30 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



tliau ill ISTebraska or Kausas, aud scarcely heavier tbau iu Texas. The 

 grasses, dwarfed and uiiusually dry in some localities from the drought 

 of last summer, were more nutritious than those of moister climates. 



All the reports from Dakota were favorable : some representing stock 

 to be in better order than usual, '' notwithstanding the extreme cold." 



The stock of the Indian Teriitory w^as reported comparatively poor, but 

 generally healthy. 



Colorado aud ^Vyomiug experienced a very severe winter, '' the 

 severest ever known," as some report, with much snow covering the 

 grasses of the plains, -and driving herds to the bare foot-hills, often 

 crowding the range and threatening starvation. Yet many herds in 

 these Territories -kept iu good condition, having suffered little loss. 

 From El Paso County, Colorado, which has a very high elevation, the 

 report was, "fine condition, better than last year." The winter tested 

 the reliability of this region for winter stock-feeding, and proved that a 

 limited number, with proper attention, suitable natural or artificial pro- 

 tection, and feeding in storms or heavy snows, can be cheaply kept, 

 with as good a prospect of immunity from suffering or loss as in almost 

 any other section of the country. 



In New Mexico the winter was exceptiouably favorable for stock- 

 raisers, and almost equally advantageous in Utah ; only in Summit 

 County were cattle " generally poor, the winter being unusually wet and 

 stormy." 



The severe droughts in Arizona, for two or three seasons past, inter- 

 fered sadly with the condition of stock in that Territory. 



In Montana, cattle were thin but healthy ; and in Washington they 

 wintered well, as also iu Nevada, and in Oregon, except where entirely 

 neglected. 



In South California the drought of last season left little feed for win- 

 ter, and cattle suffered much in the early part of the season. Favorable 

 returns came from Plumas, Santa Clara, Del Ncrte, Lake, Mendocino, 

 Tuolumne, and most of the northern counties. 



Sheep. — This class of farm-animals have received more care than for 

 several years past, and show greater exemption from disease and de- 

 bility. The advance in the price of wool has been an incentive to in- 

 creased attention to the comfort and well-being of flocks. In places 

 where a scarcity of hay existed, and a coarser substitute was not avail- 

 ble, grain was fed with a good degree of liberality. In some of the more 

 northern States, owing to the length of the winter, the coming of the 

 early lambs was unseasonable, and large numbers died. In Oxford and 

 Hancock, Maine, and in three or four other counties in New England, 

 some mortality was caused by cold and insufficient nutrition, there being 

 a great scarcity of hay. Unusually favorable weather — freedom from 

 rain-storms and sleet — conduced to average and even high condition of 

 sheep in New York, and throughout the Middle States, except in cases of 

 neglect and scarcity of forage. Less favorable accounts come from the 

 Soutbern States, where no provision is made for either feed or shelter, as 

 a rule. Losses of lambs in spring were very general. In Conecuh Count}-, 

 Georgia, a loss of two-thirds of the lambs was reported, even though the 

 dams were looking well ; aud severe losses of lambs were reported from 

 all parts of the South. Throughout the West sheep wintered remark- 

 ably well, the exceptions being few; and loss of lambs was mentioned 

 in comparatively few reports. The winter in California was compara- 

 tively severe ; iu some of the counties i)asturage was injured by drought 

 and the result was poor condition in such locations. San Diego, Stanis- 

 laus, Sonoma, aud San Bernardino made unfavorable reports, while Del 



