NATIVE AND WESTERN MARKET SHEEP 9 



prevailing market prices for lambs and wool, the relation or 

 margin between the two, and the amount of stock on hand. 



A dry climate excellent for sheep. Western sheep are 

 noted for their hardiness and freedom from internal para- 

 sites. Their ranges, as compared to the pastures of the 

 Middle States, are scanty and dry, the grass is short but 

 very nutritious, and these conditions have developed a class 

 of sheep that are great rustlers and gain wonderfully when 

 well cared for and fed. A dry climate is ideal for sheep, 

 and so when they reach the Middle West and are turned 

 into muddy fields and left exposed to the cold rains of fall 

 and early winter, the farmer need expect nothing but ill 

 success with them. Western sheep receive no grain while 

 on the range, and when brought to Middle West feed yards 

 must be taught how to eat it. This point demands great 

 care and judgment, and will be discussed later. 



Seven main Western sheep regions. As has been said, 

 there is a great deal of difference between sheep from some 

 of the different states, and very little between others, but 

 market men are as wont to call A\'estern sheep liy their state 

 names as breeders of pure-bred sheep are to speak of the 

 different breeds by their breed names. It might be difficult 

 to distinguish between Arizonas and ^Mexicans, for instance, 

 but one glance would suffice to show a vast difference be- 

 tween .Mexicans and Montanas. As it is quite helpful for 

 a buyer to know the different characteristics of the sheep 

 of different states, a brief description of each has been at- 

 tempted. In so far as it is possible to group the different 

 states or sections of states together, it has been done, and 

 the following classifications are based on seven regions, 

 which are shown on the map on page 10. The purpose of 

 the map is to unify and present in a concrete way the 



