SHEEP— USTTED STATES, NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. 5 



Much of the land in Australia now used as sheep runs is destined 

 to be used for farming. " Closer settlement " is actively assisted by- 

 all the State governments. Taking the Commonwealth of Australia 

 as a whole, one-third of its land area lies in regions of less than 10 

 inches of annual rainfall. In these drier sections salt bush furnishes 

 a large part of the sheep feed and is considered most satisfactory for 

 dry sheep. Outside these sections the country enjoys peculiar ad- 

 vantages favoring sheep raising, particularly in comparison with 

 those areas of the United States which now and for an indefinitely 

 long period can be used most profitably for the grazing of sheep. 



In considering sheep raising in Australia, it should always be 

 borne prominently in mind that the flocks, or " mobs," are not kept 

 collected and under the care of herders while pasturing. The lands 

 are fenced into " paddocks " of from 500 to 10,000 acres in size, and 

 the sheep run safely at liberty in these. The lessening of labor by 

 this plan is no more important than the greater thrift of the sheep as 

 compared with those in charge of even the best herders. 



The amount of pasturage procured from each acre is much greater 

 under the paddock plan. The fact that the sheep are very widely 

 spread out at all times and never driven over dusty trails to and from 

 dusty bedding grounds gives cleaner and lighter-shrinking wool 

 from the Australian flocks, aside from the advantage of some regions 

 in having soils that are not inclined to blow. Fencing the sheep 

 runs and dividing them into paddocks of suitable size requires labor 

 and expense, which, however, are much more. than counterbalanced 

 by subsequent saving in the labor of handling the flocks and in the 

 extra thrift of the sheep. In many cases sheep are mustered or 

 rounded up but once in the year, at shearing time. Having their full 

 liberty in paddocks from 500 to 10,000 acres in size, they are under 

 practically natural conditions. The absence of wild animals from 

 the paddocks and the climate together avoid the necessity for atten- 

 tion at lambing time, except in the case of valuable stud ewes. On 

 the other hand, difficulties with hired labor are greater in Australia 

 and wages little if any lower than in the United States. The blow- 

 fly is a serious pest in much of the country and necessitates frequent 

 inspections, us well as crutching and dipping, which involve expense. 



Droughts, which occur with some regularity, are exceedingly 

 serious. The number of sheep may be reduced by nearly one-half 

 over large areas once in 10 years, entailing desolation and serious 

 loss, especially to the smaller owners who can not move their stock 

 and to owners who have stocked their lands to their full capacity in 

 normal seasons. 



Vegetation recovers with exceeding rapidity at the breaking of a 

 drought, and with the climate aiding the Australian Merino sheep's 

 habit of breeding at practically any lime of the year, the flocks are 



