WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 823 



that about all the benefit Iowa gets from them is the sale of what grain 

 and feed they consume. 



From the best obtainable sources it is ascertained that the number 

 of western range sheep fed in Iowa during the winters of 1891 and 1892 

 numbered 125,000 head. Iowa stands third in the list of States feed- 

 ing range sheep, Nebraska being first and Kansas second. From fig- 

 ures compiled by the United States Bureau of Statistics we find that 

 in 1860 Iowa had 259,041 sheep 5 in 1870, 855,359; in 1880, 455,359; and 

 in 1890, 475,816. From this we see that the State had many more sheep 

 in 1870 than it had before or has had since that time. The probable 

 reason for this state of affairs is that during the period between 1865 

 and 1875 many large flocks were ranged in portions of Iowa not occu- 

 pied by actual settlers. This land has since been taken up and is now 

 used for agricultural purposes, leaving but few tracts open for free 

 range. Large flocks have disappeared, the business has settled down 

 to a permanent basis, and the sheep are now largely owned by farmers 

 in flocks numbering from 50 to 200 head. The great majority of sheep 

 in the State to-day are either pure bred or good grades. The breeds 

 are Merinos, Shropshires, Southdowns, Cotswolds, Oxfords, Leicesters, 

 and Lincolns. With the majority of flockmasters the production of 

 mutton is more of an object than the amount or quality of wool pro- 

 duced, hence more attention is given to the size and early maturing 

 qualities of mutton breeds. Those who keep pure-bred flocks, and 

 there are many in Iowa, sell their surplus stock for breeding purposes, 

 getting prices ranging from $25 to $50 per head. Many choice animals 

 bring much higher prices, while a large number bring less than $25. 

 The State Auditor's Keport for 1890 gives the average assessed .valua- 

 tion of sheep at $1.18, while Statistician Dodge, of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, gives the average value at $3.42, by far 

 the highest valuation of sheep in any of the States and Territories 

 west of the Mississippi River. If we take an actual average of the 

 selling prices of the sheep of the entire State, including pure-bred, 

 grades, muttons, and all, it would represent an actual average value 

 varying from $4 to $10 per head, and place the industry, including the 

 lamb and wool crops, at not less than $5,000,000, to say nothing of other 

 property pertaining to the industry. 



The increased fertility given to the soil where sheep are kept we find 

 well illustrated in the counties of Van Buren and Mahaska, which are 

 among the oldest and first settled counties in the State, and through 

 both of which the Des Moines Eiver flows. In these two counties most 

 of the land is very rolling. Much of it had been farmed for years, and 

 its productiveness greatly injured. A great change for the better was 

 inaugurated about ten years ago, when less tillage was done and the 

 .land used principally for grazing sheep and other live stock. What is 

 the result? To-day Yan Buren County has more sheep than any other 

 county in the State, Mahaska County stands next in numbers, and the 



