Range Sheep 125 
ewes not counting their lambs. This in turn necessitates 
the use of sheep carrying a considerable portion of Merino 
blood, since it is only from this source that sheep derive 
that peculiar tendency to “flock” or stay together, which 
makes it possible for one man to handle so many. 
The herders are never called shepherds, but always 
“herders” or “sheep-herders.”” The word “shepherd” 
is used in the West only to indicate the man who takes 
care of a flock of pure-bred sheep on the breeding farm or 
on the show circuit. The word “flock”’ is also supplanted 
on the range by the word “band.” “Flock” is considered 
correct usage only when applied to a small bunch of sheep 
kept under fence. 
SUMMER AND WINTER RANGES 
The summer range is located in the higher altitudes 
where the high plateaus, burns, and mountain meadows 
furnish green grass during the months when the lower 
ranges would be very dry. Green grass is very neces- 
sary during the months of June, July, and August in order 
to maintain the milk flow at a maximum. At the age of 
two months, lambs require green feed even more than do 
the ewes. The exact time the sheep enter the summer 
ranges depends on the season and the locality, but it is 
usually during the months of May or June and after shear- 
ing. The sheep are kept upon the summer range as long 
as the weather permits, which is until there is danger of 
blockade from early snow storms. Usually the sheep- 
men drive their sheep out of the mountains before any 
signs of deep snow appear rather than take the chance of 
a severe loss. In a favorable season, when the weather 
is good and the feed abundant, there is a strong tempta- 
