WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 905 



WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. 



Large numbers of sheep are held in western central Texas, in the 

 region traversed by the Lampasas branch of the Gulf, Colorado and 

 Santa Fe Railroad and the Texas Pacific Kailroad, or, more accurately, 

 that portion between 99 and 102 longitude and 29 and 32 latitude, 

 which is conceded to be one of the best natural ranges for sheep in the 

 United States. The sheep of this region are of Merino blood which 

 have been bred up from the Mexican ewe basis. There are a few scat- 

 tering flocks of Cotswold and Southdown s, but the Merino blood pre- 

 dominates in nearly every flock. Sheep are run in flocks of 1,500 head. 

 The usual number owned by a single firm or individual is 1,500 to 

 15,000. 



The character of the soil in the valleys is either clay or a thin black 

 loam. The land is rolling and hilly, and the best soil produces the dif- 

 ferent kinds of niesquite grasses, also gramma grass, while on the hills 

 the sage grass is abundant. There is considerable timber in places, as 

 the live oak, post oak, and niesquite. Water is generally plentiful in 

 most localities from springs and streams, although in many places wells 

 are the only source of supply. 



The principal loss of sheep is caused by wild animals, the losses from 

 that source far exceeding those from old age and exposure together. 

 From exposure the loss is 2 to 3 per cent, while from wild animals it is 

 reported as ranging from 2 to 10 per cent, with an average of about G 

 per cent. 



Not many improved sheep are brought in from other States, except 

 rams for breeding purposes. They do well, and their constitution is 

 not affected by the change. The fleece becomes lighter, with less shrink- 

 age, in this climate. Merino rams are used almost exclusively, and are 

 permitted to run with the ewe flock during September or October, gen- 

 erally remaining nearly six weeks. Early lambs are preferred, but ow- 

 ing to the large open ranges it is unsafe to depend upon them, on account 

 of storms that are apt to occur in lambing time. From 2 to 3 rams are 

 given to every 100 ewes, but farther east, where the rams have extra 

 feed in addition to the grazing, from 75 to 100 ewes are given to each 

 ram. Owing to the extra help and care required during the lambing 

 season, the ewes are so bred that the lambs will all come during a pe- 

 riod not longer than four weeks. Notwithstanding the limited season 

 for breeding the ewes there is but a small per cent of the females that 

 fail to breed, usually from 2 to 10 per cent, an average of about 5 per 

 cent. The proportion of lambs that are raised varies greatly in differ- 

 ent seasons. If the lambs are weak, or if wild animals are very numer- 

 ous, or a severe storm comes on, not more than 60 to 80 per cent of the 

 lambs are raised. Owing to the invariably mild winters, shelter of any 

 sort is rarely provided. In the event of stormy weather the sheep are 

 placed on a south hillside or protected in some ravine or canyon. Occa- 



