| Sheep Farming In America. JOSEPH EB. WING, Class SE375 \ COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. , ye Uk eoeees f we nid ay at JOSEPH E. WING. Sheep Farming In America. By JOSEPH E. WING, hy Staff Correspondent of The Breeder’s Gazette. CHICAGO, ILL.: Sanders Publishing Co. 1905, LIBRARY of CONGRESS Two Copies Received DEC 16 1905 Copyright Entry #-4L./90 CLASS CA XXc, No, Shes B, Copyright, 1905, - BY SANDERS PUBLISHING CO. All rights reserved. GON TENT 8S: Bee LSA ROIS 52 Gn ead hock thet Wo Iw eho S MOREA Rae: 11-12 PA TRODUCTION one sch babes be a AN Ge ee gs ae eee 13-19 CHAPTER I. EEA VOC by bs RISES. oy an a ewe oe eee 21-31 MVHS i orass iro Sa ogee Stat aE oe aac SEO ee 22 Delaine Merinos and Black Tops................00. 20 CERT IE AUTEN SES ocala Foe oie Meta eh ge eS ae aN Pe 26 POLE YUEN A RPMI Pheer. aaah e ateg aie ae hie Kea oie aaron 32-56 The Downs— . POD MOS rare c acaars 2 eek tae ek eemeae epee 35 SLT 0) Uc 2k os Oa ame AOR Renee a Ne Sime yin Soe PRN re tol eee 38 ERAN SITS 58 eat ante a ek oe leew Caren 40 ES 165 6 a a gg cre cae mk lee ep Ne iri = gr See RS 42 The Long-Wools— ME MSCHNE TSU en windiest were aad alga ee ren. Ae Sek ets 42 WOR WON ct arse sip eer ae Ree ee See algae 45 LS 31h 0 an ai ie aes bg oe aah D3 5 Saar NT a a aaa 46 1, S112) hag m0 11, Ne OOS A yin She Baht rena ra Sea spe ed a 47 The Mountain Breeds— SASS REPRO es Fe Al ae a ea sa 50 PSC RAC OS Tat Ae eccrine eee ee des eee oa 51 CHAPTER ITT. SELECTION AND MANAGEMENT................. hc 8 Ee 57-84 Restocking a Farm with Sheep..................... 57 (5) 6 CONTENTS. Selection-of the: Ramaisacs sacs soak ies Oe Oro ee 58 Selection,‘of the Hwess:.c2.c5nes sa siemens eee ee eee 59 Gettine: Home with the Mock 2... so ssss tse cece see 62 Tmportance OfADip pine esse Seles oa vere eeetes aoe 62 Scab: Inseet 2 osck-lo a testten eee esac miaon cases unease 64 ie Dippin: Vato. ce aes es os & Pee ees eee 65 Regular Dipping of the Warm-Mlockt; 2... as eee 68 Summary Obs Dippin Ch ia oaths a ues ts athe ree wee Fall freatmont of thé Wwe Wieck: 2.0 fee 72 IME GIMN ERS Gcerenate oie. Liat chase ole eo anaes a ANDO ia SATE nea We PUte Ne SiGe Sa yee Sis, ora se aietae otras eae care os eee 74 Management ‘of ‘tle amis aces. ties. cce bs 2s ocaeiee 76 Gare of-the*Preenant: Wwe mee iene ce cc ea oer as temo n ere 78 CHAPTER IV. CARE OF THE EWE AND YOUNG LAMB............-: 85-129 her Hiwe Asari cee eiier sc archers he ae hoe Stee we ace 85 Care-at- am bing CPamers ss cod eres ce ok cesta ee 89 Feeding of the Ewe After Lambing................ 96 Troubles-of . Young laambnood . 244 2: sscc ck nea 101 Sore Mouths and Leats sain a: ix ee eee oe 102 Feeding the Lambs............ RE Ia PES SOMME I ae ey 103 Peeding’ forthe Marketers... dea ae See 106 Dressing Lambs for Fancy Winter Market.......... 114 Treatment of the Late-born Lamb................... 116 Beedine Corn on sGrass vers cece se ee pees 120 Summer: Shades ce. ise. cesses oa ee ees See 121 Marketing ‘the. Sprins: hamiby. 68.5 i. tn eee ee 125 Dockings.c cite es6 Pe Seer enn ive t pe kee eS 125 Castration of ‘Old; Rams.34) os. sone eke ee eee 127 Castration: of sbambs a2 cesar cs an ee eae 127 W CANIN 2h 25S aie Pe ee Le Le Oe 128 CHAPTHRV: SUMMER CARE AND MANAGEMENT ...............-- 130-163 The Ewe Plock s...cc3ee se A, eee 130 CONTENTS. fi Wse-et Sowiler astunesia teat t eee bow antes sh eigw dees 8 139 Onts suk -AtraliavPasture.::: 4. Sauce doa ae elt 3 140 Clovyer-and Alitalia Pastorecnd: our. ws. eketlce 8 143 Danger from Clover and Alfalfa Pasture........... 144 Phe Use ot Wages. 0342 cea ctu coke io. ees os 150 Pabbasess dagen oreiiisenk Use ee tacad. wee as at 151 Pntplemage a goo oa gaa cee aie aeanay pate Le 152 Care of: the Meet... 25 is 3 cation baat ons) 5s SUR ee Os 155 Hoot Roh. and: W0ot-Seald:.s Gris einer tei Date aes 156 MRIVent OF abe iams 7 ath s 3 sa Perak wd eg a el es 158 The Dampine "Peng: yashrts She (oats ts ees es eee a 159 PO ayia Pianta WS: oa. hs ates eet ek Sheet bes ate RRL ohio gee tke 161 CHAPTER VI. WASHING, SHEARING AND MARKING .............. 164-179 Washine and: Shearing. 55.5. cai eats. bite time we 166 PLIGUETM ieee ay hte areata cal gain ieee cee Remar hs tal MS 9 166 Siiearin Wie hin es it ou Oey: A, sal Leite 169 TEEN GL STi 0 a soe ae eae ak Peace Une Ce ne a Oa Ree a Se ORE 174 Pine: PGi War eae ook ie gener, nabdy gia «!s.0 ae ake aches we 175 Marking Pure-bred, Dams 0. schists os ones Leia fee fT FLOCK HUSBANDRY IN THE WESTERN STATES..... 180-230 Wew MiemIg0. i sigr a latteaalt BR,.d ceded e eee epee 180 Characteristics of Mexican Sheep................68- 181 “The Good Old Times’’ in New Mexico............ 183 Modern. Mana roment. 0 sic coos oho aehou eee ene ek « 184 IiSGaseS OL the ange {acnisin seid. alae ante os 187 Noxican lambs as; Meedersj4Git2sie ks ca auee eee 188 he Wane De Lends. 2, Righaies reds se sc dvaee taG'sy 189 Nai RULIEr LIE WS WO - COLIN \5 aie's2d pie a o's 9.6 0.0 Soke ceo ee 190 The Blood of the Herds........ 6 a eee? POE Te 192 hie Division Of the anges. soc 62s. cise oe See wee 192 Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas............... 193 Parasitic. Infection of the Ranges...,............... 194 8 CONTENTS. Happy Future.of the Resions iv teen. css fees 197 Management of the Range Rams................... 198 Where the Rams Come T¥romil.22i5...502246 Usk 199 The. Breediio Season...) seas 2 es eee ee 199 Vigor of Hwes: and. Lambs: 2725). eins ey ae ee 200 The Busy Shepherd at Lambing Time.............. 200 PG COV OCCT Ae Boas ocx oo taaeseaeete ARI ous A ee 201 ‘Ermine they lua miss <5 a. ae ks ee ee: 202 shearing on: the Rangevsweiee aes. ere ee 204 FDEP NIG seca np ocias Sian et ic Aes eM Oe Se 205 The. Maligned.‘‘Sheep Herder’. 2s.) 2 ai 2.G ee fee dae 207 Ups and Downs ofsthe Business..........0.54..546.. 209 Chegto petri“ Omtlook ss s..c. sine aad eae ce ck 210 AO Work: tobe D@We $4 Soins Ast es ats oa ae oes 210 Sheep Advance; Cattle Retreat.................2..6. 212 Winter Feeding of Sheep and Lambs................ 212 Necessity for Dipping 2c.5 nuh sence ee ee ee ope Aas: 213 Selection of Meed Gre iii .2 esa carver Gee wn ee ee ee 217 Peedine Of Tham bs 25 sacracilsios ae eee tee eee a 230 CHAPTER. Vil. WESTERN SbAMB FP BEDING (oa orics soetaeanes aaa ee 231-276 Pea Peedine: in Golorado ptr acc-Aae snes ee ae 231 Alfalta-ted Colorado Taamibs=eckaceee mee coe nee 232 Peeding, Mill Sereenines? 2m: Oasis side a aes 241 Sheep-feeding in the Corn-Belt.............. ote at ad 242 Use: of Self-feeders.. i: aw. es Se ee ee aes 262 Needing’ Beet. al peies, G3, eae ee. She eee 262 Peas oe doambe sce Ae oie ot ae ee ee 265 Conclusion, the Importance of the Matter........... 265 Feeding of Older Sheep :%.c3. «652th, cae « 266 Feeding -Mature: Weethers <: 62 otis: Se dinstese ss «tienes 267 CHAPTER IX. LHE. DISEASES OF SHEEP 255: G6. ee ee 277-307 Ailments: incGeneral nin). esc: Micme te eect oe See 2717 CONTENTS. 9 Importance of Post-Mortem Dissection.............. 283 Other Diseases> of Sheep. aiwn eats Saws oe See was 284 Garret, or-Mammitisy. Sesser cc cn eters eee ene 285 Grud bE CAGt ao cs Guid sO eae oils Se eee as 288 Tatver> Wiiwe Ene Ote tc as aewcak, Sie acshe win ea bhate oles 2 289 INGE IER ADMSCASEL oon Naame ase wate aa ke S Osta eee eee 290 et WWORHISa sou scent ane nek ad sake es 2s Sst ee wee nee 291 Husk, Hoose, or Parasitic Bronchitis............... 292 The Stomach Worm (Strongylus Contortus).........293 Treatment for Roundworms in Sheep, Goats and MARGIE 2 tera 240" a ie Uh She Be ie Wea < ant ee 295 Goal Tar Crecsote]natsicn cp es oe ca eee sae hee a 296 Coal-Tar Creosote and Thymol................6. 298 Gasoline sors eke oe OYE Sa etieas aptetee Pe PES at yee 298 Methods of Drenching Animals................. 301 Position of Animal During Drenching.......... $02 Startwith a Healthy Ploek.ccise hoes de the eee 303 CHAPTER X. THE: ANGORA-AND MILKING GOATS) .ast ssc eee 308-326 Cites Anta GOA Gwe: <2. + soacapers. byes oat ie o, aye. Bi whe 308 AES Nell COWES ea0 5 as Se A ase PO Ree aS Oe ae es 322 gS fel aN tee Fed Wek RATIONS: PORN N is WV. a ceils oe BRL able toe yeaa ate Frontispiece. i iewO-year-O1G Merino Puaniss bof. lo. ee eek an ea Peers 23 Yearling Rambouillet Ewes in France................... 27 Photographic Studies in Down Types of Sheep........... 33 Harm “Urainime forthe Show Ring. bib. 2oeles wes Baeoans 38 MAROON bye INS nonce 5 sais ape 'nc: 2S ste ON ore Shae Reece we ee Ee 43 PBMC ONES UVR fore cas 3 5/5 aol kale mise mare, ace wos ane RNO ae Sicko 43 Sone. Ohio Dersetsy : Uso ein ta nee She Misa eee 7 ROY Ht WIS on) aie beh > ech wrk a os lodestar eee ee 54 BOER HWS eos gus Cee iis Sherk eS UU oad es OS elad 60 Dipping Sheep at the University of Wisconsin........... 63 Dra Baan ee sd Se Se 6 Ee ee VON RE MRR 70 Feamebouilies: Pye ese 70. 2 Nae Shee ee ee 75 Shropshire Ewes on a Canadian Farm................00. 19 Peli ftGeelvEealiies cuca tava Bets See O eae a Oe eee 83 ILL OWE WOS pace ks cha tte Seine chee esa RN es, See ergra ele 86 Helaine-Merinedtam: Liambewe ac) trots as oe ee 91 A Buneh of Nebraska Leicesters. 2.0...) 20.0.0. 00.5 cece ees 97 ‘‘Mary Had Five Little Lambs’’............-e.ceceeeees 103 Dorset Lambs on the Way to Market.................... 107 PATA AMA ISD CPG los crate, seas ofasFoocs op ey thao SAA ORLEANS 6 BES aha 113 POs YOR VaR EU. cole nas «a so sted etocl Mee asad ola cae the Ss 115 Bipods Ose 10F a PIChURe icine. osama eee PSS 118 ariarloud Of Vearhing VV Shores 2X02 sleet cas Cle i ee 123 Dae ie. Country Pasture psec ae 2 < Be kate s isha aictatgatee 131 2 ILLUSTRATIONS. Gotswold“Wwess: oc. eis. secs oy wt ee eter ene eerie eae 136 Feeding Lambs on a Hillside Pasture.................... 142 Studies'in Sheep Character... ccc eis tans hele 147 Veariing Oxsierd amie os sancech soos Oe site tease Soe saeuee eG 152 Tpeicester Fait 025 GF ik. Bee Sia Aes em ab clade meals Sieaie sacs ate ete 153 Imported Hampshire Ram Lambs ............00..5000000 162 Hand Shearins Machine.) sc0 xcs awe ac eacemmne eae mae cumin 169 Shearing Black-faced Sheep in Scotland................. 172 Wearkine Oxford aims. ccs ssi sc2 etek ee einen ome ae 182 Dishley Merinos:in Praneeur ) ici ok Jeb oe Se ee 185 Black-faced Sheep in the: Hillsii¢2. 2) ee a es 191 A Kansas Feeding Yard, Capacity 18,000 Sheep.......... 195 A Sheep Wagon on the Rance. yee. 6 s00 ne ee ee 201 Pancoln Shearhines cis ces cee oa ee cso ae 5 wee a breed 204 An llinois Feeding and Shipping Yard. .2..2 2.2.2 472.24 206 SSI O NK PCAN, Coreg a ost claw oh ecase ar onetaie ot Gone v nla SOA otra ae 211 A Fine-wooled Flock on a Western Farm...............+ 215 Feeding Corral, with Straight Fence.................... 221 A Show of, Cotswoldsi.. casos soubor on aot cee 227 Shropshire Feeders ian Colorado. 3.22 tines. eee 233 Racks: for Peedine: Graitic i 4 aa ae ee She 238 Box Rack for Meeding Alfalfa ons .u... 222 Vs eee ae 239 Cross-section of Model Sheep Barn Showing Frame...... 243 Side View of Model Sheep Barn Showing Doors......... 244 Two. Views.of Keed. Rak. ere, SAS Che eae 247 Feeding Corral, with Zigzag Fence................0...8+ 253 SHEED VV AGONS Scns, cchstte SKA E ek BS eee eee Leake 260 Ar Pexas Weeding Vardi 5 acc sntieicus ssi knwo eoaend eto 263 A: Pair of Hampshire Iuambs >.<: sce a eA ee 268 Ati.a Royal English Show 2s ic.cs.dch Gok enfeaes sae dake 269 Lancolns in ‘the:-Show Ring). 255326 ee ek See ee 273 Ag Angora Goat SHOW -2,4<.55.. 4 ee (ORES eo th 311 INTRODUCTION. The traveler in Kngland, Scotland and parts of France and Germany is impressed by the importance of the sheep industry to these lands. Sheep farms are often found close together and ot large size with great numbers of sheep there- on. ‘lhe writer has stood on one hill in Dorset- shire and counted eight shepherds, each with his flock of about 400 ewes and their lambs, in sight at one time. Nearby, in an adjoining county, flocks of Hampshires exist as large as 2.900 on farms of not above 1,400 acres ot not extra soil. These flocks are very profitable and they make rich soils that without the sheep would be hardly worth cultivating. They ex- ist in wonderful health and vigor on lands that have been sheeped since civilization peopled the land. In Scotland and the Cheviot hills flocks exist over the entire land and without sheep the land would almost lapse into wilderness. In France on lands worth $250.00 per acre great flocks of mutton sheep are kept. The agricul- ture of these countries leans strongly on the sheep. Long experience in maintaining fertil- ity, in creating it, has taught the farmers that without the flocks they can not continue profit- able agriculture. Sheep fit in well to an in- tensive system of agriculture. They are docile, (13) 14 SHEEP FARMING iN AMERICA, tractable, easily kept within bounds, not fastid- ious in their appetites but willing to devour most weeds along with the good forage, and they leave behind them a wake of fruitiul soil. In America sheep farming is little understood. Sheep are kept ina more or less desultory man- ner, having the run of some hill pasture or woodland, fed at intervals in winter, sold oif when prices become low, bought up again with the return of higher prices, given small care or encouragement, often afflicted with parasites, internal and external, a side issue to the farmer, profitable in spite of his neglect, yet not often assuming the dignity of a business of them- selves. ‘here are several reasons for this state. It is in part a heritage of the days when sheep were little valued for their flesh and were kept mainly for their fleeces. It is in part a result of our once cheap lands and insufficient labor with which to till them. And in large part it. is because of ignorance of profitable methods. When sheep thrive their owners gladly reap the profits; when they become diseased and un- profitable it is usually charged to ‘‘bad luck.”’ There need be small element of luck or chance in sheep management. There is always a rea- son for thrift and for unthrift in the flock. There need rarely be any disease in the flock. A healthy sheep is certain to be a profitable one. _ There is at this time good reason for think- ing seriously of these problems of sheep hus- bandry because of the increase in mutton con- sumption and the curious parallel fact that the production is decreasing. April 1, 1903, INTRODUCTION. 15 saw about 39,204,000 sheep shorn; April, 1904, about 38,342,000, or nearly a million less. It is probable that this decrease has been checked, though there has been no decided change in conditions and comparatively little re-stocking of Eastern farms. Sheep are essentially today dwellers of the range, the mountain and the desert. Montana has the largest number of sheep, 5,976,000; Wyoming has 3,800,000; New Mexico, 3,150,000; Idaho, 2,300,000; Ohio, 2,033,- 060; Utah, 2,025,000; Oregon; 2,000,000; Cali- fornia, 1,625,000; Texas, 1,440,000; Colorado, 1,300,000; Michigan, 1,200,000; Pennsylvania, 850,000; New York, 675,000; Washington, 560,- 000; Nevada, 600,000; Arizona, 620,000; Indi- ana, 700,000, and all other states below 600,000 each. It will be seen that in comparison with the ranges the states make rather a small showing in the sheep industry, Ohio and Mich- igan excepted. The fact of free grass upon the Western ranges and the general healthfulness of flocks in that arid region have had a deterring influence upon the sheep industry in the old farming states. Now, however, that the ranges seem unable to supply the mutton that is de- manded by our consumers it is time to forget their menace and to take up again our old trade of shepherding on our Eastern farms. There are several excellent reasons why this is a rational and promising industry in which to embark. The ranges are now fully stocked with cattle and sheep. ‘To increase the num- bers of sheep means to drive out more cattle and this the cattle men are resisting by armed 16 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA, force. On many of the drier ranges the sheep have overpastured the grass till much of it has been destroyed root and branch and thus its carrying power is much decreased. Settlers are taking the land in every irrigable valley and fencing it and there is thus in every way a steady diminution inthe numbers of sheep on the ranges. Nor can it be seen how this may be checked and their numbers made to increase, seeing that alfalfa forms almost the sole forage grown in the arid region, and this is not a crop suited to careless grazing of large bands of sheep by hireling herders. Consider again that the prejudice that at one time existed against mutton eating has almost died away. The cities are eating all the mutton that they can get and are paying for it much more than they are paying for beef or pork. There are doubtless several excellent reasons for this. Fashion is one. The fact that crowds of our people visit England every year leads them to form the ‘‘lamb chop’’ habit. Mutton is better fattened and prepared than formerly. — There is offered a very much greater supply of lamb mutton than of mutton from old sheep, and that helps. Then the old-time type of small, wrinkly, thin-fleshed sheep has about disap- peared, and that helps. There is demand for lambs from babyhood up to a year of age, well fattened; there is demand for mature mutton. Whether the packers have or have not con- trolled the price of beef they have not been able or desirous of keeping down the price of mutton. For ten years feeders of lambs have prospered INTRODUCTION. 17 exceedingly, with occasional discouragements, and there is no prospect of the production of good, well-finished mutton being overdone for some years to come. It can not be overdone until one of two things happens, either the American people must fall into calamitous days or a great number of farmers must turn shep- herds and learn the business from the ground up. Neither of these things will happen soon. Sheep husbandry is not ditticult but it requires close attention to details and that we will not many of us give. The few who will patiently learn the art will therefore prosper the more exceedingly. it is a happy thought to look forward to the day when well kept, happy flocks will abound in our land. ‘I‘hen weeds will disappear, to be replaced by luxuriant grass and forage crops. Then trim fields, each with its appropriate green growth, will be dotted with snowy-fleeced ewes and plump, rollicking lambs, each one a picture of health and thrift ; shepherds’ neat cot- tages will shelter an intelligent and thrifty class of farm laborers, great piles of manure will be accumulated in winter time to replenish the old fields, the farm boys will find enough to do and sufficient encouragement for doing it and will remain on the farms and then agri- culture will be truly an upbuilding, a creation of fertility and farms where now there is little of profit left to country dwellers. Let no one imagine, however, that these blessings follow the mere act of buying a flock and placing it upon the farm. ‘‘Sheep are 18 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. ever an unhappy flock,’’ remarked an old Roman agriculturist, and in no other stock can the ignorant or heedless farmer have so great a variety of misfortunes as with the sheep. i‘ew of these troubles are unavoidable. It is to point the way to success and to indicate the rough places that this little book is written. It is to be regretted that a great change has come over country life. The old intimacy be- tween the farmer and his men, the farmer and his fields, the farmer and his animals, has to an extent gone, perhaps forever. Nevertheless, the farmer who undertakes to keep sheep with profit must go back to the ways of his fathers and his boyhood, he must cultivate an acquaint- ance with the individuals in his flock, must learn to know instantly by sight whether or no they are in health, must have their confi- dence so that he can without much trouble catch them afield, by aid of the shepherd’s crook or a bit of salt or a handful of shelled corn. For- tunately this intimacy is a delight as well as a source of profit. ‘‘The eye of the Master fat- tens the flock.’’ Hired shepherds may be faith- ful, but they need the suggestions and the in- spiration that come from wise co-operation of the employer.. Best of all shepherds are the men who own the sheep. It is a delightful oc- cupation and one that interests the young. There is room for work, for thought, for growth in this work. ‘Some of the happiest hours and most helpful the author has ever known have been spent in working among his ewes and lambs, or seated beneath a tree watching them INTRODUCTION. 19 graze in the cool of the evening or seeing the lambs scamper up and down the hillsides. Strong men have come from tending sheep. Young David watched his father’s flocks and in his zeal slew the lion and the bear that would have destroyed them. Gazing from his hill pastures afar out over the land he learned to love it well, so that the day came when he emerged from the solitude of the sheep pas- tuxes to be the one who should redeem Israel from bondage. Let us hope that in our own land young men may be found who while working with the gentle ewes and innocent lambs may from these scenes of peace absorb sufficient love of home, country and native land that they may come forth strong to help in the redemption and upbuilding of their own country. Cit fer ke THE FINE-WOOL BREEDS. It is not thought worth while to present here extensive accounts of the various breeds of sheep; however, some mention must be made with the characteristics pertaining to each. Breeds originate from environment, from pe- euliar characters of soil and vegetation and climate, and from the mental idiosyncrasies of the breeders themselves. Each breed has its own particular field where it serves best a certain purpose. For all that, breeds are some- what flexible and several have a wide range of adaptability. Conditions of market and of environment make some breeds more prof- itable than others in certain locations. What would pay best on the range, in some remote state where wool by its cheap transportation brings the major share of profit, might not pay so well in near proximity to large cities where the demand is for quick-maturing mut- ton. Inversely, sheep are not suited to range conditions that are not good shearers, good to ‘‘herd,’’ that is, having the mental trait that makes them stay close together and an ability to withstand occasional times of starva- tion. On the farm the ability to live through (21) 22 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. hard winters on sparse allowance of food is not a qualification worth taking into account. MERINO SHEEP. Probably the oldest races of domesticated sheep are the various families of Merinos. Most they have felt the moulding hand of man, most they seem to diverge from any wild type of which we have knowledge. Very likely Merinos were kept in Palestine during bible times and it may be that King David when a lad watched beside a flock of. Merinos. Under the hand of man they have suffered a degeneration in form, not now being as hardy, as vigorous or full of stamina as any wild race of sheep now in existence. What they have lost in form and vigor they have gained in fleece. The wool of the Merino is the finest and for many purposes easily the best in the world. It should command the highest price and usually does. Merino breed- ers in the Eastern states, however, must com- pete with producers of wool in remote and semi-savage lands, Australia, Argentina, Pata- gonia, the Falkland Islands and parts of our own great West. Breeders of Merino sheep have followed many fashions and some that were their un- doing. At one time the aim was to secure a fleece of extreme fineness, though by this means was secured a sheep of little stamina and of small value for mutton production. Again the aim sought was an excessive amount of oil or ‘‘yolk’’ in the fleece, which made it heavier. FINE-WOOL BREEDS. a8 This weakened the sheep, made it sensitive to cold weather and, curiously enough, as the weight of yolk increased in the wool manu- facturers kept apace of the fact in buying, and by paying for it on-a scoured basis there was nothing at all gained to the grower who sold the excessive amount of grease. A manu- TWO-YEAR-OLD MERINO RAM. facturer once related to the writer how in the palmy days of heavy fleeces a celebrated ram’s fleece was brought to him to be scoured; it weighed 45 lbs., was probably of 18 or 24 months’ growth and made less than 12 lbs. of scoured wool! ‘The farmer then had wasted food enough to produce more than 30 lbs. of 24 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. a product of no utility whatever; in fact, being only a drain on the strength of the animal that produced it. It is of course essential that wool should have a sufficient amount of this yolk to preserve the fiber; more than this is a damage in every way. It would seem that now the ae in Merino sheep have nearly disappeared and the breed- ers at the present time are breeding useful Merinos, with generally more size and _ better forms and more of mutton quality than was once seen. The importance of the Merino breed will be recognized when it is remembered that about 22,000,000 of the sheep of the United States are of Merino foundation. The Merino is the sheep of the range country, hardy in large herds, of long life, though of slow maturity, able to withstand more of ‘‘grief’’ than the mutton breeds, and, most important to the ranchmen, holding their fleeces to quite an age, whereas under range conditions mutton breeds soon become light shearers. However, it is not now believed among Western ranchmen that the Merino should be bred pure for their purpose. ‘They use large numbers of mutton rams and aim to keep in all their ewes a strain of mutton blood, from 1%, to 1%, which they find makes the ewes better mothers, being more prolific and having a stronger milk flow. Lambs from such ewes, sometimes from pure- bred mutton rams, form the major part of the supplies received in our great markets from August till June. of clover or alfalfa. After midsummer, however, it may be wise to keep the flock entirely off this field, letting ‘HUOLLSVd ACISTIIH V NO SHANVI ONICHA SUMMER CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 143 the clover or alfalfa get strong to withstand the trial of the coming winter. Young clover and alfalfa should never be grazed hard nor be eaten close the first year else the stand will be seriously weakened. CLOVER AND ALFALFA PASTURE. By all odds the most useful summer pas- tures in the corn-belt are those composed of clover or alfalfa. There are several dis- tinguishing advantages of these crops: they renew the soil, they are rich in protein and add to the size, health and vigor of the sheep; they afford a great amount of grazing and they are almost absolutely free from danger of carrying parasitic infection. The reason of this health- fulness of these plants is that sheep crop the higher leaves and stems, leaving the parts close to the ground and thus escape germs that may lurk down close to the earth. Either red clover or alfalfa is too richly a nitrogenous product, however, to be grazed alone. Sheep confined to either of them must eat too much protein and therefore will crave food of more carbonaceous or starchy compo- sition. They will greedily eat grasses or even hay or dry straw to help balance their ration. Therefore it is wise to sow a mixture of grasses with the clovers. The best grasses for this purpose are smooth brome grass and or- chard grass. Either of these come on quickly and give a continuous grazing with the clovers. Of the two brome grass (Bromus inermis) is by far the better, yielding more grazing and 144 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. being better relished by the stock. Indeed this brome grass is one of the best pasture grasses we have and of easy culture, though it should always be sown in connection with some clover, else it fails to yield as it should. Red clover and alfalfa should not be mixed together. If .they are the red clover having the habit of more vigorous growth at first crowds badly its slower neighbor. It is wise, however, to put about 10 per cent of alfalfa seed in all clover mixtures sown on suspected alfalfa soil, for the small amount of alfalfa will infeet the field with the alfalfa bacteria so that in after years it may profitably all be sown to alfalfa alone. DANGER FROM CLOVER AND ALFALFA PASTURE. Sheep grazing leguminous crops often suffer from hoven, or bloat, caused by the fermenta- tion of the tender leaves within the paunch. The greatest danger of this 1s when the clover is young and tender and growing rapidly. After alfalfa becomes woody there is not much danger from bloating. Nor is there so much danger when grasses are mixed with the clovers in the pasture. After sheep become ac- eustomed to eating the clovers, they have then learned somewhat by instinct how much to store within. Pasturing on clovers is never absolutely safe, yet certain simple rules will almost always prevent trouble. First, the clovers should have reached nearly to the blossoming stage before turning in the sheep. SUMMER CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 145 The sheep should not be hungry. ‘They should have a preliminary course ot feeding of some sort till their appetites are well sated. Perhaps a fill-up on good grass pasture will generally best accomplish this. They should go on the clover or altalfa pas- ture atter eating all they will of other things at about ten o’clock in the morning, at a time when they naturally prefer to cease eating and go to le in the shade. They should be given salt as soon as put upon pasture, and salt mixed with air-slaked lime should be kept before them. They should never thereafter be removed night or day, rain or shine, as long as they are desired to graze the field. Of course they may have the run of an ad- jJacent grass pasture, and be permitted to go and come at will, but they must never be taken away even tor a few hours and allowed to get hungry and then returned to the clover or alfalfa field. If they are, there is danger that they will gorge themselves too suddenly and bloating may result. The writer devotes this much space to the subject because he has had a long and suc- cessful experience in pasturing clover and es- pecially alfalfa with sheep, and in this practice he has found these rules essential to success. It.is well worth the risk, seeing that this pas- ture returns such well-nourished and healthy sheep and is so free from danger of parasitic infection. The writer has annually lost from 2 to 4 per cent from bloat on alfalfa pasture, 146 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. commonly of animals not in the best health, and if it has returned the other 96 or 98 per cent in fine health to him, he considers the sacrifice of small amount. The following remedies for a bloated sheep are good: When first in distress, administer three tablespoonfuls of raw linseed oil in which is a teaspoonful or turpentine. If this does not relieve at once, tie or hold a large corn cob or stick of similar size ecross- ways in the mouth lke a bridle bit; hold the head up, stand astride the ewe and seek gently to press out the gas with the knee. Do not use too much force. Pour several buckets of very cold water slowly on the distended side over the paunch. This often of itself relieves the distress by stopping the accumulation of gas. If there is too much distension for these measures to relieve, make an incision on the left side, hgh up, where the greatest disten- sion is seen, and let the gas escape. A trochar is best for this but a penknife will serve. The incision should be just large enough to insert some small tube—a small joint of cane fishing pole, a pipe stem or goose quill. Keep hold of the tube, else it will slip within the paunch and be lost and perhaps do serious damage to the sheep. After relief has been had disinfect the wound. It should not be large enough to need stitches but care must be had that flies do not blow it. Pine tar will repel flies. The wool should be cut away from the wound. STUDIES IN SHEEP CHARACTER, SUMMER CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 149 There will be some years when there will not be oceasion for any remedy whatever, and with the same treatment there will be at other times more or less trouble. During hot and wet weather when alfalfa is stimulated to very rapid growth more trouble may be expected. The writer has been in the habit of pastur- ing alfalfa and yet allowing the sheep to shade in the barn, permitting them to come off in the morning when it got too hot for their comfort. He has, however, been careful that a boy should stir ther out and send them fieldward again by three or four o’clock in the after- noon. . In sowing alfalfa that probably may be pas-_ tured be sure to sow a mixture of brome grass (Bromus inermis) with it. A light scattering of brome seed is best, else it will soon erowd out the alfalfa. We have had no difficulty in eradicating the brome grass when afterward the fields have been cultivated. The writer has solved most of the problems of summer management in the way outlined. One serious trouble, however, remains for solution. The ewes will often get too fat under such treatment and sometimes refuse to breed regularly. He has not yet found a solu- tion of this problem. In England, where this often occurs, the fat ewes would go for mut- ton and there would end that difficulty, but where one has a flock of pure-bred sheep of considerable value this is not a satisfactory solution for America. We are at present practicing the breeding of 150 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. these reluctant ewes by compulsion. ‘'T’o catch the ewe and permit the ram to serve her seems to cause her afterward to come into season naturally. We are hopeful of good results. Where one is within reach of tracts of rough and poor mountain pasture the problem is solved in a natural way, by turning the flock onto this thin grass where they must take abundant exercise -by walking and climbing and will not find an excess of food. This is the natural way of preventing an excess of flesh. It is not a safe plan to attempt reduction of flesh by over pasturing of small and fertile fields. The result is to cause the ewes to gnaw into the ground for the herbage there and para- sitie infection is pretty sure to follow. THE USE OF RAPE. Rape belongs to the same order of plants as the cabbages and rape leaves have a similar taste and appearance as cabbages. On rich soil rape yields an astonishing amount of for- age, which must be eaten green, as owing to its watery nature it can not be cured into hay. There seems a peculiar affmity between the cabbage family and the sheep. Common eab- bages, thousand-headed kale, rape, swede tur- nips—all are greedily eaten and make good, healthful development. Rape comes in good play during the drouths of autumn and after cool, frosty weather has stopped the growth of grass in the fall. It may be sown in the corn at the time of the last working, using about three or SUMMER CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 151 four pounds of seed to the acre and letting the cultivator cover it. Should the season prove moderately moist thereafter the rape will come on and be ready to make a vigor- ous growth as soon as the corn is cut. By the middle of October it may be waist high over the field and will afford an immense amount of grazing until Christmas or later. Care should be taken not to turn on rape early in the morning in late fall when it is frosted, as every leaf that is bent at that time will blacken and decay. It takes a cold of about 12 degrees to injure rape if it is not disturbed until it has thawed again. Sheep will fatten on rape, though an addi- tion of grain is profitable and access to a grass pasture or the regular feeding of good hay in connection with it is very desirable. There is some danger from bloat in rape feeding, though the writer has never had to treat a sheep for rape bloating nor lost one. The Dwarf Essex seems the best variety to SOW. CABBAGES. In fitting sheep for the show ring cabbages are almost indispensable and for feeding in fall and early winter they are most excellent. In many places cabbage grows luxuriantly and a given amount of sheep feed can probably be as cheaply grown from this plant as in any other way. In considering these foods it must be borne in mind that a certain portion of succulence is absolutely necessary to the 152 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. sheep if it is to be kept in perfect health. It is less trouble to grow the common farm crops of grain and hay and sheep can be maintained upon them alone, but not in their highest degree of health and profit. There is also in the rape, turnips and cabbages some YEARLING OXFORD RAM. quality that makes for healthful growth of wool. PUMPKINS. One of the best autumn and early winter supplementary foods for sheep are pumpkins. They are readily grown in the cornfield or SUMMER CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 153 in a separate field by themselves and yield a large amount of feed to the acre. Our method of growing is to use pumpkin seeds to replant with in the cornfield, putting them in where- ever missing hills occur. In this manner we have secured as high as two tons of pumpkins LEICESTER RAM. to the acre without in the least injuring the crop of corn, provided the season proved favorable. In fact, the shading of the ground between the corn rows by the wide leaves of the pumpkin vines serves to help conserve the moisture when it is most needed and the corn is often the better for the association of the 154 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. vines. It is safer, however, to plant pump- kins by themselves. Pumpkins serve the flock in two ways: first, as a direct and healthful food of considerable nutritive value and yet never dangerous from excessive richness, and next from the direct medicinal value of the seeds. Pumpkin seeds are among the best vermifuges known. They should never be removed from the pumpkins but fed all together, and if fed in considerable amounts the direct and immediate improve- ment in the flock will be very apparent. Tape- worms have never troubled the writer’s flock in the least and no other reason can be attributed than the annual liberal pumpkin feeding. The way to feed pumpkins is to strew them about the pasture without cutting them open at all, or at least cutting only a few of them. If many are cut the sheep eat only the soft in- side parts at first, with the seeds, and might in this way get toe many seeds for their good, whereas when they must gnaw a way into the pumpkin they will eat it up clean before at- tacking another. The pumpkins keep better to be seattered over the field than to be piled in piles, at least before frost strikes them. The secret in growing pumpkins is, first, to have the land rich, then to plant a great sur- plus of seeds. The striped cucumber beetle revels on pumpkin leaves, and if not enough are planted for him and you also he will reap the entire harvest at an early date. They may be thinned after beginning to vine. It is particularly desirable to have the ewe SUMMER CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 155 flock thriving and increasing in flesh at time of breeding. Not only will the lambs con- ceived at such a time be of superior vigor but there will be a larger number of twins among them. CARE OF THE FEET. When the sheep are turned to pasture in the spring their feet should be carefully trimmed and shortened. It is easier to do this, however, if they are permitted to go in the wet erass for a day or two and are taken in while their feet are yet wet. They will at such a time cut like cheese, whereas if they are trimmed and shortened. It is easier to do this, however, if they are permitted to go in the wet grass for a day or two and are taken in while their feet are yet wet. They will at such a time eut like cheese, whereas if they are trimmed when dry they will be very horny in texture. Nature evidently intended the sheep for climbing over very rocky soils where the feet would be subjected to rapid wear. It is prob- able, too, that in selecting individuals for their superior wool growth the horn growth of the feet has kept pace with the wool growth in some degree, since there is a relationship be- tween horn growth and wool. In any event it is very unlikely that with the amount of travel needed on arable farms the sheep will suffi- ciently wear down their feet to relieve the shepherd of need to trim them twice a year, and with some breeds more often. The aim of trimming should be to keep the 156 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. feet as short as possible, not to cut to the quick, so that they may be able to stand natur- ally and squarely upon them. It is probable that lack of trimming is in some degree re- sponsible for disease of the feet. Diseases may occur, unfortunately, even in feet that have been well trimmed, and the subject must have attention. FOOT-ROT AND FOOT-SCALD. The shepherd commonly makes a distinction between a simple contagious affection of the foot called ‘‘foot scald’’ and the real and very serious disease, also contagious, called foot- rot. ‘There seems reason to believe that there is a form of foot scald that rapidly goes through a flock yet readily yields to treat- ment that is distinet from the more severe and — less easily eradicated foot-rot. It is the belief of the writer, however, that quite often the shepherd hides his genuine foot- rot behind the more harmless appellation. There is, however, an inflammation of the skin between the claws of the foot that does not extend beneath the horny covering of the foot itself and that yields quite readily to a simple treatment of putting the sheep upon a dry footing, cleansing from filth and an ap- plication of some coal tar .dip or ecarbolic acid. When the disease has penetrated beneath the shell of the foot and there is found there a watery, evil-smelling exudation it is genuine foot-rot and should have immediate and thor- - SUMMER CARE AND MANAGEMENT, 157 ough treatment, with preventive measures to preclude its spreading to the rest of the flock. First it is necessary to pare away all the horn that hides the diseased surface. 'The dis- ease being one of germ origin, there is no hope of cure except through the complete de- struction of the germs, and they must therefore be uncovered from their hiding. A sharp knife in the hands of a careful and thorough man is a kind thing to the afflicted sheep, even though it may cause some temporary pain. When once the diseased surface is laid bare it is only necessary to wet it well with strong solution of blue vitriol (sulphate of copper), or butyr of antimony, to bind it up if much horn has been cut away and keep the sheep on dry footing for a time. It is necessary, however, to prevent the spread of the disease through the flock. To do this all feet should be carefully trimmed and any sore ones given individual treatment. Then a trough 6” wide in the bottom, 12” wide at the top, 12” deep and about 10’ long should be made of three two-inch planks. This must be enclosed with hurdles so that the sheep may be caused to pass through it. The writer has fastened such a trough at the door of the sheep barn so that in order to pass out the flock must pass through the trough. Then it was only necessary to confine the flock for a time and they would of their own accord go out, each one walking through the trough. This treatment was given daily for a week or so, as it took little of the shepherd’s time 158 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. and was inexpensive. By this means foot. dis- orders were eradicated from the flock after having caused much trouble. In the trough was placed a simple lime whitewash, in which was sufficient blue vitriol to give it a blue color. This effectually pre- vented the spread of the disease and cured many cases in their incipiency. In no other business is it more true that ‘‘a stitch in time saves nine’’ than in the care of sheep. It is unfortunate that the average American shepherd ‘‘sells out’? when foot disease strikes his flock when he can so easily control and eradicate the disease. ‘Troubles must come in all endeavors, so when one has been suffered and the remedy therefor found it is not a reason for abandonment of enterprise but the more reason for continuance, rather than to ‘‘fly to troubles we know not of.”’ ADVENT OF LATE LAMBS. There are situations where it is desirable that lambing should be delayed until grass comes. When forage and grain are scarce and the means not at hand to well nourish the ewe after lambing until grass comes, when in- deed grass is the chief asset of the shepherd, it is wise to time the lambing so that the lambs will come at about the same time as the grass. Indeed a lamb dropped then will make a far better growth than one dropped weeks earlier from a poorly-nourished ewe, half starved by its mother because she cannot give it much SUMMER CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 159 milk before she herself has been fed. Nor will such a ewe respond in her milk flow to green grass as she would did her lamb come after grass has started anew in her veins a vigorous coursing of the vital fluid. - It is most wise, however, to see to it that these late lambing ewes are strengthened by some supplementary feeding before the jambs appear.