264 THE SHEPHERD'S 



The first year's business showed a profit of over $7,000, in 

 spite of all the expenses of the first establishment of the ranche. 

 The second year's business showed the following resulc : 



1833. 



Jau. 1. Value of stock $12,188.00 



Dec. 81. Expenses for the year 1,224.12 



Total... .. $13,412.12 



Dec. 31. Proceeds of wool $ 4,459.50 



3,724 sheep on hand 11,172.00 



Other stock 750.00 



Value of ranche 1,500.00 



2,011 lambs at 12.50 each 5,027.50 



Total $22,909.00 



The past winter has been a very favorable one, notwithstand- 

 ing the large snow fall and the extreme cold at times, and this 

 exemption from loss has been secured by the wise precaution of 

 providing comfortable sheds, ample supplies of fodder, of 

 which a large portion was millet and hay cut on the bottom 

 lands, and above all other necessaries, an abundance of pure 

 water procured from wells. This is especially needful on ac- 

 count of the prevalence of alkali in the surface water and the 

 streams, and the necessity of excluding the sheep from the bot- 

 tom lands. This example is an instance of careful and wise 

 management. The following is one of a contrary character. 



A ranche in sight of the one above referred to was in opera- 

 tion at the time this was started ; it was then in a very poor 

 condition, and the owners, who were two young men from New 

 York City, quite inexperienced in sheep-keeping, and misled by 

 the very common statement that sheep required no shelter or 

 feeding during the winter, were about to abandon it and leave 

 what few sheep they had as a gift to any one who would take 

 them. The owners brought two thousand sheep on to the 

 ranche in September, 1881. They were informed that the shel- 

 ter of some timber near by would be sufficient for the sheep, 

 and therefore provided no buildings excepting a shack (a rough 

 log-house) for themselves, and a stable for their horses. A 

 quantity of hay, however, was cut on some bottom land several 

 miles up the river, more as a means for finding work than to 

 provide feed for the sheep. Late in October a heavy fall of 

 snow occurred and lasted four days ; a violent wind then arose, 

 and drifted the snow into the gullies where the sheep sought 

 refuge and shelter, and buried a large number several feet 



