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died for the want of food, and the end is not yet ;” Richland, very poor, 
owing to wet and changeable weather. Two or three other returns im- 
ply a condition not quite up to average, while over fifty are favorable, 
many ranging between never better and better than ever. 
From the Lake States, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, there is 
not a single return in which the general good condition is qualified by 
a depreciative epithet, while that from Oakland, Michigan, “the best ever 
known—thriving all winter,” has many equivalents. Returns are equally 
favorable from Missouri, Kansas,and Nebraska, except that in Mis- 
souri, Mississippi County reports cattle rather poor owing to the want 
of shelter and care; Lincoln, rather poor, owing to wet weather; 
and Nuckolls, Nebraska, not good, owing tothe hard spring. In lowa 
cattle have suffered from the same causes and in about the same degree 
as in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. 
On the Pacific slope the rainy season was unusually long, but the 
wiuter was not otherwise severe. The weather being favorable to pas- 
turage and comparatively free from hard storms, the general condition 
of cattle in California and Oregon is excellent. In California but three 
exceptions are reported. Cattle are reported as poor in San Bernardino ; 
below average in San Joaquin, owing to the long wet winter and high 
price of feed ; and in Trinity, while most of the cattle were driven down 
into the valley counties to be wintered, many among those left there 
have died, and the survivors are poor. In that locality the winter, 
though mild, was unusually stormy. Lane, Oregon, reports cattle poor, 
with some loss; but all other returns are favorable. In Umatilla cattle 
from the pastures are good beef. 
Returns from Utah report the average condition of stock consider- 
ably lower than in any other section, owing to a long winter, deep 
snows, and a very severe March. In Beaveritis estimated that not less 
than 20 percent. have died. Among seven returns from Colorado, Weld 
reports that cattle are 10 per cent. below average, owing to the fact 
that late rains kept grass green until killed by frost; and Conejos, that 
they are poor; the other five are favorable, El] Paso reporting the con- 
dition equal to stall-fed beef. 
SHEEP. 
_ Throughout the country, sheep have not suffered from any other than 
the chronic diseases which are perpetuated in flocks from year to year, 
whilethe. general conditions of weather and food-supply have been such 
as to contract and assuage, rather than extend and aggravate these. And 
since they usually share the lot of cattle in respect to exigencies of cli- 
mate, feed, sheiter, and care, in the different sections, they very nearly 
correspond with themin condition. Returns indicate an unusually large 
percentage of lambs saved. Several returns, particularly from Mis- 
souri, concur in ascribing a bad shedding of wool to feeding too freely 
with corn. 
The only exceptions, of any consequence, to unqualified good condi- 
tion, reported throughout the entire country, are the following: Ver- 
mont, Caledonia, below average, owing to wet weather. Pennsylvania, 
Sullivan, 20 per cent. below average ; Washington, the winter too warm 
and wet for sheep ; Dauphin, though healthy, below average. Maryland, 
Frederick, 5 per cent. below par, being permitted to run out in old 
fields. Virginia, Lancaster, look bad, owing to too much rain in March; 
Scott, very poor, with many deaths. North Carolina, Lincoln, looking 
bad; Buncombe, Henderson, and Stokes, thin. South Carolina, Clar- 
