Proceedings of tee Farmers' Club. 445 



chief herder, one burro (donkey), and a dog for each herder. The 

 majordonio is generally paid twenty dollars per month and the herders 

 fifteen dollars, with rations. These are outside prices and obtain the 

 most experienced herders. Boys or incompetent herders can be hired 

 at nominal rates, but they prove in the end to be the most expensive. 

 The rations consist of about a bushel and a peck of corn meal or 

 parched corn per month to each herder. Sometimes the hSrders own 

 a few goats which supply them with milk. If they have no goats 

 they milk the sheep. They are also entitled to the carcasses of all 

 sheep that may die by reason of old age, accident or otherwise. 

 Sometimes the coyote is too smart for them, and succeeds in getting 

 a mess of mutton before being discovered. What remains from his 

 feast goes into the commissary of the herder. These herders remain 

 with the sheep night and day, in all seasons, except when occasionally 

 absent after rations. If any shelter is required at night it is easily 

 obtained under a mesquit bush or an overhanging rock. In the 

 morning their entire stock of household and kitchen furniture, in all 

 scarcely worth five dollars, is packed on the burro, and all hands 

 leisurely follow the grazing herd. 



Range of Pasture. 

 During the hot months, June, July, August and September, sheep 

 must have water once a day. They can range daily six miles from 

 water. The scarcity of water is the only drawback, otherwise the 

 extent of pasturage is almost illimitable. As it is, it is inexhaustible. 

 The broken plains, and river hills stretching back to the mountains and 

 up their sides, are covered with clumps of grama grass, which has the 

 peculiar property of curing on the stalk. It is, therefore, good pas_ 

 ture all the winter, and, indeed, until the new growth appears, when 

 it falls to the ground. It is preferred by stock to bottom or cultivated 

 hay. The Jornada del Muerta (journey of death) is east of this post, 

 and separated from the river' by a range of mountains. Its eastern 

 boundary is defined by the San Andres range. This is one of the 

 finest natural meadows in the world, ninety miles in length by an 

 average of twenty in width, extending from the Mexican town Paraja> 

 southward to Fort Seldom This entire field is covered with a thick 

 growth of grama grass, except in spots where the sage bush has taken 

 possession. With the exception of some springs at the foot of the 

 mountains along its eastern border there is no water ; but at Alemam 

 a stage station on the road about half way between the extreme points, 

 a well has been sunk and an unlimited supply of water obtained at 

 the depth of 160 feet.' The traveling public are indebted for this 



