The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-27

known as the Cedar Mountain reserve,
was postponed, and will probably not
be carried through, owing to the activi-
ty of the sheepmen.
Better Breeds of Sheep.
Organization of tine wool growers is
a great factor in improving the breeds
of stock in the state. There are now
more men raising thoroughbreds than
ever before. The principal gain in this
| respect has been in the past two years
and is considered the most important
advance in the industry. At the fairs
| held in various parts of the state eX-
hibits of thoroughbred stock showed
that there had been remarkable pro-
gress.
Little or no disease was reported dur
ing the year in any of the fioclSs of the
state While there have been years
when Utah sheep have suffered. the
state has usually escaped any consider
able ravaSes. This year the fiocks were
more than usually fortunate. almost no
cases of disease having appeared.
Room for Larger Herds.
The number OF sheep in the state has
differed little in the past few years. All
the ranges are occupied. and there win
be no great increase in the wool output
until the ranges are increased. The
forest reserves authorities believe that
this viii be done during the coming
year and that there will be room for a
considerable increase i'm the wool out
put of the state.
The number of sheep at the first OF
the year was about 100000. and the in
crease has been about 80 per cent The
wool clip amounts to about 10000. 600
pounds. Prices during the year ranged
prices a large amount of the clip was
withheld and is still in storage.
The United States department of agri-
culture gave the following statistics of
the industry in Utah at the beginning
of 1908:
Story the Figures Tell.
Number of sheep, Jan 1, 1908, ?. s67. 900.
Average price per head, Jan. /, 1908.
1888.
Farm value. Jan. /. 1908. s11, So. 900.
Number of sheep, April l, 1897, 2,O75,-
600.
Average weight of fleece. April. 1907,
81 pounds.
Percentage of shrinkage, 1907. .e5.
Wool washed and unwashed. 10 9O2, 500
pounds
Wool secured, 4S65. s75.
Against these figures of the govern
inent Tor 1871 the titan state bureau OF
statistics makes the following estimates
for 1908:
Number of sheep. Dec l. 1908. 2.S57. 311
Average farm value. Dec. l, 1905 So go.
Total farm value. Dec. 1. 1905 SILL
1885.
Number of sheep shorn. 1903, 800. 600.
Average weight per fleece, 6.5 pounds.
Total number of pounds of wool, T.
3GO, 600
Bright Future Outlook.
AS yet there is no data on the clip
Of 1908. The Office of the Utah State
Wool Growers has made a higher esti-
mate than the bureau Of statistics. put
ting the clip at about $1,000. 900 pounds.
In the northern part of the state
stockmen are raising chiefly for lambs,
the wool being considered as the by
product These have had an unusually
successful year The annual shipment
OF lambs from the state has been half a
million. but the figures for 1908 will ex-
coed that number.
The wool growers all around look for
improved conditions during the coming
year. The past year. while il has not
been year for money making. was the
best ever in the increase of the quality
Of the stock of the state Steps have
been taken TO encourage the raising o.
thoroughbreds. and an even greater i'm
prOyement in quality is expected