884 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES. 



and I bred them to Cotswold bucks, which improved their produce in quality of wool 

 and size of carcass. My original flock averaged me about 8-pouiid fleeces, while their 

 produce will yield a 12-pound clip, long white staple, worth 2 or 3 cents more than 

 the greasy Merino. I find that sheep three-fourths Cotswold and one-fourth Merino 

 increase the weight of carcass at the expense of the wool, so I am now breeding my 

 coarsest ewes back to Merino bucks. I have on hand 144 sheep, 100 of which have 

 130 lambs, with 20 more ewes yet to lamb. I value my entire flock at $1,200. This 

 season's crop of lambs will bring me $800 by the end of the year. I have sold $1,000 

 worth of sheep, mostly to Horton butchers, including 50 head of yearling ewes, at 

 $5.50 per head. I believe no State in the Union is better for sheep than Kansas. 



J. H. Sands, El Dorado, Butler County: 



For the past ten years I have handled from 1,000 to 10,000 sheep, mostly good 

 strong Merinos. Have used some Southdown rams, crossing the half-blood ewes 

 back with Merino rams, and have always raised 80 per cent or more of lambs 

 dropped. Have had no trouble with disease, except scab, which I have always 

 cured with one dipping of lime and sulphur. Sheep-keeping will decline in Kansas 

 unless more small flocks are kept for market lambs for which business this State is 

 preeminently well adapted as well as making muttons owing to the low price of 

 wool in connection with other causes. Subject only to competition within the 

 United States, I believe from 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 of sheep could be kept in the 

 State, to the great enrichment of its soil and citizens. They can utilize the wild 

 grass, dry winter feed, and dry springs better than any other class of stock 



