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SHEEP—UNITED STATES, NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. 5 
Much of the land in Australia now used as sheep runs is destined 
to be used for farming. “Closer settlement” is actively assisted by 
all the State governments. Taking the Commonwealth of Australia 
as a whole, one-third of its land area lies in regions of less than 10 
inches of annual rainfall. In these drier sections salt bush furnishes 
a large part of the sheep feed and is considered most satisfactory for 
dry sheep. Outside these sections the country enjoys peculiar ad- 
vantages favoring sheep. raising, particularly in comparison with 
those areas of the United States which now and for an indefinitely 
long period can be used most profitably for the grazing of sheep. 
In considering sheep raising in Australia, it should always be 
borne prominently in mind that the flocks, or “mobs,” are not kept 
collected and under the care of herders while pasturing. The lands 
are fenced into “ paddocks” of from 500 to 10,000 acres in size, and 
the sheep run safely at liberty in these. The lessening of labor by 
this plan is no more important than the greater thrift of the sheep as 
compared with those in charge of even the best herders. 
The amount of pasturage procured from each acre is much greater 
under the paddock plan. The fact that the sheep are very widely 
spread out at all times and never driven over dusty trails to and from 
dusty bedding grounds gives cleaner and lighter-shrinking wool 
from the Australian flocks, aside from the advantage of some regions 
in having soils that are not inclined to blow. Fencing the sheep 
runs and dividing them into paddocks of suitable size requires labor 
and expense, which, however, are much more than counterbalanced 
by subsequent saving in the labor of handling the flocks and in the 
extra thrift of the sheep. In many cases sheep are mustered or 
rounded up but once in the year, at shearing time. Having their full 
liberty in paddocks from 500 to 10,000 acres in size, they are under 
practically natural conditions. The absence of wild animals from 
the paddocks and the climate together avoid the necessity for atten- 
tion at lambing time, except in the case of valuable stud ewes. On 
the other hand, difficulties with hired labor are greater in Australia 
and wages little if any lower than in the United States. The blow- 
fly is a serious pest in much of the country and necessitates frequent 
inspections, as well as crutching and dipping, which involve expense. 
Droughts, which occur with some regularity, are exceedingly 
serious. The number of sheep may be reduced by nearly one-half 
over large areas once in 10 years, entailing desolation and serious 
loss, especially to the smaller owners who can not move their stock 
and to owners who have stocked their lands to their full capacity in 
normal seasons. 
Vegetation recovers with exceeding rapidity at the breaking of a 
drought, and with the climate aiding the Australian Merino sheep’s 
habit of breeding at practically any time of the year, the flocks are 
