BARNS AND STABLES. 211 



HANDLING SHEEP. 



The handling of sheep is a science to be studied. You 

 cannot drive them without some method of controlling 

 them. Where one leads all will follow. There is an old, but 

 doubtless true, story told of a flock going to market, and 

 there came in the way a small huckster's cart loaded with 

 truck. There was ample rqom for the sheep to pass, but 

 one sprightly ram took a notion to jump over the cart, which 

 he did in the best style; every other sheep followed the lead, 

 and made a flying leap over the cart, and the bewildered 

 driver of it. Sheep have this way of "following my leader" 

 just as the boys do in their games, and it must be pre- 

 pared for by some reason of controlling them and forcing 

 them to go in the way they should. The stock yards afford 

 a lesson to the shepherd, for on some of the large ranches 

 there are equally easy means of handling sheep in a large 

 flock. Mr. J. E. Wing of Ohio gives us a story of the man- 

 agement of sheep at one of the stock yards in Chicago, and 

 his pleasantly told tale interests all concerned, shippers of 

 flocks for sale, and especially buyers for feeding. 



SEEN AT THE CHICAGO STOCK YARDS. 



The stock yards is an admirable place to study the 

 American sfeeep industry. I could spend weeks in the sheep 

 sheds with pleasure and profit. Let's look through together. 



Here is a load some 250 head of Montana wethers. 

 They are great tall, big-framed, lusty fellows, mostly 

 smooth-headed, but a few have horns. They are fat and 

 the killers want them. The buyers look them over ajnd bid 

 -I 1 /*. That means about $5 each for the lot, and a happy 

 rancher somewhere on the slopes of the Rockies. 



Here is a lot in thinner flesh that will go out to the 

 country to be fed. They will cost about $3.60, or better, 

 and as they are good shearers, will no doubt be money 

 makers this year of cheap feed. The evenness of size and 

 appearance of these westerners is much in their favor. This 

 is mainly the result of correct breeding, but proper sorting 

 has done a good deal toward it. 



Here we see a bunch of newly arrived sheep being "put 

 through the mill." The man with the sharp eye and trained 



