WEST OF THE- MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 789 



sheep, because most of the American flockmasters started with good 

 grade Merinos which they brought from either California or from the 

 States east. Prior to 1888 the Merino ram was used almost exclusively ; 

 now small but increasing.numbers of Shropshire, Southdown, Cotswold, 

 and French Merino rams are beiug used. 



The sheep are run in flocks of from 1,500 to 2,000 head. The average 

 number owned by one person or firm usually consists of from one to 

 three flocks of that size. There are some large holdings throughout 

 the State that number as many as ten, twenty, to fifty thousand sheep, 

 but these are the exception and not the rule. Under existing conditions 

 the disposition of sheepmen is to run smaller and better flocks and 

 handle them better than heretofore. 



The sheep are held on the open range during the summer and fre- 

 quently most of the year. They subsist wholly on the native grasses, 

 which consist mostly of the gramma, buffalo or blue stem, and the bunch 

 grasses. There are several other varieties of less value. These ranges 

 are devoid of shade or shelter in most places. Water is supplied from 

 occasional creeks, springs, natural water-holes, or wells, and in some 

 cases when the range is controlled by the flockmaster reservoirs are 

 constructed at convenient places. In winter the sheep are brought to 

 the home ranch, where, in some cases, feed is provided when the adja- 

 cent range is insufficent to sustain them, or bad storms prevent grazing. 

 The home ranch is generally located on some creek where there is good 

 shelter and water convenient, also considerable browsing, besides abun- 

 dance of grass. 



The loss from depredations of wild animals is not so heavy as in Wyo- 

 ming or Texas, except in mountain " parks." The State bounty for 

 scalps of wild animals, though it is small, has no doubt been helpful to 

 the sheepmen and saved many times its cost of taxable property to the 

 State, besides causing a large destruction of animals that ravage the 

 flocks. The loss of sheep from this source varies, as the reports of the 

 sheepmen range from 1 to 5 per cent, with an average of less than 2 per 

 cent. The loss of sheep from exposure is much greater, ranging from 

 3 to 15 per cent, an average of about 5 per cent, or double that of the 

 loss from wild animal depredations. These sources of loss grow less 

 each year as the methods of handling sheep improve. 



Outside of breeding stock very few flocks of sheep are brought into 

 Colorado from other, especially eastern, States. Occasionally flocks are 

 driven into the State from Oregon, California, Utah, or New Mexico, 

 but more sheep are exported than are brought in. A few years ago a 

 great many flocks were brought in from the States east and seemed to 

 acclimate readily, with no ill effects to either constitution or fleece. 

 Frequently those brought from the lower and more humid country 

 needed the first year to become thoroughly acclimated or habituated to 

 the systems in vogue for handling sheep on the plains. Their wool 

 fiber becomes dryer or harsher, and in some cases appears to become 



