164 CONKEY'S STOCK BOOK 



our great western sections. But even in the west conditions are changing 

 and the great herds of 60,000 and up are rapidly giving way before general 

 farming. Sheep thrive on scant herbage, and do well in cutdocr conditions. 

 Such countries as South America, especially Argentine, Australia, New 

 Zealand and our own Western America are well adapted to sheep raising. 

 It is still common in the west tc meet enormous flocks cf "rustlers." One 

 herder with dcgs will often have in charge 1,800 to 3,COO sheep. In this way 

 expenses are small, while probable profits are enormous. But the game is 

 a gamble in one sense: devastation can easily overtake such a flock from 

 pestilence, drought or storm. State laws are growing in force so there is 

 less danger of the first sort. Proper dipping will guard the flock from para- 

 sites or disease. But drought and storm are beyond any ranchman's control. 

 He simply takes his chances. Sometimes when the summer has been dry 

 and the stockman knows it will be hard to find all-winter range he can still 

 ship east and have his flock fattened for market. These are the "feeders" W2 

 find so often in the cornbelt; but they are transient, and don't show up in 

 the. census, although they are there and the cornbelt growers of fattening 

 grain are "there" with resulting profits. 



ON THE FARM The whole problem is a different one for the sheep man 

 on the established farm. If you want to see some really 



tremendous profits just give these professional "rustlers," i. e., sheep, half 

 a show on fertile farms as our British and European cousins have been 

 doing. In fact you have no business with a good fertile farm unless you 

 see the business advantage in adding a flock of sheep to make those acres 

 more productive. 



ALWAYS The sheep industry is not like some other live-stock 



TWO PROFITS industries. With sheep you just naturally can't get 



away from some sort of "dual-purpose." You can't 



grow wool without some mutton; and you can't grow good mutton without 

 a pretty good growth of fleece. The fleece shows the good natural well- 

 nourished condition of the animal. Of course this excess of condition will 

 tend to show more as wool or mutton according to the breed's character- 

 istics. But the general truth is clear. 



SHEEP The sheep industry calls for a trifling outlay if you 



GOOD SECURITY begin en a small scale. Profts are pretty certain. 



Banks in the northwest have always looked upon 



sheep raising as good security. Many a western sheep fortune has come 

 from a flock bought at the start with borrowed money. Sheep are hardy 

 by nature; good at roughing it; breed easily so there is quick increase. 

 Their wants are few, easy to understand; their ailments largely preventable, 

 because mostly of a parasitic nature. 



AGAIN, WHY? Ohio and Michigan are famed for their sheep. But it's 

 mostly far east or far west you find them, with very few 

 in the thriving cornbelt, except as transient feeders. Why's that? You 

 won't find the answer anywhere in this book; but old sheepmen shut their 

 eyes and say it's a good business to grow into, rather than to go into, feet 

 first. But their pockets jingle while they speak. So you better think it over. 



SCAVENGERS? YEP! While its true that sheep are "rustlers" and can 

 AND THEN SOME make a living where even a colt would starve, 



they are good for something more than clearing 



weeds and brush-land. Make a start with a few sheep, learning as you gr. 

 Or if you now have a few, chiefly as scavengers, on your farm, go to it this 



