756 



SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



order to realize the fullest legitimate benefits. It is gratifying to state 

 at this writing that South Dakota flockmasters are a notable exception 

 to this general rule. Although many of them have had but a limited 

 experience, yet the progress made has been simply wonderful in com- 

 parison with that made in many other States where the industry is 

 longer established. This has been greatly promoted by the useful and 

 active organizations, which have developed a spirit of emulation and im- 

 provement. By this method of getting together to discuss experience, 

 methods, breeds and breeding, feed and feeding, marketing, etc., each 

 one is benefited, sheep husbandry is made all the more profitable, and 

 exhibits more rapid and substantial progress. 



THE NUMBER AND VALOATION OF SHEEP. 



At the time of the last annual meeting of the South Dakota Wool- 

 Growers' Association in June, 1891, estimates were given by counties 

 of the number of sheep in the State and the total reported by sheep- 

 owners present was 402,307 head. In this estimate several counties 

 were omitted, and the returns of the State board of assessment and 

 equalization a few months later showed that there was assessed in a 

 number of counties double the number of sheep reported at the time of 

 the convention, which indicates considerable increase in a few months. 

 A conservative estimate of the number shipped last year (1891) was not 

 less than 75,000, although some newspaper estimates place the number 

 at 100,000 and 150,000 head. 



The number and value of live stock of South Dakota as shown by the 

 abstract of assessment rolls returned to the State auditor for the year 

 1891, as equalized by the State board, is as follows: >J39,884 horses; 

 value, $8,352,188; 619,317 cattle; value, $5,746,703; 6,815 mules and 

 asses; value, $244,803; 245,277 sheep; value, $420,785; and 243,710 

 swine ; value, $409,761. The following table shows the number of horses, 

 cattle, sheep, and swine assessed for taxation in the counties of the 

 State west of the Missouri Eiver : 



Counties ivest of the Missouri Biver. 



