760 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



weatlier. Tlio cliief feed conaibts of prairie hay and straw. The shelter 

 consists of everything from the cheaply constructed low and open sheds 

 to good barns. The ordinary shed is board sides, covered with hay or 

 straw, and sometimes shingles or common boards. A shed about 24 by 

 100, 7 feet high, roof with one-third pitch, sides made of shiplap or 

 common boards. Ventilation is pretty well provided for, but so ar- 

 ranged as to keep out the snow. 



The flockmasters of this State, especially those living east of the 

 Missouri liiver, are also landowners, whose farms are worth all the 

 way from $2 to $20 per acre, the value depending on the location, 

 character of soil, and improvements. A great many both own and lease 

 land. The leases are confined to school land and land held by non- 

 residents. The school lands are leased for 1, 3, or 5 cents per acre. 

 In the central and western portion of the State the range is of such 

 almost unlimited extent that the grazing land is practically free, yet 

 nearly every sheepman owns his 160 or 640 acre farm, his place of resi- 

 dence, with improvements, where he raises his own feed and Avinters 

 his stock. 



" Is the main object to produce wool or mutton?" was a query sub- 

 mitted to fifty representative sheepmen in South Dakota. Thirty-six 

 replies were received from men engaged in sheep liusbandry in Dearly 

 as many counties. Two replied that mutton was the main object, ten 

 said that it was wool, while twenty-four insisted and maintained that 

 both wool and mutton were. 



May or June is tlie irsual time for shearing sheep. The shearing is 

 done at home in the barns or on a floor in the sheds. The wool is 

 usually sold to a local buyer, if possible; if not, consigned to Minne- 

 apolis, Chicago, or Eastern markets to commission merchants. 



Most of the wool produced in South Dakota may be classed generally 

 as fine or medium. The five grades are fine, medium and heavy fine, 

 low medium, fine medium, choice medium and coarse. The sheep-own- 

 ers realize from 12 to 20 cents per pound. The gross price is from 2 to 

 3 cents more. As South Dakota has all classes of sheep, likewise all 

 classes of wool are produced. The average weights of fleeces range for 

 medium and coarse wool from 6 to 9 pounds, and fine from 7 to 10 

 pounds, an average of not less than 7 or 7^ pounds for the whole State. 

 The wool and mutton that are not sold at home go to distant markets 

 by consignments; the wool to Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, PhUa- 

 delpliia, and Boston, the mutton to Chicago, St. Paul, and Sioux City. 



The number of sheep disposed of annually from the flock by the 

 sheep-owners of this State is comparatively small. There are very few 

 that dispose of sto(;kers, in fact many more stockers are purchased by 

 the sheepmen generally than are sold for the markets. The majority 

 sell a few lambs or aged wethers and the dispersions are mainly con- 

 fined to that class. When but a few head are sold these go to the local 

 butcher at 4 cents per pound and upward. Those who seU annually 



