62 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH. 



failed in this county. Profits on wool only given as profits from in- 

 crease are rarely turned into cash. Ewe lambs of high grade sell 

 readily for $2.50 to $4 per head. The cost of keeping, where the 

 shepherd cares for only 1,000 sheep, is the cost given ; where he cares 

 for 1,500 to 2,000, as many do the year round, the real cost is propor- 

 tionably less." 



The number of sheep in this county, according to the 

 returns of assessors, is 656,000 ; and the remarkable fact is 

 presented to us, that very nearly the most southerly country 

 of the whole United States is the banner sheep county of 

 the Union. The adjoining county, Starr, has 181,000 sheep. 

 And these two counties have more sheep than the four 

 States of the South Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and 

 Louisiana-, together ; or the conjoined States of the North, 

 New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Rhode 

 Island. 



One of our own correspondents, certified to as one of the 

 oldest and best citizens of Texas, writes us as follows : 



WACO, MCLELLAN Co., TEXAS, Jan. 12, 1878. 



SIB, I have been directly or indirectly interested in wool-growing, 

 in this State and section, for many years. The country is rolling- 

 prairie land ; the soil, black, waxy, and, in sections, quite sandy, and 

 an excellent grazing country. The natural grasses are the sedge and 

 mosquito ; of the latter, three varieties, the best, the bearded variety. 

 My flocks have been French and Spanish merinos, mixed ; the average 

 product of fleece being six pounds, at an average valuation, for five 

 years, of 25 cents per pound. This can be produced under favorable 

 circumstances for 1 6 cents net cost to the shepherd ; but he should 

 have not less than the ten cents profit added, to make a paying invest- 

 ment. If there is no change in our duties, I am confident that there 

 is no more promising industry in the country than wool-growing ; but, 

 if we are to have reduced duties, or free wools, the occupation will 

 have to be abandoned. 



There is no objection to sheep from any section of the North or 

 West, if free from disease. For the ordinary wools, I would prefer 

 the merino ; for mutton or combing wools, a cross of the Cotswold with 

 pure-blood merinos. The country is uniformly healthy for sheep here. 

 In three months of the winter, the sheep should have some feed : say 



