802 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



William Green, Hastings, Las Animas County: 



The Government would do well to make an inquiry into sheep scab and tapeworm 

 amongst the flocks of the West. The loss of wool from scab, and lambs from tape- 

 worm are very serious questions, which ought to be handled by the United States 

 Government at once with a view to the discovery of preventives or remedies. 



Kollan Sherman, Denver: 



I have spent nearly twenty-five years in this State; have been engaged in sheep- 

 raising twelve years; know when the first sheep came into this part of the State; 

 know when the first herd of cattle was turned on this range. Cattle used to get fat 

 here in winter, twenty years ago. But the range is too short now. I have seen 1,800 

 Indians and thousands of buffalo and antelope here. Men have tried to farm here 

 but failed in this section. Without irrigation it is only fit for stock and best for 

 sheep. Give the sheep industry proper protection and this State will treble her sheep 

 industry. I have crossed the Shropshire ram on the Merino and think it a success 

 in the line of wool and mutton. 



UTAH. 



The Territory of Utah, with its population in January, 1892, of 

 215,000, spread over a surface of 82,190 square miles, or 52,601,600 

 acres, presents a vast and interesting field of study. No Territory in 

 the United States is oftener spoken of, more generally visited by people 

 crossing the continent, and yet less is actually known about its varied 

 and wonderful resources than of any other of the States and Terri- 

 tories. 



The Territory forms a part of the great plateau of the Eocky Moun- 

 tains, its valleys being elevated from 3,000 to 7,000 feet above the sea, 

 while its mountain peaks reach an altitude of from 10,000 to 13,500 feet. 

 The Wasatch Mountains extend from tne northeastern to the south- 

 western part of the Territory, dividing it nearly equally, and it is in 

 the northwestern half that we find Great Salt Lake and the great 

 American desert. On the west of Great Salt Lake and extending 

 farther south and also occupying more space is the Great Desert, which 

 occupies an important place in this report, since it furnishes sustenance 

 a part of the year to five- sixths of the sheep owned in the Territory. 



RAINFALL AND IRRIGATION. 



The annual precipitation of Utah is very light, ranging from 12 to 20 

 inches, or an average of 15.72 inches, nearly one-half of which falls dur- 

 ing the months of March, April, and May just the time needed to start 

 vegetation. 



The supply for irrigation purposes is furnished by the large number 

 of springs and the melting of snows in the mountains, on some of which 

 snow lies the year round, yet but little remains after August ; but by 

 that time the crops are all matured and very little or no water is needed 

 to irrigate with. Irrigation is a great factor in the agriculture of the 

 Territory, and is entitled to and receives considerable attention. 



The total acreage of irrigable lands in Utah is 2,304,000 ; the number 



