The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-06
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
!. INFORM ALTON p
Blu RE AU
FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN,. Director.
Washington. d. c.

FREDERIC j. HASKIN. Director.
| Washington. D. C.. /.
DO WE FACE wOOLLEss DAYS?
Washington. D. c.. May 3.-Every-
one know that woollen goods have
gone up in Cost and are sometimes
hard to get at any price: and this.
like almost every other trouble Of the
day is commonly ascribed to the
war.
But the war Is not wholly or even
mainly to blame. The war has mere
ly been means of cutting off some
sources of supply, creating greater
demand, and thereby calling the at
tention of the American people to the
fact that the industry of raising sheep
III this country iras suffered a serious
decline. The figures have recently
been published by the Chamber of
&C mmerce of the United States. They
show that while in 1900 we had 80
sheep per capita in tie United States.
in 1917 we had only .46 per capita.
In 1890 we produced .4.2s pounds of
wool per capita and in 1917 only 2.72
pounds. Mutton forms 21.S per cent
of the meat food of Great Britain, but
only 2.7S per cent here.
There are several -reEsons for this
condition of things In the first place,
the raising of small flocks of sheep
on eastern farms is an industry which
has greatly fallen off in the last quar-
ter century, largely due to the growth
Of sheep raising on the semi-arid
ranges of the west. Meantime, this
western sheep industry. has suffered
from the incursions of the so-called
'dry-farmers, who are taking up
lands that a decade ago would have
been considered useless for agricul-
ture. Thus great areas of range have
been put under the pillow, and often
nd
made unavailable to the sheep herds
A complete readjustment is OBJ
v1ouSly necessary. In the west, the
chamber of commerce suggests, the
solution is to use the great areas of
cut-over timber lands as sheep range.
The sheep men are fully aware that
they face period of radical readjust-
ment. One of the largest New Mexico
wool growers. who was recently in
Washington, reported that + e had just
in the southern part Of his state with
view to raising feed for his herds.
He expressed the conviction that this
method will have TO be widely fol-
lowed in the southwest in the future
1t is the only way the remaining lands
can be made to support the sheep in
dustry in its present proportions and
allow of an increase; and 1t will also
do much to stabilize the business, and
eliminate the element of chance. For
in the southwest, the sheep business is
gamble on the weather. If it is a
wet year the range will be good, a high
percentage of lambs will survive, and
an enormous profit will be made on an
investment. On the other and a dry
year is sure to mean loss
s During the last three years wool
growers and wool dealers in all parts
OF the country have made great
profits. due to the sudden rise in the
value of wool which followed The out
break of the war. They are therefore.
In a position to invest in lands, pump
ing plants, fences and the other things
that are necessary to put the sheep
raising business on a sound basis for
future growth. Our supply of wool
and mutton for the next decade de-
ponds upon the amount of foresight
which these men possess.
Another important feature of the
situation in the west is the abundance
OF predatory animals. In many parts
OF the southwest sheep men must regu-
larry figure on loss of 10 per cent
annually to the coyotes alone. This
matter has now been taken in hand
by the biological survey. Dr. A. K.
FISHER has a corps of expert trappers
in every stock-raising state, and the
practical elimination of loss from pred
atory animals may be expected with
in a decade.
The sheep business in the west now
Is one Of the most picturesque on the
continent. In herds of several thou
sand the sheep are sent into the will
derness, followed by couple of rag
ged herders with their mongrel dogs,
and their belongings loaded upon a
couple of burros. From years end to
years end, they roam across the
widest country in America. In winter
the sage grown prairies and the mesas
support them. In summer they reach
Of
Rockies, often remaining for months
above timberline.
This method of raising sheep has
the sole advantage that it is inexpen-
sive. The animals die of cold and of
drought; they are caught in snow
drifts and killed by wild animals.
When nature is kind, there is a great
increase and consequent profit But
this method produces a minimum of
wool per acre of range.
The sheep business of the future
will utilize this same range; but much
Of 1t will be fenced, the wild animals
will have been exterminated, and
there will be shelter and feed for the
sheep. In winter they will be driven
down to farms in the valleys and fed
All of this attention will pay because
it will eliminate loss and make pos
sible the production of a better grade
of stock, which means more wool and
heavier lambs.
In addition to this increase of the
western sheep herds, a greatly in
creased production of sheep on east
ern farms may be confidently ex-
pected. This later development has
been stimulated in every possible way
by the department of agriculture FOR
several years. and since 1915 the high
prices Offered for wool and mutton
have given it strong impulse.
/ This eastern sheep-raising is very
different from that of the west. For
the most part, it consists of the keep
ing of small flocks, ranging from half
dozen to a hundred sheep, on gem
eral farms. Fifty years ago nearly
every farm in the east had its flock
of sheep. The industry declined as
the result of low prices and western
competition. Now the time has come
when it is again profitable. wherever