WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 881 



hardly pay to fence to raise sheep for wool alone. Our fanners as a class are not 

 willing to devote care enough to succeed with sheep at present prices. There is no 

 excellence without labor in sheep husbandry. 



E. C. Warren, Eudora, Douglas County: 



Sheep pay in proportion to the care given them, and no other class of stock re- 

 sponds so quickly to care and good management. The slieep business is growing 

 fast in a small way, and in a few years will reach large proportions, provided there 

 is no unfriendly legislation. This was a great cattle country until the "Big Four" 

 overshadowed the business, since which time cattle-raising has declined and sheep 

 are taking their place. 



Samuel Jewett, Lawrence, Douglas County : 



When wool was worth 25 to 30 cents, sheep-raisers were prosperous. The future 

 of the sheep industry depends upon Congress. I desire to suggest one thing which 

 is just and right for^ the whole United States, and that is a national wolf-bounty 

 law one price everywhere for scalps in each county where killed. This would be a 

 clean sweep of the wolves and save the sheep from constant ravages, besides saving 

 thousands of dollars to stockmen and raisers generally. 



J. S. Durkee, Abilene, Dickinson County: 



I began the sheep business in Kansas in 1881 by purchasing three ewes, which I 

 fed all the corn they would eat. They were extremely fat, and so were their lambs 

 when they came in April, so much so that they were nearly helpless. This was for 

 the want of exercise by the ewes before lambing. Sheep require about 2 miles 

 travel daily, summer and winter, when the weather will permit, as such exercise 

 makes strong lambs. Three hundred head of sheep are as many as should be fed in 

 one bunch in winter. 



Brady & Wickham, Girard, Crawford County: 



When we came to Kansas in 1876, we brought with us 1,600 sheep from Michigan. 

 We have kept sheep ever since and know from our own experience that sheep will net 

 a greater profit from the amount of capital invested than any other branch of the 

 live-stock industry. Judging from the numerous inquiries of late for sheep, a gen- 

 eral interest is being awakened. 



C. E. Westbrook, Peabody, Marion County: 



For thirty-seven years I have owned sheep ; nineteen years of that time in Kan- 

 sas. I have had experience with most of the different breeds and find the Merinos the 

 best of all for this State. W T hile my flock averages about 1,000 head a year, I am 

 keeping fewer each year, for the wolves and dogs get worse all the time. If sheep 

 could be turned into the pastures and left there, most farmers would want some. 



H. L. Nye, Belle Plaine, Simmer County: 



Have handled from 1,000 to 8,000 sheep for twelve years. The day for large flocks 

 is past. If farmers would keep from 50 to 100 sheep, lamb them in March and April, 

 shear them in April, club together and hire a man for each 500 head to range them 

 through May and June, then take them back on the farms to clean up their wheat 

 stubble fields, weedy corn fields, volunteer oat fields, and winter stalk fields, then 

 feed liV orally with grain, always keeping them fat, they will be successful. 



W. W. Cook, Eussell, Russell County: 



I find that careful and intelligent labor bestowed on sheep gives good returns, bet- 

 ter than can be had from any other kind of stock. The type of sheep is changing 

 from the fine wrinkly kind to large smooth sheep, suitable for both mutton and wool. 

 22990 -56 



