SHEEP-FARMING IN CALIFORNIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1086, 21 September 1872, Page 6

SHEEP-FARMING IN CALIFORNIA.

We make the following extracts from

an interesting article in the Overland •w Monthly, a San Francisco publication :—: — A glance at the following table will show how rapid and steady has been the iucrease in the production of wool since 1854. California produced :—: —

With one exception, it will be seen that this increase has been uninterrupted. The great drought of 1864 caused the wool clip of 1865 to be smaller than that of the preceding year. Notwithstanding an occasional step backward, on account of severe droughts, the increase in the production of wool in California compares favourably with that of other countries. In

Australia, the wool clip increased from

53,000,000 pounds in 1859, to 158,000,000 pounds in 1869 — equal an average in-

crease of twenty per cent, per year ;

while in California, it has, in that time, increased from 2,378,250 pounds to to 15,409,171 pounds — or an increase of about fifty-five per cent, yearly. Woolgrowing already occupies a leading position among California pursuits, the value of last year's clip amounting to 6,072,275 dols.

Sheep are herded in California in flocks of all sizes, up to two thousand. Ewes arc seldom herded in flocks larger than twelve or fifteen hundred. The principal breed in this State is the Spanish merino — not full-blooded, but crosses between the merino and what was called the native sheep. The latter were of no particular breed. In the earlier settlement of the Eastern States, various immigrants brought different stocks of sheep, which gradually became intermixed. In those days but little attention was paid to their breeding, and it soon became impossible to trace the pedigree of any particular sheep : so that, for want of a better name, they came to be called the native sheep. Flocks, of course, are of all degrees, from the pure -bred merino, down to the sheep that has only the slighest infusion of improved blood. The sheep are shorn twice a year — generally in March or April, and in September or October. Merino sheep yield, about six pounds of wool yearly — wethers perhaps more, ewes less. Tn addition to a shepherd, some extra men are needed at the lambing season. For a flock of fifteen hundred, two extra hands would be required for three or four weeks. Merinos, generally speaking, do not breed until they are two years old, and from eighty to ninety per cent, is considered the average yearly increase. Shearing costs six cents per head, and board to the shearer. Taking all the incidental expenses, shearing will cost nine cents j)er head. Manypersons, beginners, who have only small flocks, are destitute of many of the conveniences required in shearing. They drive their sheep to the yard of some person better prepared for the work ; and their shearing, with all the expenses connected with it, costs them ten cents for each sheep. After being cut off, the wool is put loosely into sacks, and consigned to the brokers in San Francisco, who sell it on the owners' account. It is sent by the buyers to the wool-packers, who grade it, press it into bales of 5501bs each, and then it is ready for transportation to the East, where most of it is sent.

Shepherds get 25d015. per month and board. They generally have to cook for themselves, and ' are supplied with flour, beans, potatoes, tea, coffee, and sugar. A shepherd usually lives in his hut by himself. Meat is sent him sometimes from the house of his employer, but more commonly he kills a sheep, and, if there are other shepherds in the neighbourhood, divides it with them. The whole expense of a shepherd yearly, counting the cost of sending him rations, and the wear and tear of his house, may be set down at 450d015. His board alone would cost about SOdols. or lOOdols. annually.

At the present time, nothing in connection with sheep is as variable as the prices paid for feeding them in California. Since the whole State contains 120,947,840 acres, only about five millions of which are fenced, it is easy to believe that the subsistence of a very large portion of the sheep costs their owners nothing at all. On the other hand, sheep arc fed, in some -instances, on land worth 60dois. an acre, -though, perhaps, in its improved condition, an acre of this land will not feed more than three sheep. Under these circumstances, I can do nothing better than to mention prices that have been paid in particular cases. In Los Angeles, until recently — and perhaps still — sheep were fed for on© cent each per month. Thjis

price, however, could now be met with only in exceptional cases. In Monterey County, a gentleman paid, last year, 40dols. per month for the grass of a thousand sheep. These were mostly Cotswolds, fifty per cent, larger than merinos, and of course they would eat more. Another gentleman paid, in Los Angeles County, last year, 4000 dols. for the grass of seventeen thousand sheep, or about 24 cents "for each sheep yearly ; another gentleman, in the same county, paid, last year, 400dols. per month for the grass of fifteen thousand sheep, or 32 cents per year for each sheep. One of the largest sheep -owners of Los Angeles County values his land at lOdols. per acre ; and says that an acre of it will feed a sheep. In this case, putting money at ten per cent, interest, the grass of his sheep would cost Idol, annually.

The price of wool, like that of all other commodities, has been subject to considerable fluctuation. The following table exhibits the minimum and maximum prices of both spring and fall clips during the last eight years :—: —

The price of wool in 1867 was quite low, and the business of wool-growing was then considered so unprofitable that many millions of sheep were slaughtered throughout the United States merely for their tallow. The new tariff on wool coming then into operation, gave the producers of American wool a great advantage over importers. At the present time, for the purpose of collecting duty, imported wools are divided into three classes : first, merino, or having a mixture of merino blood ; second, Cotswolds, Leicesters, and similar breeds ; third, carpet wools. Upon wool of the first and second classes, valued at the port whence it was shipped under thirty-two cents per pound, there is a duty of ten cents per pound, and, in addition, eleven per cent, ad valorem duty. If the value of these wools exceeds thirty-two cents per pound at the port whence last shipped, the duty is twelve cents per pound, and, in addition, ten per ; cent, ad valorem. On carpet wools, the duty is small. This is for dirty wool ; if washed, the duty is double. Thus, it will be seen, that, in order to compete with United States wool-growers, foreign j wool-growers must produce wool thirteen to eighteen cents per pound cheaper than we do here. To this must be added the cost of transportation, which, in many instances, is more than Californians have to pay for sending their wool to the Eastern market.

Most of the California wool is sent East by rail, but some is still sent by way of Panama, and some around Cape Horn. The rate of freight by rail is 2^ cents per pound ; by Panama, 2 cents ; by Cape Horn, 1 to lh cents. As those who send their wool via Panama and Cape Horn have to insure it or take dangerous risks, and as they are also longer out of their money than if they sent by rail, the o.pening of the overland railroad has, on the whole, benefited the wool-growers. Eastern buyers now come more frequently to San Francisco, thus creating more competition than formerly existed. They can also supply a sudden demand more readily by sending to California than by sending to South America, Africa, or Australia ; while, before the opening of the railroad, California was almost as far from market as any of these. The price of combing and delaine staples in San Francisco for the year 1871 may be set down at thirty-six cents per pound. Three-fourths of the Merino wool of this State averages, as classified at the East, as half-blood Merino. The average price for spring wool in San Francisco was thirty cents, and for fall, twenty-seven cents. The staple, on the whole, was rather a poor one, being short and tender, on account of the scarcity of feed that resulted from the droughts 'of 1869-70 and 1870-71.

In estimating the expenses and profits arising from a flock of sheep, if we take the present price of grass, we must also take the present price of wool. Tn the following table, I shall consider lOdols. worth of land sufficient to feed one sheep the whole year. This, as has been stated, is the value that some of the most experienced sheep-raisers in the State place on land capable of carrying a sheep to the acre. The interest 'on this would amount to Idol, or Idol. 50c. yearly, but this is a price scarcely ever paid for the grazing of a sheep. Perhaps one-third of it would be nearer to the mark. I shall then suppose that the sheep- raiser, as is the case with many of them, owns his land, and on this basis estimate the expenses and receipts arising from a flock of two thousand wethers. Two thousand &erea of Jand, purchased

at lOdols. per acre, come to 20,000d015. ; and two thousand wethers, at 3dols. each, 6000dols. ; making a total of 26,000d015. for sheep and land. Now for the yearly expenses and receipts :—: —

Dols. Wages and board to shepherd, yearly 450 Taxes, six cents on each sheep... . 120 Dressing, to prevent scab, five cents each 100 Loss — say, five per cent. 300 Shearing, nine cents each time — eighteen cents yearly ... 360 Transporting wool to San Francisco, at Cdolsperton 42 Commission to broker for selling, 2h per cent " ... 100 Yearly taxes on land ... ... ... 200 Total yearly expense ... ... 1672 Yearly receipts, fourteen thousand pounds of wool, at 2S.V cents per pound " 3990 Net receipts, 231Sdols, or about 8£ per cent, on the 26,000d01s originally invested. The 200dols tax on the land is thus estimated : The Assessors' valuation is usually about forty per cent, of the real value of the land ; and the tax is about 2h per cent, oh the Assessors' valuation. Tliis would give a tax of 200dols yearly on 20,000d01s worth of land. The quantity of wool is estimated at seven pounds to each sheep, which is about a fair average for a good flock of wethers. Ewes would not give so much wool ; they would be more expensive in the way of herding, but as they would have lambs, they would bring their owners much more profit than wethers. The net receipts shown above are, perhaps, too high, as there would be other expenses that cannot be calculated with any degree of exactness. The wool-grower may, if he has many flocks, have to employ an overseer ; and his taxes, as well as the wages of his shepherd, will have to be paid before he receives the price of his wool ; so that he has to pay interest on more than the 20,000d015. first laid out. A poor ! man, who looks after his own flock, and buys grass or feeds his sheep on Government land, will do considerably better. The wages he would have to pay a shepherd, and the yearly taxes he would have to pay on the land if he owned it, would buy grass enough for his flock ; so that he would make as much yearly out of his GOOOdols. as the rich man would out of 26,000d015. Many, of course, will think that a business that brings only eight per cent, on the money invested should not be undertaken in California. But there are other sources from which the man who buys land on which to pasture his sheep derives profit. The value of the land itaelf increases rapidly. Twothirds of the wool produced in the State comes from ten counties ; and if the value of the real estate in these counties for the year 1867 be compared with its value of 1871, as gimi below, it will be seen that he who bought land there four or five years ago invested his money well, even though the land had lain idle ever since :—: —

In three of these counties — Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Tulare — the improvements are included with the valuation for 1871. In one only — Calaveras, a mining county — has the value decreased. All things considered, perhaps the profit arising from money invested in purchasing land and sheep to graze on it is nearer foi ty than eight per cent. . annually. Indeed, some of the shrewdest land speculators in the State often buy land and afterwards let it for farming purposes for six or seven per c?nt. of the purchase money. They expect an increase in the value of the land sufficient to pay them high interest. If farm-land, the soil of which is constantly growing poorer, through an improper system of cultivation, increases in value, we may the more reasonably expect an advance in the price of grazing-land, the soil of which is constantly improving.

Besides the merino, we have in California a large number of. Cotswolds, Leicesters, and other varieties of coarse-woolled sheep. Breeders differ as to which variety is most suitable. The merino does better in large flocks, and is better adapted to travel long distances in search of food than perhaps any other variety. In many parts of the State it takes several acres to feed one sheep ; hence, flocks have to roam a considerable distance in search of food, and in such places merinos usually get the preference. Cotswolds begin to breed when only a year old, and are considered better nurses than merinos. Their wool, too, is at the present time (April 15th) much more valuable, being worth thirty-six cents per pound in San Francisco, while merino is only worth twenty.

eight or thirty cents. They attain a great size, often weighing 3001bs or better. They are very prolific, generally, when in small flocks, rearing 120 to 150 lambs to every hundred sheep. About 120,000,000 pounds of Cotswold and other combing wools are every year imported into the United States. Until that amount is raised in this country, combing wool will probably maintain its high price, as it is not produced to any extent in Australia or South America, where wool can. be raised cheaply. A gentleman, for whose veracity I can vouch, tells me that he expects to sell about 24d015. worth of wool in one year from a Cotswold sheep and her progeny. The -ews herself gives about thirteen pounds of wool annually. On the 14th of March, 3871, she gave birth to three lambs, all of which she reared without any assistance. The three lambs were shorn in September, yielding respectively ten, nine and a half, and seven pounds of wooL When a year old, they were shorn again, and they gave as much wool as at the first clipping. This, together with the ewe's fleece, would amount to sixty-six pounds, which, at thirty-six cents per pound, would be worth 23d015. 76c.

It remains with the farmer to make wool-growing a remunerative business in the future, when feed cannot be so cheaply obtained as it is at present. In many parts of the Eastern States, it costs the farmers 2dols or 3dols to feed each sheep yearly, and yet they make it pay. They have few advantages which the California farmers cannot have ; and, in addition, we have here milder winters j and a climate in which sheep are, notwithstanding the great heat, very healthy. But in the East they have better breeds, keep them in small flocks, and take care that they have an abundance of food at all seasons, and shelter from the inclemency of the weather. The California farmer burns as much straw annually as would keep several hundred sheep in good condition when grass cannot be obtained. Several kinds of weeds that cattle will not touch are greedily eaten by sheep, and in this manner they help to keep the land clean. Turned in on a field of wheat in the spring, a flock of sheep will caxise it to tiller better, and thus materially increase the yield. This plan is followed by farmers in every country ; and I have known where farmers in California, who had no sheep of their own, knowing the advantages arising from this proceeding, borrowed sheep for this purpose from their neighbours. By keeping a few sheep, the farmer could supply his table with fresh mutton, instead of living the greater part of the year on salt pork, as he does at present.

But greater than all these is another consideration, which will compel the farmer, sooner or later, to keep more live stock on his land. The soil, when cultivated any length of time, according to the system in vogue at present in California, loses its productiveness to such an extent that it scarcely pays the cost of seed and labour. The fertility of the soil can only be restored by either fallowing or manuring, and it is scarcely necessary to say that the latter should have the preference. Fallowing renders it necessary that the soil should lie a whole year in an unproductive condition, and is seldom resorted to where agriculture has reached its greatest perfection. As a rule, the average California farmer has only the most indefinite ideas with regard to the comparative advantages of growing grain-crops on his land, and raising green crops and feeding them to sheep or cows. When he finds that his land will not pay for cultivation, he may open his eyes to the advantages of a systam something different to what he now follows. Fifty acres cropped with hay, potatoes, or mangold, which are fed to a flock of sheep on the ground, may not bring as much money as the same fifty acres cropped with wheat, which is sold. ; but there are instances, and by no means few, where the increased fertility of the soil, arising from the crop being consumed on it, would cause the crop of the succeeding year to be double what it would be if the land had received no such treatment.

I That the farmer must keep more live stock and consume more of his crops on the ground there can be no doubt, but there may be some as to whether cows or sheep are best for this purpose. This will depend, in a great measure, on the number of sheep that can be kept on the feed sufficient for one cow. It is variously estimated from five to ten. Thar, a celebrated German writer on agriculture, gives the. latter number. A farmer in this State, who keeps a hundred sheep, tells me that they do not eat more grass than ten cows would ; but, in addition, they derive some ©f their sustenance from plants that cows will not touch ; and also from plants, such as wild mustard, that are eaten by cows, but which give an unpleasant taste to butter. He says, three jumdred sheep bring him 400doj8, yearly j

yet they are only old .culls, that he bought from a large sheep-owner in his neighbourhoad. Of these sheep eighty-seven were ewes, and raised 120 lamb>, while, in a large flock, they would nob raise above half that number. Most farmers, however, would conclude that six sheep will eat as much as one cow. Even at this rate, when we deduct the expense of milking the cow and making butter from the gro3s price of her produce, perhaps the net receipts will not be greater than those obtained from sheep. Besides, the market for butter is, under the present aspect of affairs, more likely to be glutted than that for wool.

Ifc is generally laid down by agricultural writers and experimentalists that a sheep will eat of good hay three per cent, of her live weight daily. Let us suppose the live weight of a sheep to be about 120 pounds. One of them, at this rate, would eat 3.6 pounds of hay daily, or 1,314 pounds a year. Unpressed hay is sold (and can be sold at a profit, too) in many parts of California for sdols. per ton. An ordinary ewe and her lamb would, at the rate mentioned, live a year on a ton of hay. It would not be too much to expect that the wool of both at the end of the year would be worth 3dols, and the lamb, without the fleece, 2d015. ; so that it would be as profitable to feed the hay to the sheep as to sell it, without taking into consideration the manure that would be obtained, and without which Californian farmers cannot always dispense. But this is only the crudest way of looking at the question. Doubtless, it would be better to feed some of the hay to the sheep without cutting it at all — to let them eat it while growing. Or it may Ije cheaper to turn them out to grass during a portion of the year, and feed them «with hay only when grass is too scarce. Besides, sheep so treated should give, not Idol. 50c. worth of wool, but from 2dols. to 3dols. worth, as given under similar treatment in the East.

Again : a sheep that weighs 1 201bs will, if moderately fat, give sixty per cent, of her live weight, or 721bs of mutton. If the farmer buys this from the butcher, it will cost him Bdols. or lOdols. The true way for the farmer to look at this question is, whether it pays better to sell all his agricultural produce and buy meat from the butcher, or to consume more hay and roots on his farm, and raise his own beef and mutton. Root crops, such as beets, potatoes, and mangels, are excellent feed for sheep ; and, in many parts of the State, the yield of these crops to the acre is immense. I have seen many statements of the results obtained in the Eastern States, England, France, and Germany, by feeding sheep with roots, hay or straw, and grain. The quantity of each article consumed, as well as the quantity of mutton produced, was mentioned ; and I find that by reducing all to California prices, most of the results would pay here. The farmer must remember that the difference between harvesting and sending to market fifteen sacks of wheat to the acre and twenfcy-five sacks to the acie would not amount to more than 3d015., while the difference in receipts would amount to 15dols. or 20dols. In many instances, the yield of his farm has fallen down to two-thirds of what it was at first ; but, by keeping more live stock, and following a different" system of cropping, his land could be restored to its original fertility. In calculating the profits of a small flock of sheep, his basis should be, not sheep as they are in California, but as they would be under judicious management. We import wool from Australia to be used on this coast, and at a cost, I understand from one of the importers, of forty or forty-five cents per pound. Notwithstanding the quantity of wool produced here, this has to be done, on account of the shortness of Californian wool. Farmers here should certainly be able to produce any kind of wool to be obtained from Australia. With their enclosed fields, which could easily be freed from burrs, the wool would be cleaner, and there would not be so much occasion to shear every six months. Among other advantages that the farmer has, his land being fenced, his sheep will not cost much jn the way of herding. Neither will they come into contact with other flocks ; and, once free from seab — the greatest scourge to which sheep are subject — they are not apt to become again infected.

1867. Los Angeles $1,142,830 Monterey 560,548 Colusa 955.271 Tulare 500,737 Stanislaus 560,852 Santa Barbara 404,476 Kern 340,641 Tehama 439,874 Calaveras 721,641 Fresno 182.621 1871. $4,377,292 2,114,184 2,000,000 1,545,41S 1,814,057 2,063,735 856,000 964,836 310,446 1,785,761

Spring clip. JB all and lambs. Cts. perlb. Cts. perlb. 1864 20 to 24 16 to 19 1565 16 to 23 16 to 20 1866 16 to 22 14t016i 1567 M to 22 10 to 14' 186S 16 to 191 13 to 19i 1569 17i to 211 12 to 15 IS7O 17i to 21" 13 to 19 IS7I 25' to 33 21 to 32*

i ear. lbs of wool. Year, lbs of wool, n 1854:... 175,000 In 1863... 6,557,109 1555 ... 360,000 1564... 7,236,514 185G... 000,000 1865.. 6,445,070 1557... 1,100,000 1566... 6,546,750 1555... 1,428,350 1567... 53625,25GS 3 625,25G 1859... 2,375,250 1865... 12,920,761 IS6O .. 3,260,000 1569... 15,409,171 1861 ... 4,600,000 1570... 19,472,666 1862 .. 5,530,000 1871... 22,181,18S