passed and under
the provisions of this measure, State
Sheep Inspector Lytle and Dr. Nc
Clure, head of the bureau of animal
industry, with a large corps of assis-
tants, have practically rid the state
OF this disease and caused the obnox-
ious federal quarantine on Oregon
flocks to be raised.
The number of sheep In eastern
oregon is constantly decreasing, the
falling off being especially notable
in certain districts. Large range
areas are annually being taken up
by settlers. while in some counties 1t
is being discovered that the range Is
too valuable for the running Of stock
and 1t is being plowed up and seeded
to wheat. This is particularly true
in Umatilla, where the number OF
sheep is being decreased at the rate
of from 5000 to 5000 head a year.
AS practically all Of the large sheep
owners have formerly been engaged
in the cattle business 1t would now
seem that before many more years
have been added to history the sheep |
kings of eastern oregon will be en-
gagged in growing wheat.