758 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



were increased a hundredfold it would not be exhausted or even wholly 

 utilized. There is no richer or more abundant native pasturage west of 

 the Mississippi. A considerable portion of this uncultivated area is 

 Government land, or the property of non-residents, and consists of level 

 or rolling prairie land. Even the rough and hilly portions of the State- 

 are covered with nutritious grass of the buffalo, gramma or blue-joint 

 varieties, which afford grazing almost the entire year, but are not at 

 present much used for winter pasturage. 



The supply of water is mainly from wells 20 to 200 feet in depth, on 

 the farms and ranches which are not accessible to the creeks and rivers. 

 In some localities springs afford the necessary water for stock. There 

 is very little timber; therefore, whatever shelter or shade is necessary, 

 outside of the hills and coulees, has to be provided by the flockmaster. 

 But such conveniences are not absolutely necessary except during the 

 occasional storms of winter. 



The general character of the soil of the area mostly used now for 

 sheep pastures is what may be termed good farm land. On the level 

 and undulating prairies it consists of a rich, deep, black, and calcareous 

 soil, with a light clay or lime subsoil. In some places there is con- 

 siderable sand. In the rough and hilly portions of the State the soil is 

 sandy and gravelly, particularly along the bluffs and banks of ravines. 

 This grazing land is much sought by tbe larger sheep-owners because 

 it is practically free pasturage, and the abundance and character of the 

 wild grasses make it very desirable for sheep. Usually a range of this 

 sort is sufficiently remote from the cultivated lands to make herding 

 quite inexpensive. 



The annual loss of sheep from exposure to weather or from depreda- 

 tions of wolves or other wild animals is remarkably small, and from 

 other sources it is equally so, considering the inexperience of most of 

 the sheepmen. The loss from wolves seldom exceeds 2 per cent, and 

 the average is not above 1 per cent. The sheep mortality resulting 

 from exposure is hardly worth considering. In some extreme cases of 

 neglect it has been as great as 10 per cent, but the general average 

 reported for the State does not exceed from 2 to 3 per cent. 



It is interesting, in view of the number of sheep brought into the 

 State, to note the effect of climate on the constitution of the animals or 

 the character of the fleece, as reported by the sheep-owners themselves. 

 Sheep are mainly brought in from the West, although quite large num- 

 bers come from the East. It is the general and prevailing belief that 

 after the first season or acclimation there is a general improvement 

 both of wool and constitution. The wool of the Eastern sheep becomes 

 drier and does not show so much oil and yolk, yet the fleece appears 

 more compact and a longer fiber is produced. It is also believed that 

 the size of carcass is increased and the amount of wool augmented about 

 25 per cent. Western sheep, on account of better care and more abun- 

 dant feed from being run in smaller bands, show marked improvement, 



