944 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



posed of each year as muttons, which go to California markets, princi- 

 pally to Los Angeles and San Francisco. Buyers from these points 

 have them delivered f. o. b. and pay from $3 to $3.50 per head. The 

 shipments are about equally divided as to destination. The Eastern 

 shipments go to Kansas City. During 1891 there were 117 double-deck 

 cars of fat sheep shipped out of Arizona, or 35,000 head in all; 18,000 

 head were shipped to Kansas City and 17,000 head to the Pacific coast. 

 Of the wethers which were driven out to go to feeding districts the 

 number does not seem to be known. The average live weight of the 

 sheep was from 95 to 115 pounds. 



The average cost per sheep a year is variously estimated, caused 

 mainly by the difference in expense of ranch improvements. The prin- 

 cipal item of expense is for herders and foremen. Herders receive from 

 $30 to $35 per month, and the foreman $40, board included. Flock- 

 masters estimate the cost per sheep from 40 cents to $1, including all 

 expenses, or an average of the reports received would be about 70 cents 

 for the Territory, which is a safe outside estimate. 



The chief advantages that Arizona flockmasters claim for the country 

 is the fact that sheep easily subsist the year round on the native 

 grasses without other feed or shelter, and the range or pasturage util- 

 ized can never be used for any other purpose except grazing, the only 

 danger being the fear of overstocking, especially during long protracted 

 drought. The climate of the Territory is particularly healthful and in- 

 vigorating and well adapted to live stock, also the absence of disease 

 except scab, which is now so well understood that it is easily eradicated 

 or controlled. 



The chief obstacles encountered are the long distance from markets, 

 the scarcity of water, and the liability of depredation of wild animals, 

 yet the advantages so far outweigh the disadvantages and difficulties 

 present and prospective, that it is no great source of discomfort or 

 discouragement, and does not especially concern the growers. The 

 long distance from the market is the only serious difficulty which may 

 not largely be overcome by organization and cooperation of the sheep- 

 men. 



Most sheep-owners report the industry as very prosperous and the 

 outlook for the future as very bright, while others, though not dis- 

 couraged, are not disposed to regard the future so favorably for fear 

 of overstocking the range, high freight rates, and the fear of low-priced 

 wool. When the business can be made to pay 50 per cent profit as it 

 does in most cases, after sustaining an annual loss of 10 per cent, by 

 reason of prevailing methods of management, it does not seem that it 

 is possible to vastly increase the profits by improved methods of con- 

 ducting the business. A better class of stock and better personal at- 

 tention instead of largely letting the sheep shift for themselves would 

 greatly augment the profits of the business. The annual losses could 

 be largely curtailed, and a system of culling the flocks each year as is 



