954 



SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



An attempt to start a trade in improved American Merino sheep to 

 Australia was made some eight years ago by Mr. Shubert, of the wool 

 commission firm of Shnbert & Beal, San Francisco. A lot of somewhat 

 less than 100 head was shipped, and the parties were offered $5,000 

 profit on the venture the second day after landing, but refused. The 

 colonial government then took possession of the sheep and kept them 

 in quarantine nearly a year under the scab law. JSTothing was realized 

 at last but vexation, and no attempt has been made since to ship from 

 California, although the market there for such sheep is very good. A 

 Sydney paper of July 25, 1891, reports the sale of choice stock rams as 

 high as 600 and 710 guineas ($3,150 to $3,725). 



The American improved Merino is the most popular of the Merino 

 family of sheep at present in the Australian colonies, and there is no 

 question but a trade profitable to both parties could be inaugurated 

 from the Pacific ports if international rules in regard to the inspection 

 of the stock sent from one country to the other could be adopted and 

 enforced, so as to permit the progress of animals to their destination 

 without delay. There are really no common sheep (sheep of no partic- 

 ular line of breeding) in California at the present time. During the 

 years of prosperity in woolgrowing as the primary object, all the sheep 

 in the State graded from half blood Merino upward. The decline of 

 sheep classed as fine on the assessment rolls— from 66,618 in 1873 to 

 4,148 in 1887 — ^is to be taken more as an indication that importations 

 of Merino blood had become unnecessary than that its use had ceased, 

 until the agitation following the change in the law of 1883, by depress- 

 ing the price of wool and creating doubt as to the future national 

 policy caused men to leave the business. Sheep diminished in numbers 

 because flock-owners ceased to breed their flocks, but fattened and 

 sold them for mutton. It was not, however, national legislation alone 

 which caused the decline. There 'probably never was in any country 

 so general a movement toward planting land, with a view to fruit pro- 

 duction, as has taken place in California during the past seven years. 

 The product in many cases yielded no profit to growers in 1891, and 

 there will apparently be an additional number of trees coming into 

 bearing annually for the next five years. It is scarcely presumable 

 that means of transportation will be so much cheapened as to enable 

 the increased quantity of fruits to reach profitable markets. 



The number of sheep in California as found by the county assessor 

 m the years given below aggregated in number and value for the pur- 

 poses of taxation as follows : 



