Year: 1864

Twill tell you what I think the best
and consecutive steps necessary to be
taken by young man who wishes to
engage in western wool growing in the
method proposed.


In the first place he ought to buy his
sheep (good ewes } right after shearing,
aid start them west as soon as possible,
so as to arrive early enough to have his
sheep recruit before winter sets in.
Driving is cheaper than shipping by
rail, and careful driving not much hard
er Oh them than earring. The most
careful driving tells on sheep some, and
arriving late in the fall always makes
it harl to winter them. We consider
sheep brought from Ohio and Michigan
worth one dollar head more after they
have been in the west year, than when
first driven in. Our western men, IN
driving from Ohio and Michigan, have
a fold made Of single width of bur-
laps, or common domestic, which they
stake around the flock wherever night
overtakcs them, and which they roll up
and put in the wagon by day. Their
sheep, when the flock is not too large,
are pastured along the road, being fol-
lowed, not driven. In their covered
wagon they sleep camp and cook their
own grub, and soon as daylight ap-
pears, roll up their fold and put out.
They move along slowly, letting the
flock pick all day, and when it is dark,
fold; thus being very independent as to
a place to stop at night. BY making
SO long a day to drive ten or twelve
miles, sheep do about as we'll pasturlng
along the road, as if driven farther in
day in less hours, and pasture hired
every night. The expense of driving
flock in this manner is but mere trlf1e.
in comparison with shipping or hiring
pasture every night. Of course, il the
sheep could not find enoug b to fill them
we'll along the road, it would be poor
economy not to hire some pasture for
them.


After arriving in Iowa, the first thing
is to get as far south as possible-other
things being equal-in order to shorten
the winter feeding as much as one can.
Then get into section Of high rolling
prairie where there is large range with
running water on it. Get far enough
from railroad to be in section OF
cheap corn. In buying corn or other
feed to winter on, buy it where you can
get timbered feed lots. Give your sheep
extra care and extra feed from the time
you arrive until grass comes In the
spring. The first year you want money
enough to buy your winters feed, pay
your board and other Incidental expens-
es, until you get your first clip of-after
that your wool pays your way, and
leaves you money to add to your iiock
with.


With FIVE hundred or less sheep OF hls
own to feed, a young man can DO work
enough for the farmer Of whom ne buys
his feed to pay his board bill, use of
team to feed within case he feeds
shock -corn-and something on his corn.
Near large range and cheap corn, he
need not fear getting overstocked: l
know Of German who has got flock
of three thousand from a start Of two
hundred old Gull ewes purchased but a
few years since out of his wages as a
shepherd, and who will not even yet buy
an acre Of land. He says let them put
their money in land who wish to-land
does not pay. When q mans entire
capital is in sheep, in such country as
the far west, (beyond railroads, } where
he can always buy corn as cheap as ne
can raise it, even where it is raised as
cheaply as it is here, every dollar Of
his capital is alive.


AS profitable, however, as keeping
sheep in this manner can be made, l
wish 1t distinctly understood, that any
young man engaging in it must have
energy, perseverance, lots Of grit, and
expect to work hard under disadvanta-
ges. Many Of your Buckeye boys, who
may be fred with the idea of making
their fortunes by western wool growing
in the method set forth in this letter,
would be apt to fail for the reason that
they would expect to do it easily. tits
rather o popular error that money makes
itself in a new country. Many eastern
boys become very homesick the first
year, because things are not as they
were where they came from. have no
doubt but that if they could have all the
Ohio conveniences for taking care of
sheep, Ohio houses to live in, and Ohio
privileges Of society, and convenient ac-