1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 61 



Each one must decide for himself which is tJ\e better way. 



My practice has been to sell if I could get a satisfactory 



price, otherwise send them. I have never had occasion to 



send more than one lot, and got more for them than I asked 



the dealers. 



The average price of good, early lambs is not less than 

 $7.00, and of wool 20 cents per pound, in the dirt. 



I will now give you a few figures, and then you can judge 

 for yourselves in regard to the profit from sheep. For con- 

 venience in reckoning we will take ten ewes and figure as 

 follows ; — 



Dr. 

 To cash paid for ten ewes, ...... $40 00 



" three tons hay at $10.00 per ton, . . . . 30 00 



" cash paid for grain, 20 00 



" hay and grain for lambs, 10 00 



" service of ram, 2 50 



" summering ten ewes, 7 50 



" losses, estimated at five per cent, .... 2 00 



Total expense; the manure balancing the labor, $112 00 



Cr. 



By ten ewes at $4.00 each, . 

 " ten lambs at $7.00 each, . 

 " sixty pounds wool at 20 cents. 



Total receipts, . 

 Deduct expenses, 



And we have a balance of 



$40 00 

 70 00 

 12 00 



$122 00 

 112 00 



$10 00 



This statement is a moderate one. Some do much better 

 and get eight and even nine dollars per head for lambs, 

 which would make the balance thirty dollars instead of ten 

 dollars. On the other hand, some who have had a large 

 experience claim that sheep can be kept for considerable 

 less than the above estimate. This, of course, would make 

 the showing still better. 



Now, if there is any truth in these figures, is not this 

 branch of aofriculture deserving of our careful consideration ? 

 This question will apply especially to those who are raising 

 scrub steers and heifers at an actual loss, when they might, 

 by raising lambs, get a good " [)rofit from sheep." 



