three years old; are very powerfully built, with good constitutions; short on the leg and yielding a fine elastic wool, long, soft, and strong, weighing 20 pounds to the fleece of a ram.

England was not successful in adapting the Merino sheep to her system of sheep husbandry, and economical considerations discarded it; but in her colonies its success has been marvelous. The Cape of Good Hope and Australasia present clear and striking examples of what may be accomplished by a very few individuals of a valuable breed.

CONDITION OF THE SHEEP INDUSTRY WEST OF THE

MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

By H. A. HEATH, of Kansas.

WYOMING.

The new State of Wyoming ranks high as a wool and sheep producing region. When it is considered how short a time sheep-raising has been an important branch of its animal industry, Wyoming's success is marked. The industry there now assumes to become the greatest live-stock interest instead of the least, as it has been heretofore. Stock-raisers of Wyoming, as well as those of Montana and South Dakota, realize as never before the importance of raising sheep, and that cattle are not the only profitable class of domestic animals. The depression which has befallen the cattle business set men to thinking, and they were not long in discovering that a country which will sustain cattle is not wholly unsuited for sheep. Five years of practical experience convinced them that there is more profit in sheep than there is in cattle, and stockmen seeking localities for a stock ranch also learned that one-third the capital required to stock up with cattle is sufficient to start with sheep; and this was a strong inducement to try sheep rather than cattle.

Wyoming, during its Territorial days, was noted for its live-stock interests-cattle-raising being in the lead. The best ranges were fairly well stocked with cattle or horses. Previous to 1870 the livestock industry was of little consequence, but soon thereafter the grazing lands came into demand, and the number of animals increased rapidly every year until 1884, when it was estimated that there were about 2,000,000 head of cattle, with a few sheep and horses; and the desirable ranges were generally occupied. Many wealthy cattle companies had been formed; eastern and foreign capital poured into the Territory, and cattle speculation was the craze. It was difficult for the sheepmen to get much of a foothold, as they were ten years behind the cattlemen; besides, they lacked the financial backing of the cattlemen. They had to rely upon their own resources strictly, and had necessarily to select ranges not occupied with cattle. Since 1884 the cattle business has declined, and the sheep business advanced until at the present time there are more sheep than cattle in Wyoming, and as the State improves the number of sheep as well as horses will increase, and together they will excel the cattle business in importance. The grazing lands of the State are better suited to horses and sheep than to cattle, as they are close grazers, and much of the pasturage consists of short grass with some browsing. Of the ten counties of the State the following are the principal sheep counties, ranking as to number of sheep in the order named:

247

Carbon, Uinta, Fremont, Albany, Sweetwater, and Laramie. The four remaining counties have a few thousand sheep, but cattle and horses now represent the principal live-stock interests in those

counties.

The breed or class of sheep most numerous in the State are of the Merino type, mainly of Spanish blood, with a fair representation of the French. The coarse-wool Mexican sheep is strongly represented in many flocks as the basis, but has been crossed with the Merino until many of the original and objectionable qualities have been more or less eradicated. The Mexican foundation, however, has been very serviceable to the industry because of their adaptability to the country and the methods in vogue of handling sheep; however, a large number of the first sheep brought into the Territory came from Oregon and California, mainly large-bodied Merino grades. The class of sheep brought in from the States east were more or less improved, many being pure breeds. Nearly all the breeding rams were thoroughbred. During the past five years quite a number of Cotswold, Southdown, and Shropshire bucks have been used, and generally with satisfactory results. At present the Shropshire rams are much favored. The cross produces an animal which gives great satisfaction. There is probably no other State or Territory in the open range country that has uniformly so fine a class of sheep. A marked characteristic of the sheep of Wyoming is their large bodies and heavy fleeces. This is attributed largely to the climate. Owing to this characteristic the sheepmen have made more money during the last two or three years than their fellow craftsmen on the open ranges. The larger carcass gives superior mutton qualities.

The grazing land is a hilly and mountainous country and open plains. In the southeast part of the State the plains are fertile and produce buffalo, bunch, and a native blue grass in abundance, while the desert or "bad lands" of the plains, in Carbon and Sweetwater counties, produce the various kinds of sage, such as the common, sweet, salt, and black sages, together with bunch grass. During winter the sheep feed on these sages or browse on the sagebrush and greasewood among the foothills; and when water is not abundant or accessible on the plains, they have to depend on the snow for water. During summer the water is supplied by the creeks and running streams or springs, which have their source in the mountains. Timber is of course scarce and is not needed for shade, as in the warmer climates. The natural protection in winter consists of hills, bluffs, and mountains.

Sheep that are brought in from other States usually do well and become acclimated without serious loss or deterioration. This is especially true of sheep brought from the North or West, while those brought from the East usually require the first year for acclimation. After that they seem to do as well as the home-raised animals, and improved in size and weight of fleece. Notwithstanding the method of letting the sheep depend upon their own resources for feed during the winter, it is a fact that healthy and strong sheep usually come through the winter in good form and condition.

The class of rams mostly used now are full-blooded Merinos, which includes a number of the French. Heretofore, many of the flockmasters have been content to use home-grown or grade bucks; but as the methods improve and profits increase, the quality of the bucks improves. As mentioned before, the mutton breed bucks are bein. used with satisfactory results. The cross of the Shropshire ram o

The

the Merino ewe produces a hardy and profitable animal of good size, with an average weight fleece of high-priced wool. The rams used are two years old and upwards. The number of ewes given each ram varies from 35 to 75-an average of from 40 to 50 ewes. ram remains with the flock about thirty days from the middle of December; however, some flockmasters permit the rams to run with the flock until spring or shearing time.

The average per cent of lambs raised varies according to circumstances, governed by the favorable or unfavorable location of the range. It is a rare occurrence to raise less than 75 per cent of the lambs; frequently they save as high as 80 or 90 per cent. If the ewes are in good condition and mature they seldom fail to breed, unless the rams are taken away within thirty days, when from 5 to 10 per cent fail to breed.

It is remarkable how little winter feeding is done. As a rule no grain is fed, except in rare cases, when the flock is favorably located near the railroad, or when a few choice rams or other pure-bred sheep are held where grain is accessible. The usual winter feeding consists of hay fed during a few stormy days in midwinter, not to exceed an average of a dozen days. Sheds for protection are as rare a provision as winter feeding. The flockmaster trusts to nature, and her provisions consist of the mountain sides, cañons, willow, or sagebrush, bluffs, and foothills. The severe storms come from the east or the north. The exceptional artificial shelter consists of underground stables or cheaply constructed sheds.

Very little land is owned or leased by the sheepmen. They use for the greater part Government land. The portion of the land that constitutes the home ranch is usually small in area and contains the winter corral, dipping pens, and perhaps some hay land; this small tract is frequently leased.

The main object of sheep-raising in Wyoming has been the production of wool, but the objects now seem to be both wool and mutton, and the latter, with the class of sheep now grown, is at present the most profitable. But sales tend to the decimation of the flocks, though it is fortunate that the surplus sheep can be disposed of profitably.

Sheep-shearing in this State takes place either during May or June. When a gang of sheep-shearers make their appearance in a county, a date is fixed and a suitable place arranged for the shearing, which is done on a wholesale plan. The wool is immediately sacked and taken to the nearest railroad point for storage and shipment. When the flocks are within reasonable distance of railroad towns, the sheep are driven in at the rate of 1,000 per day--that number being shorn daily by an average crew of California shearers, who are mostly employed as experts, and who receive from 7 to 10 cents per head for shearing. Where it is possible the wool is sold at the nearest railroad to local buyers. The bulk of the wool is consigned to commission houses in Chicago or Boston. A large amount of the wool has to be freighted on wagons 200 miles to reach a railroad station. The present system of disposing of wool and the long and high-priced railroad haul is a very serious difficulty encountered by Wyoming sheepmen.

The classes of wool produced are fine, fine medium, and coarse or carpet wool. The net price realized for the best Merino wool is 12 to 19 cents per pound; the coarse wool less. The average weight of the fleece for fine and fine medium ranges from 6 to 9 pounds per

sheep. Many flocks, however, average 9 to 10 pounds per fleece. The general average for the State is about 7 pounds.

The best distant market for muttons is Chicago. The best buyers for wethers are the feeders in Nebraska and the Missouri Valley. The local market is very good for a moderate supply of fat sheep, and it is constantly improving as the population increases. The proportion of the flock that is annually disposed of as feeders and stockers varies from 10 to 50 per cent. The sheepmen living within easy reach of railroads dispose of a larger per cent than those who are more distant. A conservative estimate of the number disposed of annually will not exceed the increase of the flocks under existing conditions. The best wethers are sold to Eastern feeders at the ranch, and bring about $3 per head, while the culls and aged ewes bring from $2 to $2.50 each. Occasionally shipments are made to Chicago and net the grower from $3 to $3.50 per head, after paying the high freight rates from the mountains-a grand tribute to the individual value of the sheep. The average weight of 3-year-old wethers shipped from the State can safely be placed at 115 pounds. Griff Edwards, of Rock Springs, at one time in 1888 shipped 6,300 3-yearold wethers to Chicago, and their average weight at destination was 135 pounds. This shipment, however, represents the best maximum weight, which exceeds the usual average. Taking the various classes, the range of mature wethers will run from 90 to 150 pounds. The average cost per sheep a year, all expenses, is variously estimated from 30 cents to $1. The lowest estimates come from Albany, Sweetwater, and Fremont counties. The average annual cost per head should not be estimated at less than 50 cents. Herders and ranch hands employed are usually foreigners or Mexicans. The herders receive from $30 to $40 per month, and the ranch hands $20 to $30 per month by the year.

The principal disadvantages and difficulties encountered by the sheepmen of Wyoming are the fencing of the free range or public land by large corporations, which often includes the hay land and watering places, and especially desirable ranges. The depredations of wild animals is a serious obstacle, which demands the constant watchfulness of the herders day and night to prevent loss; scarcity of competent herders and ranch hands to properly care for the sheep; storms and deep snows; scarcity of railroads for transporting sheep and wool;, impassable roads or long, tedious drives over rough or barren countries to reach shipping stations; scarcity of water in many places on the plains; and last, but not least, the present system of selling wool by consigning to Eastern commission houses, with its consequent long railroad hauls and longer freight bills, with uncertainty as to the time and amount of returns. As the profits of the business depend on the wool sales, it works a hardship on the producer to be at the mercy of his commission merchant for returns. The local advantages of the State for sheep husbandry may be mentioned briefly as follows: It is a natural grazing country, specially adapted to pastoral pursuits. No portion of the Rocky Mountain country is better suited in every way for stock-raising than Wyoming. Although the State is located in the arid regions, yet by virtue of its characteristics of soil, rainfall, elevation, and natural food supply throughout the entire year, this comparatively dry area is specially adapted to grazing purposes, and the larger portion of the State will never be available for anything else. The large area and great variety of grazing lands permit the system of frequent