2(5 



sevent}' per cent. Also, that one acre of land, well seeded with it, will 

 produce more pasturage in a year than ten acres of the same quality of 

 land will in the native grasses. 



It is the opinion of our best sheep raisers, that sheep grazed on this 

 clover, in a constant green condition, as we have seen it may be kept, 

 will not be troubled with the diseases of the skin so prevalent among 

 the flocks of this country, when allowed to roam over our diy plains for 

 a scanty subsistence during the summer months ; also, that upon such 

 pasture the practice of semi-annual shearing may be dispensed with. 

 This practice has been adopted here for the purpose of remedying the 

 diseases referred to, and if it can be dispensed with, it will add materially 

 to the value of the wool clip of the State, and dispense with half the 

 present cost of shearing. Our wools now, besides being rendered less 

 valuable, from the shortness of the fibre, arising from the practice 

 referred to, suffer materially in quality, from the poor condition to 

 which our flocks are annually reduced by scarcity of pasturage. This 

 may be remedied, also, by seeding down their ranges with this ever- 

 green clover. Comparatively a small area of land will be required to 

 feed our present flocks, so that, by adopting the course suggested, our 

 sheep raisers could curtail their ranges or proportionately increase their 

 flocks, while, at the same time, they would increase the condition and 

 profits of their flocks. We submit the above facts and considerations 

 for the benefit of all classes of agriculturists. The grain grower may find 

 in them an inducement to cease the exclusive production of wheat, and 

 turn a part of his land and apart of his attention to the dairy business and 

 wool and mutton growing. By so doing he may restore his exhausted 

 soil to something like its normal state of productiveness, and, in the 

 meantime, add very much more to his individual savings and to the 

 general wealth of the country. To the dairymen they may suggest the 

 readiest means of increasing their oavu incomes, by appropriating to 

 themselves a part of the immense sums of gold now shipped from the 

 State to enrich their Eastern competitors. Our importations of butter 

 and cheese for the past ten years have cost us over a million and a half 

 of dollars annually, and, now that the railroad has brought us into more 

 direct competition with the dairymen of the Eastern States, we must go 

 into the business with more energy, and conduct it with better tact, or 

 their share of Hs profits will increase and ours decrease. 



Our wool clip for the past season is, in round numbers, fifteen million 

 five hundred thousand pounds, an increase since eighteen hundred and 

 sixty-seven of about fifty per cent ; but our pasturage is growing short 

 and our ranges are being curtailed by the occupancy of lands for other 

 agricultural purposes. Our sheep men must decrease their flocks or 

 adopt a change in management. 



The following facts indicate that something of this kind is becoming 

 necessary : The increased production of wool for the five years, from 

 eighteen hundred and sixty-three to eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, 

 was at the rate of one million five hundred and ninety-one thousand 

 three hundred and forty-two pounds per year, while the increase of the 

 clip of eighteen hundred and sixt3 ;r -nine, over eighteen hundred and sixty- 

 eight, was but five hundred and twenty-two thousand six hundred pounds. 

 This want of increase in the last year is not owing to a want of increase 

 in the number of sheep, but rather to an insufficiency of food. 



In considering such change, the facts above presented may be of 

 benefit. 



