WEST OP THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 901 



able to dogs and a want of harmony between the flockmaster and his 

 neighbors on the dog question. 



The natural advantages of this section of the country are particularly 

 favorable in nearly every respect for raising sheep. Good grazing con- 

 tinues most of the year. Stock of all kinds are uniformly healthy, and 

 disease among sheep is practically unknown. Cases of scab among 

 sheep are becoming very rare. 



CENTRAL TEXAS. 



Bosque County is the principal county of central Texas, and a rep- 

 resentative one for this portion of the State. The sheep here are 

 mainly high-grade Merinos, which generally shear heavy fleeces of 

 larger average weight than those in any other section of Texas. The 

 flocks generally number from 1,000 to 2,000 sheep. 



The general character of the soil is known as "black waxy f especially 

 is this true of the level lands and valleys along the streams. The table- 

 lands are in many places covered with brush and nutritious native 

 grasses. At least one -half on the central part of Texas is well adapted 

 to agricultural purposes, and it produces good crops of cotton and grain. 

 Forest trees, live oak particularly, are numerous on the black soil, and 

 abundance of brush grows on the upland, aifording shade in sum- 

 mer and more or less protection from the occasional severe weather 

 during the winter. In addition to the natural shade, there is an abun- 

 dance of running water conveniently supplied by the streams and 

 springs. During times of drought, or when the stock is not convenient 

 to the streams and are grazing on the upland prairies in summer, water 

 is supplied in abundance from deep wells. 



The loss of sheep from exposure or from wild animals is generally not 

 large, yet at times it amounts to 10 to 25 per cent of the flocks. With 

 the prudent or experienced sheepman there is little excuse for losses 

 from exposure, but the ravages of dogs, wolves, and other wild animals 

 is a vexed source of loss that is difficult to avoid, unless the sheepmen 

 are numerous enough in a locality to mutually protect their interests by 

 local regulations. Even then it does not guarantee sure and ample pro- 

 tection, although it reduces the amount of loss. 



Sheep brought in from the North during the first year do not thrive 

 as well, and are not in as good flesh, as the home raised until they be- 

 come acclimated. The wool becomes lighter in density and in color. 

 The ewes that are brought in commonly lose a larger per cent of lambs 

 during the period of acclimation. Sheep are so easily acclimated that 

 if they only had special care the first season there would be no delete- 

 rious effects from the change of climate. But they are at once put in 

 the flocks with the home-raised sheep and subject to the same treat- 

 ment, which in most cases is a complete change, and they lose in con- 

 dition ; however, no loss of any consequence occurs from this cause under 

 ordinary treatment. In case of pure-bred rams the treatment is differ- 



