Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-10-22
1. + + + j. + 1. + 1. 4. + I. 1. .
THE GOLDEN FLEECE
(By Frank Farmer)

/, Do I know anything about sheep
More than | used to, anyhow. Wher
was boy, I spent one summer or
sheep ranch. [ didn't care much
for them then. I could see that they
were valuable, for they furnished both
wool and meat, but I looked on them
as stupid, silly creatures, and 1 didn u
like the smell.
Ny job was to watch the sheep
day after day while they cropped the
prairie grass close. | was to watch
out for prairie fires and keep the
sheep from straying, but in reality I
had a dog who knew more about sheep,
and fires than | did. He did the work
while lay in the shade of big UNI
brella, and read or watched the big
humps of clouds, white like mashed po-
tatoes above and dark below, come
floating slowly out of the southwest
and drift lazily off into the northeast.
| You have seen sheep herders who
would tell their dogs what to do and
the dogs would obey. I didn t have
to do even that much. The dog knew
when it was time to take them home,
and he would round them up and keep
them moving toward the corral. Ny
aunt owned the ranch. She didn It
have so many sheep as some-only
about four hundred, and to see them
an inexperienced person would have
said there weren't more than hun
dred. What kind we're they? They
were grade Shropshires and my aunt
purchased a Merino ram that year.
Merinos were going to make over the
sheep industry, we were told.
My aunt allowed me to invest my
savings in sheep. I had twelve dol
lars, and that bought me four. The
following year 1 got my money back
and still had four sheep. thought
/ was going to get rich, but the fol-
lowing fall a prairie fire swept down
on the fold and the flock perished,
mine among the rest.
Later on I worked with South
downs. You don't see so many out
here in the northwest, though there
are a few. I expect to see more some
of these days. l don't class them as
range sheep, however. The South
down is stylish. Its meat quality is
hard to beat and it dresses heavier
than one would think. to look at it.
1t is prolific, too. I admit, however, !
that its fleece is light. and for the
present, it cannot hold its own against |
other breeds on the range.
Still later I was fortunate with /
Lincolns. I found them hardy, big
fellows. with a heavy yield of both
wool and mutton.
There are many breeds and not one
Of them but has some strong points
to favor them. The reason I don't
mention them is that I've had no ex-
perienee with them. But there is
I can say regarding sheep
keeping. The day is coming when
every farmer will find it profitable to
Keep some sheep. They are economy
in woolly form. They clean up weeds
IN good shape and are easily cared
for. They are profitable in small
locks. Sometimes the big focks are
'ortune makers. too. but I'm speak
ng of farmers now and not of sheep
men, The average farmer wonf lose
money on a few sheep. A few nearly
llways do well. but it takes special
kill to get proportionate profit out
# many.
Just now. perhaps. this advice isn't
leeded. Sheep have made money of
ate and everybody is ant to rush
nto sheep. Il Is dangerous business.
the leader in that way. how