WEST OP THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 787 



itous character and lofty peaks, aflord but a small area of summer pas- 

 ture as compared to tlie mountain ranges of either ISew Mexico or 

 Wyoming; ai>d sheep are about the only class of live stock for which 

 the mountain pasturage is at all available. Picturesque mountains, 

 however, make very poor sheep pasture. 



The soil of the plains contains every element of fertility for the pro- 

 duction of grasses adapted to this latitude, and thus nature provides 

 range pasture suitable for live stock most of the year. The plains are 

 not suited to general agriculture, because, as the records show, in 

 thirty years the average annual rainfall has been less than 15 inches, 

 and this, while not sufilcient for producing crops, answers all practical 

 purposes in most seasons for sustaining the growth of the native 

 grasses. The various grades of soil represented are of the gravelly, 

 sandy, clayey loam, calcareous, peaty, and adobe. The soils are gen- 

 erally excellent in quality, aud with suificient moisture produce abuu- 

 dance of grass, and when irrigated will produce grain. The adobe 

 soil is black, heavy, and sticky, and is usually found along the bot- 

 toms near the streams. The area of this class of soil is small. Gen- 

 erally the soil of most of the open range in eastern Colorado is a hard, 

 sandy loam and impregnated with alkali. 



The live-stock business constitutes the chief agricultural occupation 

 of Colorado, and is as well one of the leading industries of the State. 

 The different branches of the animal industry rank in numbers aud 

 value in the order named — cattle, sheep, horses, and swine. Since the 

 decline of the cattle business in the State the sheep industry has been 

 steadily advancing, and the same is true of the horse business. There 

 seems to be no doubt that the sheep and horse industries will become 

 the principal live-stock interests of the State. There is no class of stock 

 more naturally adapted to Colorado than sheep, and at the present time 

 they are the most profitable branch of the animal industry. The prices 

 for the wool product for several years past have not been remunerative, 

 but, taken in connection with the high prices for mutton during the same 

 period, fair profits have been realized. The demand for mutton has 

 enabled the sheepmen to find ready sale for all surplus wethers and at 

 the same time rid the flocks of culls and aged sheep, and otherwise im- 

 prove the breeding flocks. Since 1888 mutton has been a better source 

 of revenue and profit than the wool product; and this has led to some 

 marked changes in the method of breeding and handling sheep. Prior 

 to the decline in the cattle business sheepmen generally bred their sheep 

 with reference to increasing the weight of fleece without regard to mut- 

 ton qualities of the animal. But now, owing to the insuflBcient supply 

 for even the home demand, to say nothing of outside demand from feed- 

 ers, which is growing greater every year, and in consequence of which 

 the value of every sheep has been enhanced, a change in the system of 

 sheep-breeding has been adopted, which will increase the weight of 

 carcass without reducing the weight or value of the fleece. 



