EEPOET OF THE BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTEY. 329 



panies for the entrance into their territories, of eastern cattle, at as 

 few points as possible, in order to simplify the work of inspection, 

 and assist the railroads in the meritorious work they have under- 

 taken. 



MEXICO WITHOUT SANITAEY LAWS. 



The unfortunate condition of the State of Texas, by reason of the 

 absence of sanitary laws for the protection of her live-stock inter- 

 ests, is aggravated because the same condition of affairs exists in 

 the neighboring Republic of Mexico. If it were not for the customs 

 duties, which retard the trade between the two countries, the inter- 

 change of live-stock of all classes would be very great. Even as it 

 is, cattle, sheep, and horses pass each way daily, and the danger of 

 disease is none the less because no disaster is yet upon record. 



The range districts of Texas join the range districts of Mexico, 

 and at times of low water in the Rio Grande River, cattle pass and 

 repass without hindrance. The danger arises from the cattle and 

 horses shipped from the infected districts of the United States and 

 Europe into Mexico without inspection or restriction. Mexico re- 

 ceives stock from Europe at her eastern sea-ports without inspec- 

 tion, and is in constant danger of the introduction of disease. The 

 International Range Association has directed the attention of the 

 Mexican authorities to the present unprotected state of that country, 

 and urged them to place such safeguards around their cattle indus- 

 try as will keep out the contagious diseases which have decimated 

 the herds of other countries. 



THE RANGE SHEEP INDUSTEY. 



So far as my observation has extended, since my last report, the 

 range sheep interest has suffered from no contagious disease, except 

 scab. .The flocks have been and are healthy. Range sheep passed 

 through the winter with no greater than the average loss, and the 

 spring increase of lambs was very large in proportion to the number 

 of ewes. In Montana the reports are the most favorable, although 

 the entire range country seems to be satisfied in this particular. 



There does not seem to be any increase in the number of range 

 sheep during the last few years, unless a slight increase in Colorado 

 and Montana can be counted. In Texas and New Mexico the indus- 

 try has declined rapidly, and is about 60 per cent, of the numbers car- 

 ried four or five years ago. As a whole, the range sheep are declining 

 in numbers at a rapid rate, and unless wool sells at higher prices than 

 can now be obtained, the range sheep interest will be largely reduced 

 by sales of stock sheep upon the butcher market. 



The sheep industry of the arid region is dependent for existence 

 upon each flock securing- a range to run over at little or no cost. In 

 only a few isolated cases is any winter provision furnished, and the 

 bands of sheep having to subsist at all seasons upon the native 

 grasses of public lands, the maintenance of the flock in its entirety 

 during a rigorous winter is very much more doubtful in the case of 

 a large flock closely herded over a scanty range during the day, and 

 penned or bedded on the opcm. range at night, than in the case of 

 cattle turned loose to obtain the best picking they can find both 

 night and day. The matter is one of great surprise to me that un- 

 der the range system sheep exist at all, but the evidence is good that 



