910 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



reference to both wool and mutton, as every sheepman can spare a cer- 

 tain per cent of wethers and aged ewes from his flock every year. 



It has been the general custom to shear sheep twice a year, during 

 the months of April and September, or when shorn but once it is during 

 April or May. The shearing is usually done by a gang of Mexican 

 shearers, who have a captain or foreman that contracts to do the work 

 at prices ranging from 3 to 6 cents per head, the amount depending on 

 who boards the shearers. After shearing, the wool is immediately 

 sacked and shipped to the nearest market, usually San Antonio or 

 Galveston, where it is stored for better prices or is sold on commission. 

 The class of wool produced is " medium fine" or "light fine," except- 

 ing a small per cent of coarse wool. The prices received for this wool in 

 1890 varied from 13 cents to 20 cents per pound. The net price realized 

 by the producer is about 2 cents a pound less than that. The annual 

 clip ranges from 3 to 7 pounds, an average of 5 pounds. 



Since 1888 from 10 to 20 per cent of the flocks has been disposed of 

 annually, either for muttons or stackers. The stackers in 1890 brought 

 $1.75 to $2.50 at the nearest shipping point, and the muttons brought 

 from $2.50 to $3.75. The gross weight was from GO to 90 pounds. 



The average cost of maintaining and handling sheep in this district 

 is 50 cents per head for the year, not considering the losses in the flock. 

 In some cases the cost is as high as 75 to 90 cents per head. The 

 Mexican herder is not a high-priced worker. Some of them work by 

 the month for $7 in Mexican money, 2 bushels of corn, 4 pounds of 

 coffee, 4 pounds of sugar, and a goat occasionally. The average wages 

 range from $10 to $20 per month, and on the Mexican border still lower. 

 In the larger holdings a superintendent has charge of the various flocks 

 and herders, and he frequently receives $1,000 a year. 



The natural advantages of this region for sheep husbandry are the 

 large areas of cheap grazing lands, which produces abundance of grass 

 suitable for grazing the year round; a climate dry, mild, and well adapted 

 to the business; little or no winter; absence of snow and blizzards; plenty 

 of water, natural shelter, cheap labor, and good local wool markets. 



The disadvantages and obstacles may be briefly mentioned as wild 

 animals, failure to enforce scab law, drought, incompetent help, local 

 favoritism to cattlemen and horsemen, thieves, and needle grass. 



Diseases are not common, yet there are cases of scab, murrain, red- 

 bladder in the coast country; screw worm and lumbriz in lambs. 



The sheep industry of this district declined fully one-half from 1884 

 to 1888, since which time it has gained steadily. The number of sheep 

 in Texas would quite possibly have been double, had it not been for 

 discriminating State laws in favor of other stock, the abolishment of 

 free range, unstable prices for wool, etc. 



The best method for handling sheep to-day in Texas is to own the 

 ranch, reduce the number in the flock, improve the quality, change 

 range frequently, avoid scab, raise more lambs, and have more com- 

 petent help or none at all. 



