854 SHEEP INDUSTKY OF THE UNITED STATES 



mountain ranges — tlie Iron and Ozark monntnins — in the extreme sonth. 

 The uplands cover more than half this section. West of the Ozark 

 region the prairies are undulating, and the valleys of the rivers both 

 ■wide and deep. The principal rivers are the Mississippi, which washes 

 the entire eastern boundary of nearly 500 miles, and the Missouri, 

 ■which enters the State at Kansas City and flows east and southeast 

 until it unites with the Mis'sissippi a few miles above St. Louis. Both 

 rivers have numerous tributaries within the State. 



The range of temperature is great, and the climate is subjected to 

 frequent changes. .The summers are hot, and the winters short, but 

 not severe. The annual mean temperature of the State is 55°; that of 

 spring, 56°; summer, 76°; autumn, 55°; and winter, 39°. Southerly 

 winds i>redominate, and the annual rainfall is about 32 inches, the 

 greatest precipitation being in Maj^. 



The State contains m\ich rich land, well adapted to the growth of the 

 cereals. The bottom land of the southeastern counties and the up- 

 lands of the north and northwest are remarkable for their fertility, 

 yielding from 40 to 80 bushels of corn per acre, and in exceptional 

 years even exceeding these figures. The extensive prairies of the north 

 and west afford excellent pasturage, but have comparatively little 

 timber. The southeast is heavily timbered. 



As showing something of the bountiful resources of the State, I quote 

 from the report of Willard C. Hall, labor commissioner, a summary of 

 the surplus commodities marketed during the year 1890, as follows: 

 685,585 head of cattle, 1 ,965,014 hogs, 70,001 horses and mules. Sixty- 

 four counties marketed 224,246 head of sheep, valued at $3.75 per 

 head. Of farm products: wheat, 8,407,000 bushels; corn, 6,898,620 

 bushels; oats, 5,375,400 bushels; and 12t,182 tons of liay. 



J. B. Bothwell, Breckenridge, Mo., one of the very best and most ex- 

 tensive breeders of Merino sheep, says: 



I liave made slieep-raising a specialty for tweuty-eight years. I tliink tliere -will 

 be (lonblc the number of sheep in Missouri teu years heuce. People are slowly flnd- 

 iug out that they pay better thau auy other branch of farming, and build up the 

 farm in a -way nothing else does ; but to handle sheep successfully is a trade that 

 must be h'arned. AVe have sold more sheep tbis year than any year before. There 

 has been an unusual demand for breeding e-wes at liberal prices, ranging from $4 to 

 $6. Good sheep well handled have al-svays paid in Missouri and always -will, but 

 they require more attention and more skill in handling than the average man is -will- 

 ing to apply to them. It is too small a business for most farmers to study up. In 

 fact, there is more to it-more to learn about it-than most men are aware of. But 

 as the country gets older we will do as the jK-ople of Europe have done-gro-tr more 

 sheep and fewer cattle and j,igs. No doubt, if there wore live head of good sheep in 

 Missouri where there is but one now, it would add millions to her wealth in a few 

 years. 



The sheep-raisers of Missouri are especially favored over other west- 

 ern States m one respect, and always will be, no matter how many sheep 

 are produced: no grower need ship a pound of mutton or wool out of 

 the State to find a market, for two of the leading Uve-stock markets of 



