800 SHEEP INDUSTRY OP THE UNITED STATES 



William B. Miner, Fort Collins, Larimer County: 



I have been in the range sheep business in Colorado and California, and I think it 

 the best business in the world if properly attended to, if the man be a natural sheep- 

 man. But every man can not make money at the business, for he will not give it 

 proper attention at the proper time. A very small per cent of the men in this sec- 

 tion have made money at the business for the reasons I have stated. 



H. Schneider, Atwood, Logan County: 



Until the last five years our main dependence was wool, but since that time our 

 surplus sljeep have been sold for mutton. Had it not been for this source of reve- 

 nue, owing to the prevailing low price of wool, but few sheep would have been held 

 here now. Men who have properly cared for their sheep have done fairly well; 

 others have failed. We feed alfalfa, an excellent and cheap feed; only those who 

 have land under ditch can grow it. I have been sheep-raising here for the last 

 seventeen years, and have been fairly successful. 



John Robertson, Meeker, Eio Blanco County : 



I was twenty years a Scotch farmer and stock-raiser, spent two years in West 

 Virginia, some time in Virginia, but neither State suited me as Colorado does. Now 

 I can make a fairly good living, and my past practical experience is all reciuired here. 



N. E. Wheeler, Carr, Weld County : 



The cost of running sheep varies, as some men run strictly sheep, others mixed 

 farming, and others stock, and very few keep any records or sheep account. How- 

 ever, sheep are the only stock that has paid any profit for the past four years with 

 proper handling There is considerable hard work, great risk, and none too mucn 

 pay for the sheepmen. 



Edward K. Packard, Baton, Weld County : 



In ten years' experience I have lost money one year, come out even one year, and 

 balance of time got ahead some. I like the business and have given close attention 

 to it. I start into the winter with about 2,000, and sell mutton during the winter 

 to make room for the increase in the spring. When a ewe gets six years old I tuin 

 her off for mutton. 



E. J. Sheridan, Monte Vista, Eio Grande County: 



My experience is based on six years' practical knowledge in the Rocky Mountains, 

 in an altitude varying from 7,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level. It may be useful to 

 state that besides the great advantages in the increase of quantity and quality of wool 

 by the grading-up process from native mothers and Merino rams, that the graded 

 animals themselves are better able (all things else being equal) to fight the hardships 

 of early spring than the native stock. This I attribute to their warmer and weightier 

 fleeces. Were I to take another departure for further imi>rovement in mutton, with 

 the least detriment to wool, I would use Cotswold rams on my graded Merino ewes 

 and feed and corral in spring. 



John E. Law, New Windsor, Weld County: 



I now have 5,000 sheep, and have increased the weight of fleece in eight years from 

 4 to 7 pounds. The price realized for eight clips was from 14 to 18 cents. Of late 

 years have ewes bring lambs only at 3, 4, and 5 years old. I cull out yearly all the 

 old ewes and sell for what they bring, 50 cents to $2 per head. Have sold the wethers 

 m lall or winter after they are 3 years old. In this way have had only young strong 

 sheep to winter, and by taking out of flock all lambs that do not keep up in con- 

 dition and any other weak sheep, and feeding them hay, I get the flock through the 

 ■Winter in good condition without much loss, if winter is reasonably fair. The ranges 



