Dec. 1894.] EXTRACTS FROM DIPLOMATIC AND CONStJLAR 231 



REPORTS. 



XV.— EXTRACTS FROM DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR 



REPORTS. 

 Live Stock in Texas. 



In a report on the agricultural condition of Texas, Mr. H. 

 D, Nugent, Her Majesty's Consul at Galveston, gives some 

 interesting notes on the ranching industries of that State. 



As is generally known, the sheep and cattle ranching indus- 

 tries of Texas are immense. The vast plains of the State afford 

 unlimited pasture for both sheep and cattle, the chief drawback 

 being want of water. Of late, ranching has been less profitable 

 than formerly, and to-day a well -stocked sheep or cattle ranch 

 can be bought for very much less than a few years ago. Not- 

 withstanding this depression, the industry is a vast one, and the 

 amount of capital invested enormous. 



Texas stands at the head of the States of the Union in the 

 number of her live stock. There are more sheep, more cattle, 

 more horses and mules than in any other State or territory. 



The total number of sheep in Texas in 1891 was 3,564,469, 

 and in 1892, 3,366,257. The number has been decreasing for 

 some years past, and the amount of wool clipped has diminished 

 in proportion. In 1891, 2,978,459 sheep were sheared, yielding 

 15,499,979 lbs. of wool. In 1892, 2,539,054 sheep were sheared, 

 the yield being 13,626,629 lbs. of wool. If the figures for 1888 

 were glanced at, it would be found that no less than 3,860,034 

 sheep were sheared, the amount of wool clipped being 18,721,693 

 lbs. These figures show the great decrease at present in the 

 sheep ranching business. 



The Texan sheep are chiefly the Spanish merino variety 

 crossed with Mexican. Their average yield per head is about 

 5 lbs. per annum. They generally run in herds of about 1,500. 

 Cotswold, Southdown, and Leicester sheep have from time to 

 time been imported to try the effect of crossing them with the 

 Texan sheep, but such experiments have never proved successful, 

 as the imported sheep do not stand the climate, and will not 

 " herd," as it is called. 



The number of cattle in Texas, though still greater than in 

 any other State, has also decreased of late years. In 1891, the 

 number was 6,856,338, and in 1892, 6,337,428. 



The stock is chiefly long horned Texas cattle, greatly improved 

 by crossing with imported Durham, Jersey, and Holstein bulls. 



Formerly it was the custom to allow the cattle to come to 

 maturity here, and then ship, or drive, them for sale to Chicago. 

 Nowadays they are taken when yearlings to the Indian 

 Territory, Montana, and Wyoming, as it has been found that 

 they gain much more weight at maturity when left a year or 

 two in the colder climate of the above-named States. 



