PRAIRIE MANAGEMENT IN WINTER. 257 



though they are necessarily driven further. They generally 

 occupy the same folds or yards at nights with no shelter 

 whatever, overhead. The utility of some shelter and some 

 artificial feed in winter, even in such climates, has been 

 already urged. 



For the purpose of giving a clearer view of the winter 

 climate of the Prairie States, and particularly of Texas, I 

 shall devote some pages to the subject in another place. * 



Prairie management in regions as far north as Central 

 Illinois, requires as much artificial preparation for winter as 

 is required in New York or Pennsylvania. Should those 

 preparations be the same ? 



He who embarks extensively in sheep husbandry in the 

 older States must buy a large amount of comparatively high 

 priced land, clear up the forest, fence his land carefully, sow 

 pastures and meadows, build barns for winter storage and for 

 shelter or buy all these things already fitted to his hand 

 before he is ready to purchase a flock of sheep to commence 

 his business. All this requires the outlay of much capital. 

 The prairie sheep farmer can commence operations without 

 buying anything but his sheep. Or, if he does not choose to 

 be a pure nomad, he can buy acres for less than the annual 

 interest of acres of the ordinary grazing lands of the old 

 States. His principal necessary capital is a decent knowledge 

 of his business, and enough energy to persevere in it. 



Thus have started a large majority of the pioneer sheep 

 farmers of the new States. The new settler builds a little log 

 house, for himself and Avife to sleep in a rail pen covered 

 with poles and prairie-grass, for his "team" and his cow, if 

 he is so fortunate as to own such luxuries a high yard 

 for a fold, and then he is ready to commence wool growing ! 

 And in ten years he can count more sheep, and sometimes 

 more dollars worth of property, than his eastern competitor, 

 who commenced with everything prepared to his hand. The 

 rail pen gives place to the stable, and the uncovered fold yard 

 is succeeded by the fold yard and spacious sheds. Fine fields 

 of domestic grass for spring and fall .feed, and of luxuriant 

 corn for winter feed, surround the comfortable farm house. 

 Noble flocks of thousands are driven up nightly by his boys 

 and by the " hired men," who, in five years more, will be 

 flock-masters themselves! 



Are such men to be told that they ought not to commence 



* See Appendix F. 



