The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-11-24
By William Gentry.

The experience of lin Eaves and
Mort Woods in the sheep business
with ilockS ranging from 100 to $50
head. published in these columns,
seem to have attracted sufficient at
tentiou to cause demand for tur-
ther information OF the details nee
esSary to assure the profits which
are said to be incident 10 raising
sheep on Carter County farms. \
number OF men have asked Tor such
iniormation and it was almost 4
case OF inserting statistics published
by the federal department OF agri-
culture until it was learned that
lvey Johnson. probably the largest
sheep raiser in the southwest, was
living in Ardmore; so the oppor-
tunity to get first hand details from
the local sheep man was seized with
what might be called alacrity.
1t was much easier to find Ohm
son, however, than to get him to
remain stationary during the short
time required for an interview and
it was only after numerous failures
that he was cornered in the tx
change National Bank and agreed TO
submit TO quizzing. The result
was both interesting and astonlsh-
ING in that it opened my eyes to the
possibilities OF the sheep industry
in increasing the prosperity OF farm
ers living in Carter and adjoining
counties; in fact, in every locality
in the southwest where the profits
of the enterprise are unknown.
Extension Operator.
Johnson proved no stranger to
me. He is known on the Oklahoma
City Stockyards as being one of the
biggest cattle men in the country
although he has been operating i'll
this state for only the past six years.
Friends of his have told me that
ever since he moved to Marshall
county from Denton county. Texas,
he has been recognized as the most
extensive feeder of steers in this
section OF the country; they tell
me that he has the Lord only
knows" how many acres in fee and
under lease and that he has, in ad-
dition TO his other holdings, l,5OO
head of steers in the far distant re-
gions of the Kiamiche mountains,
but that his biggest cattle holdings
are on the 1900 acres owned by
him in Johnson and Pontotoc coun-
ties, the $1,000 acres leased i'll Car
ter county and the $1,000 acres
owned and leased by him in Usage
county.
Before going into the sheep bus
mess" | requested, on the strength |
Of this information, "let's talk cat
tie for few minutes. What's the
best way to handle them on large
Scale?"
well" he replied, 81 have handled
them in practically every known |
way. I have full fed them in feed
lots, caked them on grass and
CREASED them. and have found that
feeding cottonseed cake while graz
ing on grass is the best proposition
Il mean, the most profitable"
Cake and Grass Best.
"The fact of the matter is" he
continued. II have never made any
thing by finishing steers in the feed
lot, nor has the practice of grazing
on grass alone resulted in anything
Ike the profits realized from feeding
cottonseed meal cake while the
steers are on pasture"
Coming from fellow who has
owned a cattle outfit ever since he
was fifteen years old-he is thirty
two today-and who has operated in
practically all parts OF Texas. Okla
homa and many sections OF New
the value of the experiences
may be given emphasis, for that he
knows whereof he speaks is evil
denced by his exceptional success
in the cattle business.
AT the same time, it must be re-
that while Johnson's
operations have been on what may
be considered mammoth scale. the
practical result OF his experience is
pertinently applicable to the fellow
who is raising or feeding from 100
to 500 head. This. on the logical
assumption that profits will be in
no matter what the size
of the heard.
Sheep Business By Chance.
Now about the sheep" | prompt
ed how did you come to get INFO
the business
Johnson smiled, as if the question
was a Joke.
1T was funny" he answered. Il
bought about 5000 acres in John