SHEEP-FARMING IN THE WEST. 121 



Mr. Curley says: "Suppose an Englishman were to 

 come over to America and go to sheep-raising ? He 

 should bring £500 in hand, which, if judiciously 

 handled, would enable him to start with 500 native 

 ewes, perhaps more, with ponies, house, mowing-ma- 

 chine, wagon, rake, and a few household necessaries. 

 He should retain £50 in hand for contingent expenses. 

 His wool the first year would bring him from £80 to 

 £90, — enough to provide contingent expenses for the 

 next year, — and his increase of lambs would certainly 

 be 350, worth £200. The next year the wool would 

 probably bring him from £60 to £75 over and above 

 his expenses. The increase, about 425 lambs, would 

 be worth £225, making £300 profit. This year he 

 would sell 175 wethers, and add at least 200 ewes, with 

 a few thoroughbreds and a proper proportion of bucks 

 to his flock. He would then have about 875 ewes, 225 

 ewe-lambs, and 225 wether-lambs; or, including the 

 bucks, upwards of 1350 sheep. The wool would bring 

 him £150 to £200 over his expenses, and the increase of 

 600 to 650 lambs would be worth about £375, making 

 his profit £525 to £575 for the year. His establishment 

 would now be worth at least £1300, and if his sheep 

 were superior in quality, and his improvements the 

 result of much well-directed labor, they might very 

 probably bring £2000. From this time he would have 

 to hire assistance, unless his boys were old enough to 

 herd ; but his gains would be exceedingly rapid, and 

 he might reasonably expect to retire with a fortune in 

 a few years." If one were to commence with 200 or 

 400 ewes the expense would be about the same and the 



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