740 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



valley the land is flat, and consists of black soil with clay -loam subsoil. 

 Farther west the upland prairies have soil of varied richness. In cen- 

 tral and western North Dakota the prairies have great varieties of 

 soil — the pocket lands, with a sandy soil and a gravelly soil on the 

 ridges, clay loam, gravelly subsoil and alkali soil. Much of the rough 

 or rolling prairie lands are suitable for summer grazing, and are util- 

 ized only for that purpose. At present there are unlimited areas of 

 cheap or free range, and it will be many years before they are fully oc- 

 cupied, if ever. 



Grass is everywhere abundant and of numerous varieties. Buffalo 

 grass is common throughout the State. There is also considerable 

 bunch grass. Trees are scarce, except a few along the streams. In 

 the western portion of the State the buttes afibrd shade in summer and 

 natural shelter from severe winds. Water is plentiful in most portions 

 of the State from streams, springs, etc. In the cultivated districts 

 wells are the main dependence. At present much of the larger area 

 of the State consists of rich grazing lands suitable for any class of 

 stock, and as most of it is Government or railroad land, it is accessible 

 and available for sheep or other stock with little or no cost to the 

 owner — an advantage of vast benefit and assistance to beginners who 

 have engaged in the business on borrowed capital or have sheep on 

 shares. 



The loss of sheep in North Dakota from any source is, so far in the 

 history of the industry, remarkably light. However, since the industry 

 has become general there have been no unusually severe winters, so 

 that losses reported have been substantially at the minimum. Yet, in 

 view of the general inexperience in sheep husbandry, the insignificant 

 annual losses from all sources are a favorable indication of the adapt- 

 abiUty of the country for sheep-raising. Especially is this so when we 

 consider the inferior condition of so large a number of Montana and 

 Western culls that were brought in by speculators and " promoters," 

 and the inexperiejice of many of the men who purchased the sheep or 

 took them on shares. The chief source of loss is from exposure. From 

 the depredations of wild animals, the annual losses so far are less than 

 1 per cent, and the losses from exposure, which were mainly in the 

 (;entral and western parts of the State, only amounted to from 2 to 3 

 per cent of the flocks. 



In regard to the character of the wool and the constitution of the 

 sheep brought into North Dakota from other States, it can safely be 

 stated as a general proposition that no adverse effects from the change 

 are noted, especially if the sheep are not too old or out of condition. 

 Sheep brought from the East do fully as well after the first season, when 

 they become acclimated, as sheep raised in the State. Western sheep, 

 if young and healthy, do fully as well as home-bred. Sheep of all 

 breeds, no matter where they come from, seem to do well here and be- 

 come acclimated very readily. It is the general belief that sheep 



