MICHIGAN LIVE STOCK IN 1899 391 



ing. As yet their best trade has been the west, which has taken a large 

 share of their rams for range breeding, and it bids fair to take all the 

 surplus stock this season. The average Michigan farmer has not yet 

 used the Lincoln very much, but will no doubt do so as time goes on. Of 

 the other mutton breeds, the Southdown and the Hampshire have several 

 breeders and many friends in this State, as have also the Oxford and the 

 Cotswold. All of these latter breeds, however, have hardly proved as 

 popular with the general farmer as has the Shropshire, although they all 

 have their good qualities and their particular friends. 



In considering sheep-breeding in Michigan, a word concerning the asso- 

 ciations of the breeders, the men who promote the interests of this great 

 industry, is necessary. In the absence of definite statistical information, 

 we are inclined to believe that Michigan has a greater number of sheep- 

 breeders' associations than any other state. We need only to mention 

 the Michigan Merino Sheep Breeders' Association, the National ShroD- 

 shire Sheep Breeders' Association, the National Black Top Sheep Breed- 

 ers' Association, the National Lincoln Sheep Breeders' Association, the 

 Michigan Oxford Sheep Breeders' Association, and many others, of which 

 many or all of the officers and members reside in Michigan. The mem- 

 bers of these associations are among the brainiest and most progressive 

 farmers in the State, and the work they have done in forwarding the 

 interests of Michigan as a sheep-breeding State and a great agricultural 

 State in general is as great as that of any other single class of farmers. 



In closing this brief survey of the condition of the sheep industry in 

 Michigan, we can truly say that it is flourishing, with prospects of the 

 continuance of such conditions for years to come. The fine wool breeders 

 are prosperous with their market in the west and in foreign countries, 

 and also the prospects of a fair share of patronage among Michigan farm- 

 ers. The breeders of middle and long-wool sheep are also in a flourish- 

 ing condition with their large home market, aided more or less by the 

 range trade of the west. Taken all in all, the business is a profitable one, 

 with plenty of room for more good reliable breeders who do not expect 

 to see the wool or mutton turn into gold, but are satisfied financially with 

 a good profit on the investment, and otherwise by the fact that they are 

 working in one of the highest branches of specialized farming. 



THE WOOL INDUSTKY OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN FROM THE 



PRODUCERS' STANDPOINT. 



PROP. H. W. MUMFORD. 



Unfortunately this is a subject which interests sheep men only. We 

 venture, however, to discuss the subject because we believe there are 

 enough sheep owners to warrant our careful consideration. Naturallv 

 we think it is unfortunate for the farmer who is not a sheep owner and 

 incidentally a wool grower. I trust that this discussion will serve a 

 two-fold object: 



First. To call more special attention of sheep owners to the importance 

 of the wool product of their flocks and thus induce them to adopt methods 

 better calculated to improve both the quantity and the quality of their 

 wool. 



