768 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



S. L. Berry, Parker, Turner County : 



South Dakota is conceded to be a very healthy climate for sheep-raising. With 

 our natural pasture, healthy, high, and dry, we never hear of such a thing as foot- 

 rot, imd if properly cared for I do not think that there can he any hetter stock kept 

 on the farm than a flock of 100 sheep. We have the advantage of cheap grain and 

 hay for -svinter feeding. Our worst drawback is the heavy winds, which cause the 

 dirt and dust to collect in the wool, thereby causing it to be heavy, a disadvantage 

 when we come to sell, as buyers discriminate against dirty, heavy wool, as they call 

 the South Dakota wools. 



M. F. Greeley, Gary, Deuel County: 



Sheep are never sick or ailing in this county. Range is free or nearly bo, and be- 

 ing very hilly and stony and well-grassed, the business is profitable and the income 

 sure. The heavy mutton breeds, pure, will not be a success here, as much of the 

 year feed is short, but grades of either the Merino or mutton sheep keep fat the year 

 round if fed enough wild hay during winter and fall. The greatest drawback is the 

 fact that Dakota seems to be the top sieve of Uncle Sam's fanning mill, and many of 

 our farmers are culls — they make poor shepherds. This will always be a sheep coun- 

 try. We can raise them for mutton only. Better care and feed will ultimately im- 

 prove our staple, which now is a little off. 



D. J. Briggs, Broadland, Beadle County : 



I have had sheep here only three years ; have Merinos and grades ; sheep have been 

 extremely healthy ; increase has been from 60 to 90 per cent ; average weight of fleece 

 has been 13J pounds from Merinos, full blood, and 10 pounds from grades. There 

 have been a good many Shropshire rams brought here the past year, andwe are try- 

 ing the crossing of them on fuU-blood Merinos, and are gettinggood, large lambs ; don't 

 know how well it Avill pay. This is without doubt one of the finest States in the 

 West for sheep. The greatest drawback is the lack of water supply, and that is be- 

 ing overcome by means of artesian wells. We can raise an abundance of millet hay, 

 and there is no better feed for sheep. 



H. B. Lathrop, Eedfield, Spink County: 



I have been a resident of this county since tlie sjiring of 1880, consequently have 

 had a pretty good chance to judge of the natural tendency of the climate, which isa 

 little too dry for certainty of farming, which, with low prices and cost of freight, 

 makes it very uncertain business. My observation is that this country is remarka- 

 bly well adapted to sheep raising, and I believe that every quarter-section farm 

 would be the better for having fifty sheep on it. It being a dry country makes it 

 favorable to the industry so far as health is concerned. Our worst drawback is lack 

 of feed, caused by want of moisture, in consequence of which we can not carry as 

 many head per acre as in the more grassy regions. Dogs are a pest to us, especially 

 common curs and bird dogs. In some localities wolves are quite troublesome. One 

 of the worst drawbacks is shiftless, careless shepherds. 



Isaac M. George, Brookings, Brookings County: 



The sheep industry in this Stale is in its infancy. Most of the sheep are fine- 

 wooled, shipped from the East by unprincipled men, and sold on time for enormous 

 prices. But even under those circumstances the farmers are making money out of 

 sheep. I am one of the oldest sheepmen in the county, and am ready to say that 

 sheep husbandry is the salvation of South Dakota. I was a little more fortunate 

 than some of my neighbors and paid cash for my sheep. I bought Shropshire grade 

 ewes and bred to pure-bred Shropshire rams, which I tliink is the best breed of sheep 

 in the world. I have wintered from four to five hundred every year, and seldom lose 

 one during the winter. The last three winters I went through without any loss. 



