764 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



There is no excuse for allowing the wool to get full of chaff, straw, or seeds, and 

 when the growers realize the loss they have to stand on such wool they will stop it 

 at once by fencing their straw stacks so sheep can not get at them, and also by dis- 

 pensing with feeding racks. All taglocks and the worst of the greasy skirting 

 should be removed previous to or at the time of shearing, and never under any cir- 

 cumstances should be tied up with the fleece. The Dakota and Minnesota growers 

 do not realize the importance of having each fleece properly tied. Wool can not be 

 graded as satisfactorily when received in market in a broken condition. Wool 

 should be put up sheared side out, each fleece separate and carefully tied in a uniform 

 package. Use wool- twine for tying the fleece; two strings around the fleece each 

 way are enough for ordinary fleece. For a large or very short wool fleece three 

 strings each way may be necessary to keep the fleece together properly. Do not use 

 anymore twine than is necessary. A wool-box is a good thing to use when tying 

 fleeces, as it insures a uniform package. Wool can be rolled and tied very nicely by 

 hand without a box, and some buyers even prefer the fleeces tied by hand. Do not 

 tie the fleece any harder than is necessary, as unwashed wool when tied too solidly 

 has the appearance of being heavy. After the wool is ready for market the growers 

 should look for a cash market to dispose of their wool. The Minnesota and Dakota 

 growers can not afford to send their wool to commission houses and wait from three 

 months to a year for returns. Either send your wool to a flrm who buys it outright 

 and makes prompt returns upon arrival of the wool, or sell it to the best advantage 

 you can at home for cash or its equivalent. Growers having a dingy and heavy 

 earthy wool should understand that their wool is not worth as much per pound un- 

 washed as bright, light wool. (Most of the wool from the Dakotas is earthy.) You 

 usually get more for your wool on account of the weight of fleece than those who 

 have the bright, light wool in the Eastern States. For example, a bright fleece of 

 light wool worth 23 cents would weigh about 6 pounds and would bring $1.38 for 

 the fleece. The same fleece in the Dakotas, being earthy, would weigh about 8 

 pounds, and at 18 cents the fleece would bring $1.44. On some fine grades the dif- 

 ference in weight per fleece is more in the favor of the Dakota growers. As your 

 land and feed are cheaper you have considerable advantage over[the Eastern growers. 

 Sheep will always pay the growers in the Dakotas. Provide feed and shelter for 

 the sheep to avoid losses in winter; look out for scab; get some good dip for your 

 sheep at once. A cold water dip is good and easy to use. It Avould pay every 

 grower to dip his sheep after shearing each season. By doing so you will keep 

 scab, ticks, etc., away and the new growth of wool will be stronger, have a better staple 

 and the fleece at shearing time will be heavier. There are many associations being- 

 formed in the Dakotas. If you are raising sheep it will pay you to attend the 

 association meetings. Co to each meeting you can with your mind made up to tell 

 your brother grower how you have conquered difficulties in your flock. Your 

 brother growers will only be too glad to tell you how they conquered other difficul- 

 ties in their flocks. By comparing notes each member will get information that 

 may some time save heavy losses. There is a bright future for the sheep industry 

 in the Dakotos, and it is the earnest hope of the writer that this article may lead 

 to better handling of wool in the future. 



SHEEP PROMOTERS IN SOUTH DAKOTA. 



In my report on the sheep industry of North Dakota a section was 

 devoted to a brief discussion of " promoters," and what is said there of 

 North Dakota, is substantially true of South Dakota, with perhaps the 

 exception of a less amount of unscrupulous operations by the pro- 

 moters in the latter State. In fact, speculators here have not put out 

 as many sheep as those of North Dakota. 



