SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH. 09 



shepherd being a sheep-skin. The food or rations of the shep- 

 herd are corn for tortillas, or, sometimes, flour, coffee, and 

 fresh meat, no pork or bacon being used. The fresh meat is 

 almost invariably supplied by goats, which are pastured with 

 the sheep, for this purpose. They cost about a dollar a head. 

 Their flesh is excellent, and preferred by the Mexicans to 

 any other. The quantity of goats' meat which the pastor e 

 will consume is enormous ; the consumption being about one 

 goat a week to the shepherd. 



The shearing seasons are the busiest times for the Texan 

 flock-master, not only on account of the number of extra 

 hands to be overlooked, but because upon the care exercised 

 at these periods, in culling, depends the future character of 

 the flocks ; and the tying up of the wool nicely is important 

 for its sale. The shearings take "place twice a year. The 

 spring shearing commences about April 15th, and the fall 

 shearing about Sept. 15th. The shearings continue from 

 three to four weeks, according to the weather. The practice 

 of two shearings a year has been adopted, from the experi- 

 ence that it is most advantageous for the warm climate of 

 Texas. It has been a mooted question, whether there is 

 more profit in shearing twice a year than once. By shearing 

 twice, the wool, of course, is shorter ; is fitted for only one 

 purpose, that of clothing; and brings a less price. per pound. 

 The high prices of wools for combing purposes, for which 

 many of the improved wools of Texas, if suffered to grow to 

 their full length, are well adapted, is lost ; and there is the 

 additional expense of the extra shearing. But, on the other 

 hand, the sheep sheared twice a year are healthier, and keep 

 fatter ; and the shearing checks the scab, if there is any ten- 

 dency to this disease. The flock-master gets the money for 

 his wool twice a year, instead of once ; an important consid- 

 eration where the least rate of interest is one per cent a month. 

 The double shearing is especially advantageous to the lambs. 

 By giving them their first shearing in August, to be repeated 

 in the next spring, their health and growth are greatly pro- 

 moted, and, consequently, the general increase of the flock. 

 Mr. Shaeffer believes it would be advantageous to shear the 



