258 THE SHEPHERD'S MANUAL. 



of bis land, free from question or incursion of stronger and richer 

 neighbors, who, being in great part engaged in herding cattle, 

 drive off the sheep from the range under the impression that they 

 destroy the feed. Several railroads having immense land grants 

 pass through the best parts of this district. These roads bring in 

 needed supplies and carry wool and sheep to market ; they also 

 bring the shepherd within reach of the comforts and influences of 

 civilized life, so that he is not compelled to lead the life of an out- 

 cast, as it were, or to deny himself the society of his family. 

 Towns and villages are within reach of the pastures in many 

 places, where the sheep farmer may enjoy every convenience of 

 Eastern life. 



The method of managing a flock in these various localities, 

 differs very little from that on an Eastern sheep farm. The princi- 

 pal difference lies in the fact that the pasture is ready at hand, and 

 no preparation or cultivation of the soil is needed. To secure the 

 land ; purchase the flock ; select the rams of whatever breed may 

 be chosen for improving it ; erect the shelter necessary during the 

 winter months, and provide a certain amount of feed for the 

 winter season, when pasture may fail for a time, are all that is 

 needed for the shepherd to commence business. It is not to be 

 supposed that a previous knowledge of the business is unnecessary. 

 Those who have carefully read the preceding pages will not form 

 so erroneous an opinion; but a capable person, desiring to enter 

 the business in this district, may do so with greater facilities and 

 fewer risks than elsewhere. 



The class of sheep that have so far been found most profit- 

 able in this district, is the native or the Mexican ewe, crossed by 

 Merino or Cots wold rams. The late Mr. George Grant, of Victoria, 

 Kansas, whose flock numbered 7,000 ewes, used, in the way of ex- 

 periment, Lincoln, Leicester, Cotswold, Oxford-Down, and other 

 rams upon the native ewes, but the fleeces of the pure long wool 

 breeds, when shipped to Boston for sale, actually sold for a lower 

 price than the wool of the native sheep. As might also have been 

 expected, the experiment failed witli the heavy-bodied Lincoln and 

 tender Leicester, for reasons pointed out by the author in previous 

 pages of this work. The experience of Mr. Grant has proved the 

 correctness of the opinion given by the author in regard to the 

 difficulties in keeping these breeds of sheep excepting under the 

 most favorable circumstances, and with all the aids of the highest 

 farming, and also that for general use, the Merino crosses will be 

 found greatly the best in every way. This is the almost universal 

 opinion of those who have had personal experience, and is consis- 



