WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 743 



the other range States, in that the roving bauds of shearers are not yet 

 common throughout the State. Every man is able to do his own shear- 

 ing witli what assistance he may receive from his own employes and 

 those of his neighbors. The ex^jert shearer is not numerous in IfTorth 

 Dakota as in the older sheep States. The fleeces are tied up in the usual 

 way, each one separately. The wool produced in North Dakota repre- 

 sents almost all grades, from fine to coarse. The chief grades, however, 

 are fine, fine-medium, and medium. The extreme range of prices, net, to 

 the grower for these different grades runs from 14 to 21 cents, the greater 

 bulk bringing 16 to 18 cents. The cost of marketing runs from 2 J to 

 3J cents per pound. Last year about 14 cents was advanced on con- 

 signments, while this year it was less. Thelargerpartof thewool grown 

 in the eastern border of the State consists of the medium grade. The 

 average weight of fleece reported to the writer from different counties 

 was: In Oass County, 7 pounds; Barnes County, 8 pounds; Emmons 

 County, 8 pounds; Grand Forks, 7 J to 10 pounds; McHenry, 6 J to 11 

 pounds; Morton, 8J pounds; Hettinger, 7 to 8 pounds; Pembina, 6 

 pounds; Eenville, 8 pounds; Eichland, 7 to 8 pounds; Eansom, 7^ to 8 

 pounds; Stutsman, 6 to 13 pounds; Stark, 6 to 9 pounds; Steele, 7 

 pounds, and Ward, 7 to 8 pounds. Taking these counties as representa- 

 tive, the average could safely be placed at 7 pounds. 



The best market for wool does not seem to be confined to any one 

 place, owing to the fact that most of the clips are small. The local 

 buyers pick them up or they are sold to the North Star Woolen Mills 

 iu Minneapolis, whiicli gets a large share of its wool in this State. Of 

 distant markets Boston and New York are favorites, as well as Chicago. 

 North Dakota wools are also sold at Minneapolis, St. Paul, and St. 

 Louis. Considerable quantities of this wool are scoured in Minneapolis 

 and afterwards shipped to eastern markets. For mutton iu small lots 

 the local demand is good; for larger lots or carloads, St. Paul and Chi- 

 cago are the markets. Some shipments are made to Sioux City, Iowa, 

 and Winnipeg, Manitoba. 



The proportion of the flock disposed of annually, either as stockers 

 or for mutton, is in most sections of the State very small. Where the 

 sheep industry is yet quite new it wUl be a year or so before there will 

 be any great surplus to dispose of; at present the shipments are com- 

 posed of aged sheep. Stockers are sold usually from July to October. 

 In sections of the State where farmers have a few mutton sheep the sale 

 is confined to wether lambs. Most of the sales are made at home. 

 Occasionally car shipments are made to Chicago or St. Paul, and in- 

 variably bring the top of the market. In Steele County wether lambs 

 have brought their owners from $4.50 to $5 each. Ewes bring all the 

 way from $2.50 to $3.50. Sheep sold for mutton range all the way from 

 95poundsup to 150 pounds live weight. Grade Shropshireand Cotswold 

 spring lambs vary all the way from 70 to 100 poxinds. Grade Merino 

 wethers average from 95 to 115 pounds when mature. 



