WEST OF TflE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 821 



DeceraLer 15, feeding heavier than tliat dnring January and February, anil from March 

 to May 15 as heavy feeding as in November and December. We have no disease; no 

 trouble in any manner. Yearly have as many lambs as ever. Sell all wethers and 

 ewes of two years old ; none kept longer. Every year, about September 1 and May 1, 

 shear. If warm, market wool at once. My sheep have gone over 8 pounds per head, 

 but call it 8 on average. Have now about 19 cents per pound average. We have 

 two yards ; flock divided can enter barn from each yard. My sales last year amounted 

 to $1,404 for wool and sheep. In my opinion a farmer who gives careful attention 

 to sheep, doing everything in time, can, upon our prairie land, depend upon getting 

 twice as much as it will take to take care of the sheep. My meadows are in 160- 

 acre lots, and the greater part of the land is in grain. This experience of mine is 

 one of the common kind ; no attempt at any experimental work. 



The census report of 1890 shows the population of Iowa to be 

 1,911,896, a gain of 287,281 over that of 1880. Its area is 55,u45 square 

 miles, or 35,228,800 acres. N'early the whole State consists of gently 

 undulating prairie, and it is destitute of mountains, or even hills of any 

 considerable size, except adjoining the rivers and in the northeastern 

 part, where the scenery is more diversified. The country is well watered 

 and extremely beautiful. The climate is moderate, and malirial and 

 epidemic diseases very rare. 



If Iowa does not stand at the head of the list of States and Territo- 

 ries in the West in the numbers of her sheep, she leads them all in 

 average value. A careful canvass shows that there are sheep on the 

 assessor's I'oll from every county in the State, indicating that the busi- 

 ness is pretty generally distributed. Another very encouraging fea- 

 ture of the business is the very large number of small flock-owners 

 throughout the State, and the very general healthy condition' of their 

 flocks. Sheep scab and foot-rot are very rare. Occasionally they are 

 brought in by outside shipments. This healthy condition may be at- 

 tributed in part to the great number of small flocks and the usually 

 dry rolling land. The Merino sheepmen claim that Iowa's success in 

 having so many good healthy sheep may be attributed to the fact that 

 the first sheep introduced iu the State were Merinos, and that on them 

 were used the coarsewooled and medium-wooled bucks as a foundation 

 for a majority of the best sheep in tlie State. These claims are con- 

 ceded by impartial judges. Without any intention of favoring any par- 

 ticular breed of sheep, believing that all of the improved breeds are 

 good and have their special places, the following facts, taken from good 

 authority, wiU be found practically correct and of interest: 



Practice shows the weight of the average fleece from the Cotswold, Lincolu, and 

 Leicester sheep to be 12 to 13 pounds ; the Shropshire, Hampshire, and Oxford, 9 

 pounds ; the Southdowns, 5 pounds, and the Merino 11 pounds. The market prices of 

 the wool from these sheep are as follows : The Cotswold, Lincoln, and Leicester bring 

 from 20 to 22 cents per pound ; the Shropshire, Oxford, and Hampshire, 23 to 24 cents ; 

 the Southdown, 27 cents, and the Merino 18 cents per pound. From this the value 

 per head for wool may be estimated as follows: The long wools would bring $2.50 

 per flfeece; the middle wools, $2.12; the Southdown, $1.35, and the Merino $2. 



