I 2J I
REPORT
ON
CATTLE, SHEEP, AND SWINE,
SUPPLEMENTARY TO
ENUMERATION OF LIVE STOCK ON FARMS IN 1880.
OLA.RENOE -W. GORDON, SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE. i 051
I ill TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Pnge. INTRODUCTION ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• , ...... 1-4 PASTURE .AND FORAGE PI.ANTS .•••••.•••••••••••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• , •••••••••••••.•••••.••••••••••.•••.•••• 5-10 TEXAS •••••••••••••••••••••• -- ...... 11-31 Historical ...•...... •...•...... •....•...... •...... •...... •...... 11-13 Pastlll'age .•...... •...... : .....•...... •...... •...... ••.. 13 The Panhandle ...... 13, 1'! Between the one hundredth meridi1111 and th0 Pcco8 (exclusive of the Panhamlle) ...... ••.•...... 14, 1f> West of the Plicos .....•.....•.•...... •...... •...... •...••••..•..•...•.•... : ...... lG Son th of the Nueces ...... 15, !CY East of the one lnuulrcdth meridian and north of the Nnccos ...... lG-18 Cattle-raising ...... '. .•.•...... 18, 10 Cattle-clrive ...... 19-24 Diseases of stock ...... · .. - ... · ...... · · · - · ..•.. · · · · · · · · • · · · · · · · · -- · · 24 Shaep ...... 24-30 Diseases ...... 30 Goats ...... 30 Swine ...... : ...... _...... ••....•.•...... ••• 30 Summary of movement of ca1;tle, shoo1l, and swiuo .... ~ ...... 31 NEW MEXICO TERRITORY ...... :l2-40 History •.••.•••.....•...... ' ...... : ...... 32 Pasturage ...... 32-:Ji! Southern New Moxico ...... !14,35 Drives ...... a5,ao C11ttlc ...... 30,37 Sheep ...... a7-40 INDIAN Tl~ItIUTORY ...... 40-43 Cattle ...... 40 Eastern Inclian territory ...... 40,41 41,42 ;:1~1~':~a~~~~~~ -t~~~·~~~~::::::: :: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :·:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :.: :: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : il2,48 KANSAS ...... ••••••• ...... ·-···· ••••· ...... --·· •••••••••• 43-47 History ...... -~ ...... · ...... 43 Cattle ...•••••••••.•..•.• , ...... •. ·· ...... ·······•••••·•·• ...... ···· ...... ····••·········· ...... · 43-45 Swine ...... 46, •17 Movement of stock ...... · ...... · · · •... ·. · · · · · • .. · • · · • • • • .. · • · · · 47 COLORADO ...... •••••• ...... •••••• ...... 48-54 Pasturage ...... , •...... •...•...... •..• 48-50 Cattle ...... ' ...... -.... -.. . GO,til Sheep ...... 51-54 NEDRASKA ...... •.• ...... - •••••••••••••• 55-GB Pasturage ...... t>5,ti() Sbeop ...... fi6,&7 Movement of stock ...... ~ ...... • • • • . . . • • . . • ...... 57,58 WYOMING TERRI'l'ORY ...... ·: ••••••••.•••••••••• • • ...... 59-65 Pasturago ...... 59-61 Cattle .•.•...... •...... •.•••...•....•••.••....•...... •...... •...... 61-64 Movement of stock ...... _ ...... · 64,65 DAJCOTA TERRITORY •••• ~ ...... ' ' ...... 65-67 Pasturage . . . . • . • • . . • ...... • • ...... • ...... • • . • ...... • • • • . • ...... 65,GG Movement of stock ...... - ..... - .. - .... -- .... - .... • · · • . - ...... · •.. · · .. · • • · GG,67 lfOJS'TAN.A. TERRITORY ...... 67-74 Pasturage ...... 67-71 Cattlo ...... 71 Sheep ...... 71,72 Movement of stock ...... 72-74 iii 9153 lV TABLE OF CONTENTS.
l'ngo. C.ALIFORNI.A ••••••••••••••••••••••••• - •••• -- -· ••• - •..••. -· ••••• - ••••.•••••••••••••••••.••••• ·- •••••••••••••••••••.•••••.••.•.• 74-92 History... • ...... • . . . . . • ...... • ...... •...... ••••.••...... 74-77 Pasturage ...... 77 Cattle ...... , ....•...... •..•...... 77-tlO Diseases ...... 80,81 Sheep ...... , 81-83 Conclnot of sh()op hnsl.mndry .· •••••.••••...•••...... ••... - •....• - • .. • . • . . . . . • ...... 83-90 Goats ...... 90 Hog-raising ...... --...... • . . . • ...... 90-02 ARIZONA TERRITORY ••••••. - •••••••• - ...... · ••• • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • •• • •• • •••••• • ••••••••••••••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • !!2-103 Southern Arizona ...... • . . . . . • ...... • ...... • • . . • . • ...... 9:1-97 Northeastern Arizona ...... - ...... • . . 97, 98 Northwest.Arizona ...... 98-101 Losses among cattle .... ~ ..•.••...... •..•. -...... -•.... -. . .. • . . • ...... • • • . .. • ...... • ...... 101 \Voight of beeves ...... 101, 102 Sheep...... •• ••• •• •• ...... • • . . . . . • • . . . . • . ••• . . • •• . • . . . •• ...... • 10:! Land titles ...... -...... •., ....•...... 102, lO:l NEVADA ...... 104-116 History ...... 104, 105 Northern N ovada ...... - ...... ••...... ••. : • ...... • ...... • ...... 105-109 Central Nevada ...... 109, 110 Southern Nevada ...... , ....•....••...... •.•...... •...•...... •....•...... •...... 110-112 Sheop ...... 112-116 Goats ...... , . • • . • . . • • ...... 110 Swino ...... - . . .•• .• . . • . . . . •• •• • . . .. ••...... • • . . . . • ...... • 116 UTAII 'fERHlTORY ...... ·••••• ...... ·--··· •••••.•• 117-124 History ...... 117,l.18 Northern ancl westorn Utah .•.•...... •.•...•.....••...•....•.•..•••.....•.... , ...... 118-120 Utah soll'th of Groen river ...... 120, l·n Tho Uintah-Whito b11sin ...... ·...... 121.-12•1 OREGON ...... -- ..... - ••••••.••••••.• - ••.••••••••• 124-l:M History ...... , ...... 1211, 125 P1tsturo ...... 125, 126 Cattle ...... •...... ·...... •...... •...... 120-I:lO Shoop ...... : ...... • ...... • ...... • . • . • . • . • • • . . . . l:~0-1:13 • Swine ...... 1a:1, l.:H WASHINGTON 'l'J~lUUTOHY ...... l:H-140 Pasture .••••....••. , .•...... •.•. , ...... • ...... • ...... • • • ...... • • • • • .. • . . • • • ...... • . . . • . . 184, 1:35 Cattle-raising ...... _.... _...... 1:15-1:17 Sheep ...... , ...... 1:18-140 lDAIIO TEilill'l.'OltY ...... ' ••••••••••.••••••••••••.•••••• 1•10-147 History ...... : •.•.•••..... _.... _...... _. . . • . . . • ...... 1'I o Pasturage ...... ; ...... 140-1'14 Drives ...... •., ...... •...... •..•...... _...... 144, 145 Sheep ...... _ ...... _..••...... 145, 14(3 Movoment of cattlo...... 147 FLORIDA ...... 1•17-149 GENEHAT. S'l'ATISTlCS ••••.•• - ...... 149-156 !:154 INTRODUCTION.
This report is supplementary to the regular census enumeration of live-stock, which, under the law, is that of animals on farms. Cattle, sheep, and swine have been made the special objects of this investigation, primarily on account of their predomill;,ant value in furnishing food for man. Whifo the number of these animals ke11t on farms (about 36,000,000 cattle, 35,000,000 sheep, and 48,000,0llO swine) forms tlie great mass of those owned in the country, it contribution to tho food-snp11Iy, by no meaus insignificant, is rnado by the animals kept in the dense settlements, but not on forms-the i1igs and tho cows of' tho town1:1 and cities. This distribution of food animals, however, is in a seuse eqnable and within the gcnernl knowledge of the 11eople; and any person desirous of estinuttiug the number of' aninrnls so hold may do so :for himself' with as much assurance as conhl any other person. The business of grazing animals as a spechtl occupation, nearly or quite .A.OKNOWLEDG MENTS. The field-work of this investigation, begun in August, 1879, was completed in the early piwt of lS!H, umler charge of Mr. Clarence Gordon, special agent. Special aicl was renderecl for a longer or a shorter perio Beside the recognition of the indefatigable labor of these stated assistants, the cordial and hearty spirit with which the objects of this commission have been advanced by all classes of citizens in the regions investigated demands the most cordial acknowledgment. Among those who have shown a particular readiness to furnish valnaible co-operation in some form may be named the following: TEXAS.-Genera,l E. 0. C. Ord, U.S. A.; General Tl10mas M. Vincent, U. S. A.; R. S. Hayes, esq., president Internationa,l and Great Northern railroad, and Colonel William H. Owens, San Antonio; Charles Goo~night, esq., Olarendon, Donley county; John Dewees, esq., San Antonio; H. :M. Hoxie, esq., vice-president International and Great Northern railroad; M~ssrs. Grinnell, Tweedy & Co., Fort Concho, Tom Green connty; O. O. Gibbs, esq., general freight agent, Hairrisburg and San Antonio railroad; P. I. Morse, esq., secretairy Wool Growers' Association, San Antonio; Ed. Buckley, esq., Corpus Christi; Z. H. Zanderson, esq., Galveston; 0. IT. Elliott, San Saba; I .. H. Robinson, esq., Galveston; Messrs. Gross & Chapin, San Antonio; Messrs. Borden & Jones, Galveston; Samuel Johnson, esq., collector of customs, Corpus Christi; Oheney R. Prouty, esq., collector of customs, Indianola; Colonel B. EL Grierson, Tenth Cavalry, Fort Concho; Lieutenant-Colonel .John T. Hatch, Fourth Cavalry, fort Elliott; Major S. S. Sumner, Eighth Ciwalry, fort Mcintosh; Captain B. M. Young, Eighth Cavalry, fort San Felipe; Cf1ptain B. Kauffman, Eighth Cavalry, San Diego; Lieutenant John L. Bullis, Twenty-fourth Infantry, fort Olar·k; I. O. Ewet, esq., surveyor Starr district, Rio Grande City; I. M. Ranson, esq., Eagle Pass; and H. S. Rock, post guide and scout, fort Brown. NEW l\faxroo.-Henry M. Atkinson, surveyor-general, Samuel Ellison, and John Walls, Santa Fe; Hon. Anthony Joseph, Fernandez de Taos, Taos county; Hon. J. F. Obavis, Los Lunas, Valencia. county; Hon. J. Maria Perea, Bernalillo; Cofonel L. P. Bradley, Fort Wingate; Major A. P. Morrow and Lieutenant John Oonline, Fort Bayard; Tranquilino Luna, J os6 H. Baca, and Dr. Ferdinand Knauer, Las Vegas; Thomas 0. Boggs, Tramperas; Hobert Mingus, Hugo Zuber, ancl John G. Olaincey, Puerto de Luna; M• .J. Otero, Belen; George W. Stoneroad, Cabra Spring; John R. Stuyvesant, Maclison, Colfax county; Dr. W. L. South, Vermejo; Messrs. Calhoun & Edge and Messrs. Chase & Dawson, Cimarron; Messrs. Hall Brothers, Madison; .John S. Chisom, Roswell; Major H. H. Arms, Arms, Colfax county; Jerome Troy, Troyburg; Richard M. "\V"hite, Socorro. INDIAN TERRITORY.-Colonel Granville O'Hu,ller, Twenty-third Infantry, fort Supply; Major R.H. Offley, Nineteenth Infantry, Fort Gibson; Captain Merritt Barber, Sixteenth Infantry, Fort Sill; I. F. McCurtain, chief of the Ohoctaw Naition, Red Oak; John D. Miles, esq., Indian agent, Darlington; .P. B. Hunt, Indian a.gent, Anadarko; John E. Tnfts, Indian agent, Muscogee; John S. Shorb, Sac ancl Fox agency; and E. H. Bowman, Inclian agent, Pawnee agency. KANSAS.-Lieutenant-Oolonel Z. R. Bliss, Nineteenth Infantry, fort Hays; Colonel Granville O'Haller, Twenty-third Infantry, Fort Dodge; Captain Charles B. Hall, Nineteenth Infantry, Fort Leavenworth; Messrs. Hardesty Brothers, Messrs .•r. L. Driskell & Son, and Waldo Tarbo:s:, esq., Dodge Uity; C. G. Hassard, Psq.,Caildwell; Thomas F. Goff, esq., Hill City, Graham county; Messrs. Eaiton & Gifford, Russell, Russell county; David Antlerson, esq., Wades branch, Miami county; William Murphy, esq., Omio, Jewell county; Frank Leach, esq., Waterville, Marshall county ; Elias Zimmerman, Hiawatha, Brown county; C. M. W oocl, esq., Winfield, Cowley county ; Isaac Kees, Jewell, Jewell county; O. K. McHa1'g, esq., Marshall county; A. J. Uhl, esq., Douglass, Butler county; Colonel H. H. Nelson, Messrs. Irvin Allen & Oo., S. R. Hill, esq., Samuel Leach, esq., Gordon Orane, esq., and II. M. Falls, esq., Kansas City, Missouri. CoLORA.Do.-Captain J. M. Givens, Russell Gates, esq., F. L. Martin, esq., president Colorado Springs Stock Association, F. H. Austin, esq., Messrs Sharrett & Buzzard, and E. S. Randall, esq., Ooloraclo Springs, El Paso county; Captain J. G. Leef'e, Nineteenth Infantry, Fort Garland; Ivory Phillips, esq., Bijou Basin, El Paso county; Abner Loomis, esq., Fort Collins; Messrs. Bartly & Hons ton, West Las Animas, Bent county; B. E. Bussell, esq., Denver; H. H. Metcalf~ River Bend, Elbert county; and Charles MiicMullan, esq., Fort Garland. . N:mBRASKA.-Edgar B. Bronson, esq., ancl ·J. W. Paddock, esq., Fort Robinson; Oolonel E. 0. Compton, Fifth Cavalry, fort Sidney; Major. William Gentry, Ninth Infantry, camp Sheridan; Lieutenant W. L. Carpenter, Ninth Infantry, Fort Niobrara; Surgeon G. W. Towar, fort Hartsuff; Messrs. Barton & Dillon and Messrs. John Bratt & Co., North Platte; R.H. Henry, esq., Oolumbus; 'l'. H. Lawrence, esq., Camp Clarke; Messrs. Sa"')'er Brothers, Friedeus.au; S. M. Barker, Silver Oreek; Sergeant G. T. H. Nixon, Fifth Cavalry, Cottonwood Springs; Oharles S. Poor, esq., Chicago, Illinois; Messrs. Haas, Stuart & Oo., Council Bluffs, Iowa. WYOMING.-Hon. Thomas Sturgis, N. R. Davis, esq., Judge .r. M. Cary, Hon. M. E. Post, F. E. Warren, esq., E. W. Whitcomb, esq., A. W. Bristol, esq., J. K. Jeffrey, esq., Oolonel A. T. B~tbbitt, J. H. Pratt, esq., and John n; Thomas, esq., Cheyenne City; Colonel Albert.G. Brackett, Third Cavalry, fort D. A. Russell; Colonel F. F. Flint,. Fourth Infantry, Fort Sanders; Colonel Thomas Allclersou, Ninth Infantry, fort Kinney; Major J. W. Mason, Third Cawlry, B. C. Anderso.n, esq., and Oharles Hatton, esq., Fort Washakie; Major William H. Powell, Fourth Infantry, Fort Fetterman; Captain S. M. Coals, Fourth Infantry, Fort Pred Steele; Lieutenant George Eaton, Fifth Oava,lry, fort D. A. Russell; 0. D. Motley, esq., --Rand, esq., Thomas Alsop, esq., W. B. Sutphin, esq., and H. B. Rumsey, esq., Laramie Oity; Judge W. A. Carter, Fort Bridger; H. H. Carter, esq., Carter; Jesse Knight, esq., and Messrs. Crawford, Thompspn & Oo.; Evanston; John Mccready, esq., and Archibald Blair, esq., Rock Springs; 'I'. W. Oha:ffee, esq., Hillsdale; J. M. Chadwick, esq., Walbach; Hugh Barton, esq., and A. W. Bristol, Cheyenne; 956 1· INTRODUCTION. 3 E. H. Warner, esq., Fort Fetterman; Richard Frewen, esq., Messrs. Roche & Plunkett, and J. A. Brown, esq., P WASHINGTON TERRI'.l'ORY.-Levi Anthony, G. Delanay, .Terry Despaine, Lieutern1Dt 0. L. Hein, and Lieutenant W. S. Scott, Walla Walla; Lieute1iant Frederick S. Foltz, Fort Colville; Alexander McAndrew, Pioneer, Clark county; Preston Brothers & Stimpson, Waitsbnrgh. lDAIIo.-J ames L. Onderdonk, territorial controller, Hon. John Baley, antl General Cn.rter, Boise city; On.ptain Augustus II. Bainbridge, Fourteenth Infantry, Fort Hall; Captain Timothy E. Wilcox, Boise barracks; Onptnin Samuel McKeever, Second Infantry, camp Howard; Captain W. F. Spurgin, Twenty-first Infantry, fort Lapwai; Georg·e L. Shoup, esq., Salmon City; I. Shirley, esq., and Messrs. Taylor & Tinnin, Bridge, Cassia county; Alexander Topbonse and Mr. Kinney, Blackfoot; John Adams, esq., Market Lake; Jasper Herroll, esq., Rock Creek; Hi. Corder, esq., Indian creek, and Con Shea, esq., cam1) I1yon. FLORIDA.-Governor Bloxhom, Patrick Houston, esq., ancl L. B. Wombwell, esq., Tn1h1hnssee; Charles I. A. Knowles, esq., Tampa; A. M. Chapman, esq., Apalachicola; William L. Willhtms, esq, Williams Str1tion, Escambia count.)'; Marion G. Obarlton, esq., Pine Level, Mmrntee county; William F. Parrish, esq., l\'.[anatee count;y; F. M. Platt, esq., Sa,nford, Orange coimty; -w. W. Davis, esq., 14 Aslie street, Macon, Georgia. A special aclmowleclgmeut is macle of the invaluable services of vVm. H. Brewer, Norton profossor of agriculture in the Sheffield Scientific School of YnJo Oolleg·e, who was qualified by long investigation, wide experience, and personn,1 knowledg·e of the western grazing region, to give the report a judicious aml intelligent revision in the mtttter of local pectlliarities and capabilities for stock-raising·. The chapter on forage plants, preparetl wholly by Professor Brewer, ttlone a.ppears under his name; but his suggestions have also been largely incorporated where they do not form distinct portions of the report. GENERAL INTltODUO'rORY ltIBMARKS. Oattle, sheep, and hogs, as well as horses, were first brought to this continent in 1493, by Cohunlms, on his second voyage, and importations in one wn.y or another have continued ever since. Beside stock sent over from Europe for settlers, animalt:i were landed from time to time that bud been ttiken on board ship 'for use during; a voyage, and the loca.l mollifirnttion of breeds has sometimes been considerably influenced by the introduction in this nrnnuer of animals of special qnalities. There were two general sources of snpply. Spm1,ish America received its early stock from sontl1wester11 Europe and the Ca,nary islands, while for the settlements Horth of Florida animals were brought with emigrants from Great Britain and northern Europe. Beside such differences as may have existed in the stock in those different portions of Europe from which it was clerived, additional variations were developed through new conclitious found in America. With the climate and the peculiar conditions of the Spanish settlements, cattle multiplied greatly and often subsisted without any care of man, nominally wild. Sheep a.lso increased greatly with but little attention. In the more severe climate of the north Atlantic colonies, the numbers were smaller than in the Spanish provinces, bnt there was more stimulus to oart in the selection of breeding animf1ls. On the frontier, grazing early became as it were a pioneer inclnstry in advance of the close occupation of the land for agriculture. The cow-pens of the Carolinas, more than 11 century ago, corresponded, in some degree, to the present corrals of the West. The abundant g-ra,ziug Ul)Oll open lands, just in advance of actual cultivation, was along a constantly moving border, that furnislied herds to bo fattened on farms alrea,dy brought under the plow, on their way to feed the growing cities of the Atlantic coast. At the time of tlte Mexican war (184'6-'48) this piqneer grazing had crossed the Mississippi river in the corn belt. Following the Mexican war was a great acquisition of territory, part of it already stockecl from Spanish somces. Shortly afterward, the discovery of gold in Oalifornirt stimulated migration across the continent ancl brought to public knowledge something of the resources of the interior. After the civil war, the completion of Eli railroa,d track across the continent made the interior more ra.pic1ly accessible a,nc.l renclered possible a great clevelopmont of stock-raising, often wholly removed from farming· operations. It seems best for several reasons to treat the western grazing region in two general divisions, although no lino of exact limitation can well be drawn. If, however, we take the Rocky mountain divide as a line of' division, wo shall find stock east of it largely derive.cl origina,lly from northern Europe, and stock west of the line ll:i.rgcly derived from Spanish sources; the forage plants of California, are qnito unlike tbose of the Kansas plains; the topography of the plateaus and the Pacific slope has its special peculiarities as comparecl with the eastern slope. On the whole it seems most convenient, therefore, to take the states ancl territories in the following order: Texas, New Mexico, Indian territory, Kansas, Oolomclo, Nebrnska, Wyoming, Dakota, lVIontana; then California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, followed by the isolated Florida. 958 PASTURE AND lfOH.AGE PLANrrs. BY WILLI.Al\'[ H. BREWER. The pasturage and forage of the regions considered in tltis special report are made up of a great number of species growing wild, most of' them native or indigenous to the country, though many are foreign species, naturalizell from the Old World. Some of the s1fecies have a very restricted range; others are almost cosmopolitan. All thiH might, indeed, be inforrcll when we reflect on the grettt area, embraced in this investigntion aml its wonderful variety of pll,Ysical fea,tmcs. It stretehes across the broadest part of the widest mountain system on the globe, and is of vast size, inelnding within its boundaries al)ont one and a half million square miles. vVithin this area arc all tbc extremes of' physical conditions f'onml within our country; the highest and the lowest land, vaHe;ys below the lernl of the sea, and grcn,t regions lif(ed into perpetual snow; soils of every grade of productiveness, from absolnttl barreuuess to the most fertile soils of the country if not of the world; the hottest plains of the continent, witlt glaciers and 11erpetual snows on the higher peaks ; deserts ·with no rain and the region of the greatest miufall of tht• country; clomlless sky and parching air of some regions in the very strongest contrast with the ttlmost continuous fog·s aud mists of others. Such great variety of physical conditions will be accompanied by corresponding variety in the wild vegetation, aml the different regions must necessarily be very unlike each other in the elements of their pasturage. Because of this wide difl'ereuce, both as regards kinds and abundance, the i1asturage of the individual states and territories is treated at considerable length in the appropriate place, but some general facts may properly preface the more detailed statements. The aggregate forage is made up of a great number of species, all growing spontaneously, that is, wild and unculti vatecl, and distributed in many orders of the vegetable kin gel om. Wb.ile a grea,t portion is furnisbetl by tlle true grasses and by plants analogous to the clovers of' cultivated lands, yet a much larger proportion consists of otllcr kinds of herbage than exist in the pasturage of more agricultural regions. , 'rhe whole aspect of the vegetation of the western region is unlike tha,t of the agricultnral regions east of the M.issis1:-1ippi. Over most of that portion of' the country specially discussed in this repor1; (l!'lorida excepted) woody vegetation is much more restricted in its range t.hn,n in the country east of' the Mississippi, and natural woocllancls and forests occur only as a 11aTrow fringe along the streams and on the slopes of the higher hills and mountains. Vast portions are treeless or irn<1rly so. The treeless portions are not usually covered with such tall grassy vegetation as markecl the original prairies of lllinois and Iowa, and the forests ancl woodlands where they occur are entirely unlike tllose of the Atlantic sti.ttes, both in their general aspects and in the species which compose them. They are almost entirel.)· of needle-leaved trees ( Oonijerw), bro~d-leaved trees beiug found in conspicuous abundance only in the fringes along the streams or scatte1·ed on the slopes, somdimes forming copses or ''openings", but very rarely indeed forming a forest even of limited extent. Over vast areas they are only scattered at rather rare intervals ancl form no co111:-1picuous element in tlie tl'ee growth. The 11rincipal exce11tions are the," openings" and "cross-timbers" of . Texas aml Indian Territory, and portions of the eoast-range '.'alleys of Calif'omia and Oregon. 'The treeless portions UU\Y be eith~l' desert, witb.out conspicuous vegetation (but this is indeed rare), or prairies covered with n. socl; or with an annual herbage rather than a sod, or more or less covered with low shrubs. When these latter form a thick gTowth, it is called a "chaparral" or '~ chamisal ", according to the locality anµ tlle species which compose it. '.l'he n10unt PASTURE AND FORAGE PLANTS. 7 north and east, but does not reach Oalifornin, on the west. B •. ourtipendula mng·es still further east, even to southern New York, bu,t is apparently no-where sci common or so valuable as B. hirsuta. B. polystachya and B. aristoiiles occur along the southern tier upon the Rio Grande to the Ooloraclo river, and thence into Mexico, bnt do not extencl far north. They are common in some localities. Biwhloe daatyloiiles is the celebrated bnffttlo-grass, and iii! known to hunters, herdsmen, ancl plainsmen as one of the most; nutritious of grasses. It is short, the foliage curly, it increases by stolons (runners) as well as by seed and 'by root. In Texa:; it is sometimes known as vining mesquite. It belongs to the dry au cl elevated pfaim; from the Rocky mountains eastward to Kansas, and from British Amerimt to Mexico. Oalmnal}rostis canadens-:rs, under a variety of names, blue-joint, bunch-grass, etc., ranges in the mountains from Oalifornh1 to the Athmtie and from Mexico to British America, a vn.luable fora.go where fou11d, and is often abundant enough for hay. O. longijolia has also a wide range from Texas to Michigan ull(lervarious ump.es. li'rom Texas it is returned as mesquite and gmma grass, illustrating how confused those terms are witll 11u1uy muchmen. JJistiehUs ma.ritimti is the most common ''salt grass" from Oaliforuia to Oiwolina, ltnd is found 011 saline~ alkaline soils throughout the interior southward to Mexico. Elv1niis.-Various species of this genus occur in the region, commonly under the popular name of wild rye; all of tllem iwe tall and coarse and are eaten by ca.Ule, although some luwe little value after they have dried Htandiug. The most common specieH reported by stockrnen a.ml botanists nre the following: E. anmari1ts, in northern Oalifornia and 11orthwa,rd, where it is called ritnclieria-gntss; its seeds are gathered by the Digger Indians for food; it range's to Asia and northern Europe, but not to tlle eastem sta,tes; and J!J. cancidcnsis, wliich ranges from Oregon to New England and to New lVIe~ico. JJ. condonnatus is the most common wild r,ye of the interior. It belongs strictly to the western United States, and rang·es from Oolornclo to Waslii11gton territory and :;outhcm Oalifornia It is also ca.llecl reed-grass, bunch-grass, etc. E. Sibfricits is another species from the Old World, which now ranges from California northward to British America aud enstward to fake Superior. E1·iogonecc cus1>i Munroa sq1tarrosa is anotller of the low, nutritious bu:ff~lo grasses, and orig.inally covered tracts of thousands of acres together of the upper plains region. It ranges from British .America to Texas, but is a more noticeable element of the vegetation north of Colorado thim l:lonth of it. .As it is a prominent bu:tfaJo gras8 of the north, so it is one of the grama grasses of Texas. Pamfoion, a vast genus which numbers tltroughont the world several hundred species, is not so ricllly represented in the western United States :;i,s in the eastern, but nearly a dozen species are known, native or introduced. P. aapillarc, the Old-Witch grass, is distributed throng'l10ut the country from tlle Athtntic to the Pacific. P. sangiiinalc, the crrtb-grass and· finger-grass, comes in with settlements, and is as widely scattered. P. a,r;rostoicles, the most abundant species of tll.e Atlantic states, is common througll. the west in moist vnlle~·s. P. obtumon is returned as wire-grass. P. ar·iis-,r;alli follows the settlmnents, and is found about the barn-;ynr(hl mid cormls1 and various other species in greater or less abundance have been noted by botanists in the regio11 1 which ll.ave not eome in among tlic retnrus of the stockmen. Pha,laris aanaricnsis, of the Old World, which furnishes the canary-seed of co1m1wrce, a.ud is cultivated in Cftlifornia, often becomes imturalized, and although not abundant, it attracts attention because it is conspicuous, and is returned under nmny fanciful names, wild-goose grass, wild wheat, wild canary, etc. P. a.r1tnd·inaaea., a variety of which is the familiar ribbon-grass of gardens, sometimes becomes wild near houses, loses its striped character, and thus t!Lkes other names. P. intermedia, which ranges from Mexiqo to Oregon and the Atlantic, is known to California fani1ers as California timothy, but is of comparatively lit.tle value. Phleimi pra.tense, from the Old World, the timotll.y and herd-grass of the Atlantic states, becomes naturalized wherever the soil and climate permit; it is often sown 11nd is already common through the mountains to the Pacific coast, ancl is valnable wherever found. Poa, another h1rge genus, is al.nmdantly represented in western North America both by native and naturalized species. P. anniui, a. small annual species widely diffused throughout the world, springs np quickly after the rains, makes the ground look green, but is of little v,alne. P. aompressa, also from Europe, is a common wfre-grass. P. pratcnsis is the famous Ken t.ucky blne-grass, and follows cultivation; it is common in California, ltnd is becoming common throug110nt the Hocky mountains. P. serotina., false red-top, is found in Oregon and the Rock;r mountn.ins; eastward to the Atlantic it is common where the soil is moist. Other species, common to both the New anti thr. Ohl World, might be named. P. a.lpina is found in the Sierra Nevada and the lfoeky mountains up to near per110tnal snow (as it is in the mountains of the Old World), and P. tcn1iifolia is one of the valuable nath-e bunch grasses of the western mountains. Sorghum, mitans, a tall species two to five feet high, is common westward to the Rocky mountains, nrnl i& popularly known as broom-grass, wood-grass, and Indilm grass. In portious of Kansas it constitutes 20 per C(.mt. of the forage. Sporobolus heterolepis is iLbundant from western Kansas eastward, ranging to New Eng1anc1 on dry soils. Iu planes it forms au important element in the prairie pastnre. ' Stipa ocai.c1enta7.is is a common hunch-grass in the Sierra Nevada. S. aomata, ranges from California to the · Rocky mountains, and from Montana, where it is common, to New Mexico. Tr-itimwi repens, the connnon couoh~grass and qnitch-grass of the Atlantic states and Euro13e, is found probably in every state and territory. In Oregon allll Montana it is called bunch-grass; in Texas it is known as canon-grass, wild-rye, etc.; from ·Indian territory as sour-grass, and so on. It is not a valuable forage, but is eaten willingly 1 by mtttle. 2 • caninuin, another European species, is found scattered from the Atlantic to the Pacific; jt has but little value, but is one of the bunch grasses of Oregon. T. strigositni, also called bunch-grass, is more abunclimt, and is fouml from· Oa.lit'ornia and Oregon to Ooloraclo. It does not occnr in the Atlantic states, but occurs in Asia Minor and otlier 1Htrts of the Old vVorld. Tripsaoiim chwtyloides is tbe gama-grass (not grama) of the South. It is a late, coarse gra.ss, three to seven feet lligh, with leaves like those of India.n corn, and grows on moist soils from Texas to Illinois, and eastward to Connecticut. Uniola latifolia is returned from Indian territory under the names of oat-grass and wild-oats. It ranges to Illinois and Virg'iuia, on shaded hillsides. Over all this region a very considerable proportion of forage is furnished by herbaceous plants other than grasses. There are })robably some hundreds of native species'that contribute somewhat to this, some of them but little, but others very much. They belong to many natural orders, and 110attempt11as been made to enumernte them. Prominent among them are the native indigenous clovers. But five spe~ies of clover (Trifoz.imn) 11re native to the agricultural states east of the Mississippi river, while some forty species occur from tlle Hocky mountains westward. Twenty-five .of them are fouml in California alone. Some of these form an important element in the natural forage, others u,re too small or too mre .to be of much value, bnt only one ( '1.'. Andersonii) is not eaten with avidity by stock. There a.re many other species of this same natnral order (Legmninosacc), wild vetches, wild lupines, etc., eaten by stock. Plants other than the true grasses fnrnish a larger portion of the forage of' those regio11!-I "'IY]1ich have rainless summers, some of' which (alfileria, l.mr-clover, etc.) will be again mentioned. Th(~ native amnrnl species, however, is liable to be easily run ont by heavy stocking. Of the cultivated species tried to supply the 962 PASr:I.1 URE AND FORAGE PLANTS. g place of such, alfalfa (the Ohilian variety of lucerne) is the most valllable, as indeed it is the most valuable cultivated forage plant of hot and dry climates in other parts of the world. . The third great class of natural forage 1s furnished l>y shrubs, " browse feed,'' as it is called. Of the undergrowth of the forest nothing need be here said. ln this region, as else.where, if cattle and sheep range in forest and woodlands they eat the twigs and foliage of various woody plants. Bnt over many of the drier sections of the interior various shrubs form a notable feed in the winter. Prominent among these is the eelebrated "white sa.ge", or, as it is sometimes called, "winter fat" (]j}urotia lanata.), which ranges from the Sas1rntchawan to New Mexico, 1tnd from the Sierra Nevada to the Rocky mountains. After frosts come its quality is improved (as is true of other shrubs of the same order, Ohenopodia.cecc), and it is a. valuable winter forage in many p~aces in the Great Basin. Other species are here and tIJ.ere called whitH sage, but, this is the one 11a?· excellence. The name '' greasewoocl" is applied to a considerable number of plants. The most eommon ones, however, are the Sarcobatus ver??iioiilcitus imd Abione canescens, both more or less thorny shrnbs antl looking most unpromising as .forage, but which nevertheless have considerable value. Hirshia triilentata is also widely known as greasewood, ancl is eaten by stock, and so are a number of other species less common ancl of less value. The mesquite (Prosopis j1tlijtom) grows as a shrub or smitll tree on the dry slopes l1ncl mesa,s from Texas to California, and produces a crop of sweetish pods four, six or more inches long·, and each containing numerous bean like seeds. Both the pods and the seeds are eagerly eaten by stock, and are very nutritious. The plant is a nel1r relative to the carob bea.n of the Mediterranean region, which is an important :forage in Spain, Syria, and nortllem Africa. "Sage" is a name given by the early mountaineers to the shrubby species of Artemisia, found so abundantly from tbe plains to the Pacific. Tbere are many species of this genus, bitter, strong smelling, ftncl belonging to dry regions. But the name has come to have a. wider use l1mong· stoekmen, a.nd besides the white sage we lmve yellow sage, reel sage, black sage, rabbit sagci etc., applied to various species of shrubs, some· of which ru·e eaten h,y stock in extremity, others more willingly, but taken as a whole there is uot much c1epeuclenee upon browse feed, except with the white sag·e, althongll in many phtces it forms an element not to be entirely ignored. tWhen new and natural pastures become ocenpied with cattle or sheep a condition new to the region is introduced, the old balance established by nature is disturbed, and immec1iately n. cl1ange begins in the pastnrnge, as to both kind and quantity. In all such cases some of' the species mpidly diminish, and may become putirely extinct, as has 11appened in ma.ny p~uts of' the world, notably in St. Helena and other i::ilancls. Other species diminish without act1rnlly perishing from the face of the earth, So soon as such a reg·ion becomes overstocked, then the ag·greg·ate forage rapidly decreases, but nature in time supplies the i11ace with other speeies. 'flte nature of the change is determined by the species whieh composetl the original pastnres, the climate of the place, and the kind of m1imals pastured. Where.a very considera,ble portion of the forage is of n.mnuil plants, as is notabl;y the case in California, if tlle growing pl!1nt is eaten off before the seed ripens, or if the seeds foernselYes are palatable ancl are eaten, then the na.tuml seeding is prevented and the pasture rapidly diminishes; then new species come in, which a.re either less palatable to stock or have some na.tural provi.l!lion b;y which the seed is protecte 10 PRODUCTION OF MEAT. l.. ll.... '.1.' ~ With protection a.ncl care valuable species are encouraged and the pastures of an old regio~ may, and often do, become more productive than when uew, as is so notably the case in all agricultural regions; but what is to be the " conclition for the next fow years of these regions now or recently overstocked, and where the climate is dry and the original vegetation sparse in quantity compared with moister regions, no one can as yet say. What species are to take the place of those being reducecl or exterminated by overstocking· only the future can determine. Every wild imsturc has its own pernicious phmts, and our western country has its ·own share of evil species. It has burs to infoi:lt wool, lmt some of the naturalized foreign species are worse tlrn.n the indigenous ones. There are also a few poisonous weeds. The irnmes wild carrot aud wild parsnip are applied to native species of Umbelliferw which are hurtful just as they are in other parts of the world, but what the particular western species are that occasi01ially po.ison stock is unknown. IIere as elsewhere there are also some hurtful species belonging to the Ramlnoulacecv, but wlutt they are is unknown. 111 the northern regions from Oregon to Montana stockmen speak occasionally of" 1!1rkspur" as poisoning stock. There a.re many 1mti ve species oflarkspur (Dclphin·inm) belo11 ging to western America, some of them of great beauty, and are found in the gardens of Europe and the eastern states, but whfoh of them (if any) il:l chargeable for this poisoning is unknown. It is possibly a native monk'R-hood (Aconitmn Fisolwri) which is occasiomtlly founcl in this region, but is nowhere au abnncfaut plant. l!"'artller south, from Oolomdo to Texas and Oalifornht, there are a few species, known as Looo, which 11re harmful. 'rhey belong· to the genus Astrciga.liis, i1 genus represented by very many species in the west, only a very few ot which are known to be hurtful. Of the noxious ones, some are reputed to injnre stock by producing severe constipation, others produce a sort of insanity or intoxication, and rarely they produce death. There is much discrepancy of statement as to which species is harmful, or how harmful, bnt that some are harmful there seems to be no question. Ast,ra.ga.lus mollissimus from Texas and A. Hornii, from Oalifornia to Utah, are species of evil repute. But as a whole, the wild pastures of the west are unusually free from harmful species. 964 TEXAS. HISTORICAL. The following dates in Texas history are given as a guide by which to compare the growth of' the stock business: 1685. This year witnessed the beg'inning of a small French colony under the Ohevalier La Salle, who landed on the shores of Matagorda bay. This occupation was brief. 1689. A tempomry colony of Spaniards settled on the spot where La Salle liacl previously located. 1700. During the decade before and that after thfs date, the Spanish Roman Catholics built. numerous missions in Texas. The strife between the authority of Spain and that of Mexico, involving t;he Inclhtn tribes, induce~l, finally, a savage warfare, resultjng, after many massacres, in the Spanish abandonment of their possessions in Texas. 182 l. Mexico threw off the Spanish yoke, mid Texas became a tributary of Mexico. At tllG same date Austin planted his colony in 'l'exits. The independence of Texas was practically secured in 1836; it; wtts acknowlcdge(l by our Congress to be an independent republic in 1839, and was annexed to tho United States in 1845. The next ;ye1w tho Mexican war occrirred. Before 1775, al'ter the founding of the town of Laredo, which was the only permiment settlement of qw Spanianls on the lower Uio Grande, ranches and lrncienchts had exteudell over the countrybetweeu the Nueees and the Rio Grande, and at the beginning of this century extensive herds of catitle, sheep, and horses grazed on the luxuriant pasture between those rivers. IJater, when the Spn.ninrds were driven from their Texas settlements, mid dnring the border warfare of the Texas revolution (1830-1830), when the inhabitants of that region were a Unbrancled neat cattle over a yen.r old, in the langn11ge of Texas ranchmon, nro ca1lec1 '' mnverickH ", and are bmmlecl by the ono · who first has op11ortunity. !Jll5 12 PRODUCTION OF MEAT. with but o;1ight hnsines~ with California, live-stock greatly increased in numbers; but they were neg·Jectl~ll, olcl cattle accumnhtted, and a large pei:;centage of the calves for four years escaped branding or receivell other brands than those of their rightful owners. Agencies, however, establishell ·within the state for mutual protection, apportioned their administmtiott to cover many distriets, each fnrnishing its quotn, of executive assistants who rounded up, branded, etc., while un account \vas kept for the interests of absent ptwties. The system worked well, imcl'preserved the cattle business from chaos. While ca.ttle in Texas could then be bought at an am:irage of $3 to $4 per h~ad, the same stock would ba.ve brought $30 or $40 in the no1·thern strLtes; and mature beeves which cost in Texas but $5 each by the hercl were worth $50 each in other sections of the Unit'etl States. Slleep did not increase iwoportionately with catitle; the shepherd's staff was turned i11to a sword, ancl llis . stock snflered :from neglect; scab ancl other cliseases prevailetl; exposed to tbe ravages of storms, thieves,.~tncl wild animals, they clegeneratetl ancl decreased ra.pidly. Sunh was the condition until 1865, when began tlie cattle traffic as part of the regular supplies of the other ·states. The total number of Clittle faken from Texas by northern drives alone since 1865 is 4,223,500, or an aiverage annual drive of 281,566. To these there must be added from 70,000 to 100,000 driven to California a.ncl from 100,000 to 125,000 to Ne~v Mexico and Arizona. Beside many taken out by Oortinas and other Mex.icm1 raiclers, th large iiumber were driven north spasmodically and without reliable record from 1846 to 1866. All going out by trail we may safely t~stimate to make a gmnd totn,l of 5,000,000 cattle previo1~s to 1881. By sea we find the exports up to 1S5!) and for 1866, as estin111tec1, were 1,383 head; returns from customs districts since 1859, 246,617; total, 248,000. We have been ni:1alllc to obtain the figures of the munl.Je.r of cattle transported beyond the state by each railrou By milroall, schetlnle returns, 1880 ~ •• _... _. _.. • • • . • . . . • • • . . • . . • . . • • ...... • ...... • • • . • • • • • • . . • . . . • . • . • . . 78, 000 By r11ih·on.<1, previous yenrs, llAtimatetl. .••...... ,. . . • • . • • . • • • • ...... • • • • • • . • • • ...... • . . . • • • • • • . . 150, 000 Hy northern 1Mvcs, 1.8fifi-1880 (a) ...... ~ .•••••.••••••..•.•.•...•.•...•.....•••..•••.•..• 4, 22.'3, 500 By drives previons:to 18U6, estimated...... 870,500 By sea, returns of customs clistricts sinoe 1850 ..••..•••••..•. _....•• : ...... , . • . . . • . • • • • • • • • • . • • • • •. . 246, 017 By 'sea., estimato!l f'o1· certa,iu years (b) .••.•••••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.••••••••••• : • • • • • • • • • 1, 383 Tot111. •. -·· ...... •...... ••.••••.•.•••••..••••..••••.•.•••..•....••.•.•.••••••••••.•••••• 5, 576, 000 == .At the close of the war the cattle.supply in the north was greatly reclncecl, while in Texas tho supply ~as large and prices were very low. These facts induced a. drive in 1866 of about 260,000, with Sedalia, Missouri, as the objective point. Notwithstanding the wide margin between the purchasing price in Texas and the Rolling price in the northern markets tho business wns generally disastrous to those wllo invested in it beeause of the 1t1'ntetl n'istanet~ of' organized bodies of men in southern Kn.usas and Missouri who forbade the drovers to· eross thoso states. This sometimes resulted, wlrni.1 the Texas men persevere(l in their nim, even in the killing of' some drovers, or in the stampeding and stealing of their herds, or in subjection to n, heavy tax for safe tmnsi.t; other o. Seo ca.ttle drive, p. 21. b Estiurnted for the years prior to 1859 when exports ·were not prepared and published, and for 1866 when no statement was prepi~red ancl publiRhecl, 1111cl for tbe yea,rs 1861, 1862, nnd 1863 when no returns were received by tbe bureau of statistics. 006 . I S'I'ATE OF TEXAS. 13 I was the next largest drive, heing about 500 000, taken to Wichita, Ellsworth, and Ooffeyville, Kansas. Thereafter 7 no drive exceeded that of 1880, which was 384,147. Since the wnr raHroacl and sea trans1:wrtn,tfon have figured ln,rgely in the Texas cattle traffic. P ASTUiiAGE. Of the total area of tlle state of Texas about 13!.l,OUO,OOO acres were occupied, to a greater or less extent, by live-stock in 1880. In some portions, flS notably in the counties of El Paso, Pecos, and Presidio, tl,1e occupation wns very small in proportion to the pa1-1turage, there being only 11bout 15,000 cattle and 30,000 sheep to an area of 20,800,000 ncres, of which 17,000,000 acres might he desigmiitecl a.s pasture-land. If cattle only were counted, there were in th at section of Tr.xas over 1,100 acres of pastnrn.ge·to each head, and counting sheep only, there were above 500 acres of availa,ble pasture to each head, or, ratiug five sheep equal to one "cow", there were some 800 acres of pasturage for each head of' stock in the conn ties above nn,mecl. As cattle in the whole of Texas occupy abont 13!.l,000,000 acres, while the sheep occupation is restricted to 125,500,000 acres, it follows that, beyoncl the limit shf.l.recl by both, the cattle occupied, at, the close of 1880, about 13,500,000 acres undis1mted by sheep. The further extension of the grazing area is larg·ely dependent on the discovery of some successful means of obtaining water where grass can 11ow be obtaiue(l. Whi1t; is commonly known as the Llano Estacada or Staked Plains com1lrises within the stato of Texas about 15,000,000 acres of tr\hle-land, elevated and dry. 'J:he descent on all sides of this plateau to the lower country arournl it is extremely rugged. Broken peaks ·project from the outstretchiug spnrs, while the main lines of bulwark are cleft here aml there by cailons, sometimes but a few rods wide a,t the base, and inclosiug pasture severah miles in breadth, watered by occasional springs. J. G. McCoy, who carefully explored the Pm1handle and adjacent Texas dming 1he antnlJ1n of 1880, reports two notable instances. One is n,Jong the Red river. "The valley is 11bo11.t 90 miles long by f'roin 10 to 20 miles broad. 'l'lrn side wnJls rise perpendicularly to a height of from 600 to 1,000 feet, constituting impassable bnrriers and inclosing a nrngnitlcent pasture of many thousitnds of acres. It includes ttll the watered portion of the immediate section of country, aml is owned aud occupied by a single firm, which holdfl 20,000 heacl of creek, in Hansford county. 1 The southwestern part of the Panhandle, comprising the counties of Parmer, Castro, Swisher, and portions of Deaf Smith, Randall, and Briscoe, are within the boundaries of the Llano Estacado. Three eigbths of the Panhandle are at present unavailable for want of water. .About one-tenth of one per cent. of the area of the Pm1handle is timbered. In the cations of the npper Red river th~re is cedar of large size. Bordering Wolf creek considerable cotton-wood is to be found. Throug·hout the Panhandle the only storm-breaks are those formed by caiions and gorges; for this reason heavy losses follow the" drifting'' of stock before gales, such as those of November, 1880, The pastures of the Panhandle are also exposed to the ravages of wolves, which prey on the young stock. The occupation is principally by " squatting·", though there are instances, as mentioned under the head of "Pasture areas", where land has been purchased at from 30 to 50 cents per acre. Along the Canadian river, for about three-fifths of the distance across the Panhandle, tbe blnfl's are high and precipitous, exposing an outcropping of limestone. In Potter county they dwindle to hillocks and soon disappear. The soil of the Panhandle seems to be composed, when not sandy, of vcgeta,bfo mold and disintegrated limestone. The valleys a.re rich. The becl of Reel river is a .reel cl:iy. This section of Texas is much better adapted to cattle than to sheep. While the former occupy about five-eighths of it, the latter are held on little more than two-fifths, principally in the east and west central parts. The state has 3,050,000 acres located in tile Panlmndlc, m1d private parties have also taken up land along the '\ streams to a great; extent. BETWEEN TI:IE ONE HUNDREDTH MERIDIAN AND THE PECOS (EXCLUSIVE OF 1.'HE PANHANDLE). As we go southeastward toward the Bra.zos tile meridian of 101° 30' is the average westem limit of stock occupancy, from whfolt cattle increase in density eastward. There is a sheep district in and abont Orosby cot1nty; otherwise, cattle 11ave almost sole possession west of !)!:JO 30'. vVitllin the occupied area we find 11 very dry conntry north of :t line extending diagonally from Mount Cooper, iu the southwestern corner of Garza county, to the mouth of' Bnft'alo creek, in Wilbarger county, ~tltllough both forks of Pease river and the headwaters of the Big Wichita, flow through this region. This has 11 rough, broken smface of red, sanely soil, often worn into cailons by the rush of waters during the rainy seasons. Notwithstanding the usual dryness of this tract of countr;y, the :for1•ge growth is considerable. Beside the "black grama" aud some huffalo-grass, the mesquite shrub abonncls, bearing· in the early antnmu clusters of pocls, which are said to equal Indian corn in fattening properties. , vVhen, in 1874and1875, the iirst wl1ite settlers came into this region the mesquite, which was found in scattered clumps almost everywhere, was growing to the height allll spread of a ten-year-old apple-tree, this growth being i>riucipally ou the uplands. It furnished the vioneers with fence.rails and fuel. When cut there sprang up from each root from five to twenty.five shoots, which bear the anmrnl crop so beneficial to stock. South m1d east of U1e dry region above indicated the country is better wa,tered and not so broken. 'rile basin of' the upper Brazos river is a broad fertile valley, varying in width from one to five miles. Eastward the black grama-grass is less abundant aml sage disputes possession with it;, This is the earliest grass aud is the best spring and summer feed. Buffalo and grama grasses become valuable when the first frosts have driecl up or kiUed the sage, !'fi10se ranges are the most valtutble where both :flourish. \7Vhere the buffi:110 and gram11 grasses and mesquite prevail no winter feed is required for sheep, but east of longitnde !)80 30' cotton-seed and prairie hay iire serviceable, if not essential. The sheep business is in its infancy in this section, bnt the country is as well adapted for sheep n.s for cattle. The great drawback to northwest:em Texas is the bad character of its water. .All the rivers and many of the crocks are more or less allmline. In ancl about Baylor county they are called "crotou" creeks, from their effects upon lb an. The upper Pease and Wichita waters are impregnated with sa~t, gypsum, and alkali. They are offensive to both taste and smell. Nevertheless it is ai:iserte valley, more extensive mid richer than those in the west. The soil is generally a sandy alluvium. Farther west, in Tom Green, tlie country decreases from hilly ruggedness to gentle undulations, but the soil grows poor and sanely towarc.l the wastes of the Llano Estacada, while water is found at wider intervals and is impregnated with alkali. Genera.U;r in this region the running streams, alwa;ys small, flow over rock smfaccs. Beside this and the rivers before mentioned are springs, poucls, and water-holes, of which only a few last through the 110t wen.ther. The mesquite bnsh is found everywhere. A.long the streams grow pemms, oaks, elms, and hackberry. In Tom Green n,ncl Crockett counties the grasses are the mesquite (a), both curly and jointed, black grarua, buffalo, and sage, with occasionally others of' less value. Farther south, along the Mexican border, in Kinney and Maverick counties, occurs the prairie grass, which is cnt for hay to supply government posts, and other plants of special value to stock are found, as the "juahia", the "sotal ", the "nopal" cactus, the "saladio", the '' baradulcia" or greasewood. The first is eagerly sought by cattle mul sheep in the spring, when it furnishes a juice of tlie taste and the color of milk. The second, which l'esembles the Spanish bayonet, so common all over Texas, growing usually on gravelly spots and other poor soils, is very fattening. The shepherd cuts off the top of strong thorns with his "machette", a heavy sword-like knife, that his sheep ma.y get at its juicy, nutritious interior. Where both sotn.l and nopal cactus a.re found, sheep will thrive without water for a long time. • The "baradulcia" or greasewood is extremely palatable and nutritions to stock in winter. In times of drought the many varieties of plants other than grass, growing to greater O'J.' less extent in all iihe border counties of the Rio Grande along its whole extent to the Gulf, contribute greatly to the value of pasture. The only avaifoble grazing in Oroekett county is along the Pecos, 1tnd between San Pedro or Devil's river and the Pecos the country is exceedingly rough. In portions of' the country near Mexico, the depredations committed b;y thieves who cross from the soutl1 side of the Rio Grande often make the property if not the lives of stockmen insecure.· In those parts of westem Texas where there are hoth sheep and cattle, the former are much more numerous than the latter, and though their occu1mtiou is coniinecl to the eastern half of Tom Green, to Nolan, u.ncl parts of 1\fitchell and Fi:sher in the north, and to the counties of Kinney and Maverick in the south, they outnumber, by nearly 100,000 head, the neat stock, whose range is much more extensive. There are a few sheep along the Pecos in Crockett count.y. WEST OF THE PEOOS. This section has, perhaps, the least stock facilities of m1y equal grazing area in the state, beeause of remote situat,ion, exposure to Mexican and India11 depredations, great dryness, and the broken character of the country a.nd uneven quam.y of the pasture. Olose n.long the J{,io Grande, where the land is not too rugge conn try. oil In tbe broad yalJeJ' Ia.ulls running· for nef1r1y a, hundred miles, and with a width of 30 miles on t;ho eirnt sicle of the Ohinati arnl Capote mountains, there is goocl grass, but this entire region is almost destitute of water. From all surface indications, howev.er, the mining and the railroacl engineers, who surveyed the country in 187!1aml1880, state that an abuucfance of water will be found at but little depth. SOUTH OF THE NUEOES. The region south of the Nueces river, bounded 011 the west b;y the I~fo Gmncle and by the one lmndreclth meridian, has a very even character of good pasture over its entire extent, excepting wl1ere the Rio Grancle border, averaging 10 miles in width, is overspread by a too dense growth of' cactus, clutparral, and mesquite bush. The last two growths are spreading and injuring thl' quality of the pasture for cattle-grazing. I i~ c11ch a. A grass unll shrub have the name mesquite. 900 II 16 PHODUOTION OF MEArr. The four eonnties of Nueces, Cameron, Hidalgo, ancl Starr, near the coast, contain 75 per cent. of all the cattle in this section, Nueces alone having 46 prr cent. In these counties, south of latitude 300, and as far west in St.arr county as Rio Grande city, the soil is wholly alluvial. .From the last point limestone comes in and strotc1ies Dorthwostwarcl: covering the northern i1ortions of Hidalgo and Cameron. All over the alluvial soil the mesquit is the prevailing· grass. But in the north of the two counties just named, and extel:lding far into the Nueces through wlrnt fa called "The Sands", we find the most abnudm1t and valuable forage to be wha.t are rather indefinitely defined as sa.ge and salt grasses. The names given for the forage plants are necessarily indefinite, owing to the vo,riable use of the same name in difl'erent localities ancl by cliff:'ero11t people, Mexican or American. Colonel Sykes, comumnding fort I3row11 in 1870, in a report dated in October of that year, uncler the head of'" grasses", after mentioning the counties of Cameron and Hidalgo as probably ihe best grazing region h1 the state of Texas, stnted that" the. most severe droughts scarcely affect, the grn,ss, which mn,kcs a good qualit.y of hay * ~ 1 * excepting a i;;pecics of .~alt-grass that withstands all droughts aud makes good pastnmge iiit nll times, hnt is not fit for hay." II. S. Hock, the post guide and scout at fort Brown, filling in a printetl circular of pasture inquiries, wrote: "'l'he sand region in northem Cameron is principally covered with a S}lecies of sage-grass, affording good pasture never affected hy drought." Along the coast there also grows a burr-grass, very excellent for cattle and horses, bnt not goocl for sheep. There is some" grama" in the coast; counties; i1; increases in quantity as we go northwest. For accounts of the imsture in the i·egion n,bove Zapata county to the eastern boundaries of Mn.verick rnul Khiney, we rely chiefly upon the testimony of ti.rrny officers and circulars, as the season of ftelcl·work in this part of Texas was unfavorable for pasture examination, following as it dicl a, long period of drought, when tlw graRses were neither in :flower nor in seed. First in order come the mesquit and the grama; next, the "gramille" (a) described by 0aptain Oa.raher, of fort Mcintosh (in General Orel's report, June, 1870) ; "an articnlate EAST OF THE ONE HUNDIWDTH MEIUDIAN AND NORTH OF THE NUEOJJJS. (' In this section of Texa.s, for about eighty miles in breadth along the Gulf, .the fine, quick-fattening gmssos flourish. These are juicy a.nd luxuriant, putting cattle in sle.ek condition for near markets in summer ancl falL In all the region between Matag·orda, San Antonio, and Mason county, and a line thence northeast through Monta.gue county to the Red riYer, we hfwe a country of an average agricultural condition sufficient to distinguish its stock production from that of the general mnch system elsewhere. The farm in this region is the hom~steacl, the suppl;y station, the dependence. Here is the area of smaller but more valtrnble hel'ds under closer care. Here . are provi~ions for shelter ancl feed in times of storms and droughts. Here extent of pastnre is re.placed by the llrOducts of cultivation; after the farm crop is gathered the stock consume the gleanings. This region of farms and nmches combined in central and eastern Texas covers about one-half the available pa.sture a,rea of ·the sta.te. As we travel southward from its center we fipcl the nativa plants of pastoral southern Texas beginning to nppear. ·west of the ninety-seventh degree of longitude arn more of the rich, hardy, coars',l, tuft and bunch-growing grasses of the elevated prairie ranges of northwestem Texas and the Panhandle. Owr the north and miclllle i1ortions of eastern and central Texas there are, beside some of the distinguishing grasses of the extreme sect.ions, the mesquite, at home in almost every part of Texas, the blue grasses, and other cultivated herbage, as the clovers, orchard grass, timothy, herd and Hungarian grass, and millet. Agricult'flre over all the country that may be worth cultivation is much retarded, and the ranch interests are proportionally fostered by that policy of tlle state (b) which sells and rents the public and school lands in large tracts. Alreacly we frequently find west of longitude 98° 30' extensiYe areas, sometimes whole counties, in the possession of stockmen or associn.. tions of capitalists, who have in many cases inclosecl these estates. The extent and regular successio~1 of the investments already accomplished constitute a hinderance t0 the adrnnce of agriculture. Although the area of timber iu the state is stated to comprise about 2s,ooo,ooo acres, not more than from 5,0oo,ooo to 7,ooo,ooo forbid pasture, and three-fourths of that is on the eastern borders of the state. The mozement of stock westward since 1876 has been very marked. East of a line running northeast from Eu.gle Pr1ss on the Rio Grande throngh Mason, Weatherford, aud Gainesville to H.ed river, stock has decreased in its ratio of annual production, cattle especially. West of that line, for the two or three tiers of counties down to the thirty-first degree of' latitude, a balance has been maintained. Elsewhere over all of the state from the Canadian river to the Rio Grande the increase has been great, partly derived from the coast, partly from New Mexico and a Probably" grama" grass. b fli() There are state lands, but no Unitecl States government lands in Texas. llll STATE OF TEXAS. 17 Colorado. Various reasons have promoted a movement from tlte eastward: agricultnre and fence laws both result in restraints on stock; wealthy, long-established proprietors extend their ranges b:y purchase and fencing; and the removal of the Indians in the northwest left room for open-range herc1ing. There has been a movement of stock into th-is regfon from New Mexico, partly because of stock thieves and Indiu.ns in that territory, and from Colorado because of overstocked pastures. · For from 00 to 100 miles from the Gulf a rich belt of dense cattle occu1mtion extends from the Rio Grande to the Sabine. It is an expanse of rich pasturage, almost unbroken except by rivers and lagoons, with markets by sea to Onb~b and New Orleans and by land to the west and northwest. .Agriculture limiting it on the north and the west will prevent its extension in those directions. M.A.N.AGEMilJNT UPON THE RANGE . .A mrLn ttbout to enter on stock-raising on his own account may be supposed to have some experience with stock. He selects a location for a ranch where there is n, suitable extent of grazing·-range with water allowing for increase of his stock in the future. For cattle he will aim to control from 1U to 25 acres per head; fol' 8heep from 5 to 15 acres ller head. 'l'hrougl10ut Texas he will possess by ownership or lease suflicient water·rights to -0ontrol all the range he deems necessiny for his use. Often he owns or leases ancl fences about one-half' of the laml used. In 11 convenient locmtiou he builds rt rough ltouse, genera.11~' of logs, corrals for stock, arnl whatever is necessary for simple home admiuistmtiou of tt ra~ch. He must now decide ·upon a brnnd for his stock. Tlti.s requires some ingenuity, as the device, whether letter or figure, or whatevttr else, must differ from all other bmnds in that section of tbe countr;y. Beside the brand there must be a distinctive ear-mark or a" Wttttle'' ('i. e., flesh-mark) cut elsewhere thau in the mw. The brand and the mark arc recorded in the county books, and a .certificate is given for the same, in which way till right and titl('. to all stock bearing the peculiar brnml and mark, wherever found in the state, are legally assured to him. The conveyance, by ltrticles of writing, of this bran cl is n title cleed as effective as a laud deed. If the sale is of a small number, or imrt only of a man's herd, the purcltaser counterbrands. In other cases than those of conveying stock u.nd of "roacl" branding preparatory to drives, the marking of cattle by irons and flesh-marks is doue as soon as the calves are dropped or found . .As a r~1le, in Texas, the cattleman must keep ltis stock more or less under control,for which purpose his "cow boys" daily ride over the rounds to see that the fences are in repair, or patrol the limits of the range t.o prevent the· stock overrunning the bounds or to clrive them back. Uncler fence, .one "vaquero" ca.n care for several thousa.ncl head. Range-riding requires more men. Because of this constant oversight, which includes bru.ndings as the calves are dropped, the practice of spring "round-ups" is uncommon, except in the Panhandle, where Oolomdh111s and New Meximtns have introduced the custom. The large cattle-raiser bree 11000 throe-year-old cows, at $9 50 .•.•.••.•.•••..•.••.•. ·----- ..•.•••.••...... ---- •...... •••••.... 9, 500 00 40 bulls, at $20 ...... •...... •.••.•....•...... ••.....•...... •.. 800 00 12,350 00 l!'ree range, 30, 000 !tores. Beginning with such an investment the annual current expenses of management wm be somewhat as follows: Two hands, monthly wages, $25 each and·board, $10 each, $840; cook, monthly wages, $20; board, $10, $300; taxes on 1,040 heacl10f cattle, $125; 50 sn,cks of salt at $2 50, $125; horseshoes, $112 50; total, $1,562 50. ..A.t the end of five years, calculating upon the basis of making no sales all(l with exemption from all serious casualty, the herd may :be estimated to reach a total of 4,812 head, distributed as follows: Calves, I,157; yearlings,. 914; two-year-oltl steers, 35~; three-year-old steers, 285; four-year-old steers, 285; old cows, 773; young cows arnl two-year-olcl heifers, 992; ol'tl bulls, 30; yonug· bulls, 24; having iu the mean time purchased 25 additional bull:;. O.A.TTLE-RAISING. THE P .ANH.A.NDLE.-'l'he Panhandle of Texas was first partially stocked in 1876. In November, 187'7, Mr. Charles Goodnight located a, 'herd of 2,200 head of cattle at the head of Ued river, in the so-called Palo Duro caiiou, having entered the PanlrnncUe from son them Colorado. Tlrn.t region has been rapidly stocked since both by natural increase and by purchase, mostly from lower Texas, and in July, 1880, the time of this inveRtigation, there \Vere, ns tlte reports showed, 225,857 head .of cattle in tliis part of the state. . . The intelligence and enterprise of the Panhandle stockmen are very noticeable. Several successfhl efforts have been made to improve herds by the use of Kansas and l\ihisouri high-grade shorthorn bulls. The second cross between such shorthorn bull and th(:) Texas co"' was estimated in the best-conducted herds to avemge, on tho range, 1,100 pounds at three and one-half years of age live weight, while the native Texan steer of the same age, under the same ciretunstauces, only attained a weight of 825 pounds. Many cattlemen, who have l'ngagerl in the business with large capital, lrnve secured a title to" their stock-ranges by pmchnse of' state 01· of rnilroatl laucl. Th~ further improvement of the henl beyond the first cross of the shortl10rn bull and the Texas cows does uot briug, it is claimed, a pro1Jortionate increase of good qualities, since the high-g·rade cow fails to thrive as well as the lrnlf. breed clnring sen.sons of greatest scarcity of feed, not being·, in the vernacular of ranchmen, as good a" rustler" (a} as the "i:;traight Texas" or as the half-breed. The failure to obtain ~•high percentage of increase, the severe storms of early spring, and the presenee of the gray and the ulack wolves in many sections, matei·ially lower the ca,lf~branding of many herds. No stock-cattle are marketed from the Panhandle. The beef produced is driven to Dodge City, Caldwell, or· Hunnewell, in Kansas, and from these points much is shi1)ped to Kansas City and beyon,d. It will be noted from the above that the region is ocqupied by ra.nclnnen f'nrnishiug as yet only fat beeves fit for the market of that season, a btlsiness, in general, distinct from that of the lo\ler Texas cattle-growers, and encouraged by the advantages of climate, grazing, and adjacent railroacl transportation, f01mcl in the .Panhandle, and by the fact that as yet the region is not fully stocked. The average wages paid here to cowboys is $30 per month, with board, costing $10 per month, added. '!'he home ranch and tlrn stable 11re genera,lly comfortable structures of logs. • The former, in some cases, is built of adobe and sometimes takes the form of a "dug-out". The corrals are built stockade fashionr while the food furnished to tlie stock hands is in greater variety than is usually founcl in a Te:x:as cow-carn1l. The cattle are not handled during winter, nor is line-riding or loose herding practiced strictly, but an oversight of the range is maintained, as far as can be done in a region exposed to storms before whi.ch stock drift, The scattering of stock incident to the seasons, and the practice of allowing the cattle to take riretty much their own course in winter, require a systematic method of rounding up in the spring and at different times during the smnmer and fall. All the stockmen of a certain section of country co-operate in this work, each man furnishing his wagon nud on~fit of men, who, working in harmony with others, nuder a "ca.ptain of the round-up", gatlier and l>rand the young calves aml return to their range the cattle of the bancl they are handling. ..A.fter the general ~-round-up", ( b) the beef cattle are gathere Topeka ancl Santa Fe railroad. During the fall and winter, when the stock receives least attention, one rider to 1,200 or 1,500 head of cattle is employed, but in the spring and summer two or three men to the same number of !) animttls are actively engaged on the range. Such sadcJie animals as are in use in the cold season are generally · .j fed corn, which costs the rancllman 2k to 3 ceuts per pound laid down at his camp. The Panhandle has proved to be a very favorable stock section, its chief disadvantages being the' spring storms, the prevalence in some parts of the large wolf, aml the existence in the uorthettsteru portion of the loco. Considerable loss has already been sustained in the P~mhanclle from tlle Texas fever, contracted from llerds j1•.l.,..·· driven from lower Texas. The average annual loss on adult acclimated cattle from all causes in the Panhandle is @ placecl by ranchmen i1t not over 5 per cent. On herds from lower Texas a loss of 10 per cent. is usually experienced ~ the first winter. Losses at the hands of stock thieves, wuen cattle range far out on the edges of the Llano Estacado, occasionally swell the amount beyond the average figure. At the date of this research the stockmen were m1tkiug an effort to secure legislative protection from the inroads of lower Texas cattle dnring the summer months. BETWEEN '.l'HE ONE HUNDRIBD'.l'll 11muIDIAN AND '.l'IIE .PECOS RIVmt (exclusive of thePf111handle).-Iu themg'ion immediately south of the Panlrn11dle, and extending also co.st of the one hundredth meridian, were the homes and the hunting grounds of the Kiowa and the Oonrnnche Indians until 187 4 and J 87 5, when they were snbduell and removed to reservations in the Indian territory. It was not, howev~r, until a. year or two later that.the country attracted any considerable attention. As early as 1872, Slrnrd Brothers located their preseut rauch in Wichita count;y1 where they were alone and exposed to Indian depredatious for several years. Next Daniel Wagoner brought in from Decatur a stock of cattle 20 miles lower on the Wichita river. The great IiYe-stock m1trket establislled in western Kansas had g·iven a powerful impetus to cattle-breeding in Texas, while the mpid settfo!nent of the central part of the state by agriculturists obliged stockmen to look elsewhere for new grazing sections. These causes, and the practical set.tlernent of the Indian question, excited in 1877and1878 an exodus of cattlemen aml herds from other parts -0f Texas, a movement which still continues. No stock-cattle were driven in 1880 from this reg'ion to the K1tnsas market, the country receiving, on the contrary, many herds from nearly every lmrt of Texas except the Panhandle. Only fat, mature cattle wen~ driven into Kansas, the cost of driving to the railroad at Oaldwell or at Hunnewell being about 75 cents per head, and requiring thirty to forty days. The route taken by these beef herds was Uy way of Fort Sill to a junction with the Fort Wortll trail near Rush springs, Indian territory. Stockmen in the northern part of this region hold their ranges only by the insecure title of first occupancJ·, few of them owning tlrn land on which their mtmps are lomtted, aml fewer still having a purchase-right to the territory pastured by their cattle. The log cabin, pole corrals, and limited cnmp outfit of a stock-camp of this section represent ordinarily nn outhty of bnt tt few hundrecl dollars. The average wngcs imid to experiencecl riders is $25 per month and board, the latter costing· about $8 per month. In the line of provisions, the sim1)lest .articles only find i>lace in these camps; flour, bacon, coffee, sugar, ancl simp being the staples, while beef killed from the range contributes the remaining substantial food. The•cattle of northwest Texas are iu a large measure controlled or held on their ranges by a system of ''line ;ricling". The cowboys engagell in this work ltre called "line.riders"; they live usually in cmnps in the summer season und in "dug-outs" during winter, on the borders of' the range. These camps are located some 20 miles apart, and each contains two men, who ride every chty in sepamte directions ha,lf' way towal' Though the producer sometimes takefl his own cattle to the northern markets, they are nsua.Uy taken by t1 ·special r1rover. Taking contracts to deliver stock-eattle to fill specified requirements of number, age, sex, aml condition, young cattle to be grazed to matnrit.y or young cows for breeding, or to deliver' l!eeyes (i. c., steers ancl dry cows) for Indian agencies, packing-houses, aud other slaughter, or, planning for his own account, to put .on the trail what will answer profitably the demands he believes will arise, the drover, early in the year, .goes to that region of the state where he expects to find suitable stock and visits the various ranches. Having 973 I 20 PRODUCTION OF MEAT. bought the cattle and arranged with the sellers to deliver his imrchases on a :fixed day at a certain l)Oint, he goes to some horse ranch and buys such a lot of horses as shall carry his drove through, say 40 horses for each average chovo of 2,SOO to 2,500 cattle. Ile also engages about a dozen cowboys for each such drove, at the rate of $25 to $30 per month, and a " boss" drover as captain and field 'manag·er of the stock, equipment, and men, at $90 per mouth. Having made these engagements, and purchased camp-wagon, team (four mules or four oxen), cooking utensils, and other necessaries of an outfit, he is ready to receive his purchases, only enough coming in at 1~ time to ma,ke one drove, which is· road-branded, and is then started out on the trail. So the deliveries go on until all his dl'oves are under way. When first put on the road the cattle m·e closely guarded and driven brii:1kly fo1· several c~ays, until the danger of their breaking am1y for home is passed. For the :first few days at sunset the drove is "rounded np" compactly, and half' of the men, relieyed by the other half at midnight, ride i·ound and round the bed-ground. This labor decreases as the cattle become tractable, and two men at each watch are then sufficient to guard them through the night. The ordinar;y order of march is the foreman ahead, searcldng for camping place with grass and water; the drove drifting onwar(l in the sltape of a wedge, the str@ng few stretching 011t to a sharp point in front, then the line growing thicker and wider, until in the butt end is crowded the mass. On each side of the lead rides a man on "point", tllat is, to direct the column. Back where the line l>egins to swell 1·icle two more at "swing·", further back ride two nt "flank", and the 'emainder are 011 "drag", (i. e., about the i·ear,) to push on the march. These positions give cowboy rank. The "greenlloms" or "tender-feet" serve at "drag", while tho cowboys experienced in driving hold the places at "point", the llOSt of honor. These distinctions arc observed at mess and bed. One man drives the horse herd apart from the line of cattle, or, with large 'bands, two men are employed: Tbe distance traveled each. day is 12 or 15 miles, according to grass and water. At daybrca,k tbe cattle are moved off the "bed-grouncl" to graze, and while the two men who were lust on guard remain with them all other bands breakfast. The first to finish breakfast relieve the guards on duty and allow them to come in for their morning meal. Then, the horses being caught an cl saclcllecl, and the cook having cleaned UJl, the clrive is started aml continued nntil about eleven, when the cattle a.re allowed to graze again, and lunch or dinner is ei1te11. Immediately after that the men who are to stanclfirst guard at night, and who also act as horse-herders, go on ahead with tho mess wagon and the horses to the next ca.mp, where they get supper, so that when the herd comes up they are rmt ONE HUNDRED AND THREE DROVES ON DROVERS' ACCOUNT . .------··-·····•·"'" ___ ,_,,,.______, ______Dll8TINATION. ----·------·--- --·------·------, : , u' , Dil'cct into To Nebrnsk11, To ppe1 Inclinn torr!· To Color1ulo \Vyoming, Missoul'ilnllinn tory for for Sol!l in Diiliotn,, nncl agencies fo1· brcedlng pnr. stooklIJg. :Knnso.s City. Montnnn. lJeof. poses. 1------·-·--' _____ ...... -t•... --1------1-----1 Yearlings...... • ...... 401 777 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• 11, 052 21 050 ••••••••••.••• Two-yenr.olds . . • . . • ...... 52, 870 . • . • • . • • • • • • • . • • 11, 002 1, 250 •••••••••••••. Three-year·olds . • • • . • •• . . •• . . . • .. • . . 18, 080 13, 508 870 1, 075 20, 900 Fom-yMr·ol 123,0SS head, of which 58,000 were sold for stock purposes (tnd 24,831 for beef in Indian territory, and 401207 for stocking in Kansas. The composition of these 164 droves is shown below: · ------·-····------·------.,..-----....,----.,.---- Number. Per cent. ______,_____ Number. ,___ Per cent. _ Total.... . • . • ...... •• ...... •. .• ...... 884, 147 100 Throe-year-olds .••.•...••.....•.•••..•••.•••••••..•••... 60, 087 17 Four-yenr-oltls ...... 48, 237 11 Yonrlings...... 124, 007 113 Dry cows .....•.••...... •.•....••..•...••••••.....•.. 80, 060 8 Two-ym1r-ol ------·-·--:------~---~~~-- .A.11 the yearlings and two-year-olds above speciiied and about one-third of the remainder, or 75 per cent. in all, were for stock imrposes, or for g-mziug, and 25 per cent. were for slaughter, either at once or according to the demands for beef at the Imlim1 a.gencies of the upper Missouri river and Indian territory. Tliese droves averaged 2,34,2 bead eaeh, n.11d required the services of 1,fHl8 men, or au average of 12 men to a. drove. The nmnl:>er of saddle horses useil was G,49 11, an aYerage of 3.3 llori:;es to each i11ttn. The estinrntecl loss in driving to Km1saH was n,ooo head. 'ro drive from. southwestern Texas to the vicinity of Ogallalla, Nebraska, for Nebraslrn antl \Vyoming required about 00 cfays. To drive from Texas to For!; Dodge, or to Oaldwell for Kansas Oity, required 35 days; to Pneblo, Oolorado, 7G days. Of' the above cattle 25,033 were from the Panhandle; 54,147 from Texn.s south of the Nueces river, ancl almost two-thirds of' the whole from the regions east of the lOOth meridiu,n. The cattle sold in Kansas Oity for beef were from the Panhandle and tlrnt; portion of Texas contiguous to t1rn Red river. The cattle clrive11 to Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana were. practically stock cattle. .A. large number of' cattle were sold in Kansits to be driven back into the Indian territory for stock purposes by reason of chal!ges of demancl arising late in tl1e season. The cattle sold in Kn,us~s for beef in the Indian t0rritory were bought by contmctors for the agencies. The following table exliibits the "clrive" of Texas cattle to various points for the respective yen.rs, as derived from records of each year: Por Sedttlia, Missouri : (a) . 18GG. -...... •.....••...... •. -••..••.•.• - ••..•.••••••.••••••.•.•.•••.•••..••••••...•••••• 260,000 To A!Jileno, Kansas; --~~ 1867 ..•••.....•••.. : • • • • • • • • . . • • • ...... _.••••• ~ • • • . :JG, 000 1868 .•....•. ···•·· .•.. -··· .... ·--······-········ •..• .••... .••••• ...... ••••..••••••• ...... •... 75,000 1860...... • • . • . • • • • . • . • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • . . • . . • • • • • . • • . • • . • • • • • • • . • • . . • • • • • . . • • . • • . • • • • • • • • . • • . . . • . • • • • . . il50, 000 1810 ...... •.•••.•.••..•••..•.•• _. • • • • . • • • • . . • • • • • • . . • • • • . • • • • • . . . • • • .. • • . • . • • • • • • • • • • • • . • aou, ooo 1871. •••••..••••••...••.....•..••... ···-·············· ••••••.•••••••••••••••.•••••••• ••••.••••••••••••·· 700,000 1,460,000 To Wichita and Ellsworth, Kansas: 1872. -•••.••.• , ••••..•.••.•• - •.•..• -. . • . • • • . • • • • . . • • • • • . • • • • .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • . • • • • • • 850, 000 1873 ••...••••...... · ...... --. • • . • • . • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • .. • . • • . • • • 405, 000 ~~~~:::::::::::::::::::~::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::~:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ig~:~~~ . --- 1, 072, 619 '.l'o Doclge City ancl Ellis, Krinsas: 1876 ...... ····-· .••• ··'·- .•.. ,....•.•.. , ••...•••..•.•••.•.••. ·······-·· ...... ···-·· .••••• 322, 000 1877 ...... -• . •• • •• • • • • . •• • •• . • . • • • . . . . . • . 201, 159 1878 .•...... '····· ••.•...••.• ; •••••••••..•••..••••..•.•••.••.• ····-· ••.••••• ··-. 265, 646 1870 .•••. -•...... •••••..••..•...... •.•••••••• - .••.•.•••••••..••••••..•.•••• -•••• -• • • • • . 257' 927 --- 1,046,732 Dodgo City, Caldwell, ancl Hunnewell, Kansas: · · 1880 .•.•.....••....••..•••••••.••....•.•.•.•..• ·•·••· •·••·· •.••.• •·•••· •...•••••. ···-·· ··-··· •••••• •... 384,147 Totitlfor 11> yeaa:s .•...•••••..••••••.•.•...... •••••.••••.••.•...••.•.•..••••••.••.•••••••••••. 4,223,497 a Tho cattle did not actufllly go to Sedalia, but were divertocl by troublci o.bou-t 'f(\Xas cattle, etc, 075 22 PRODUCTION OF MEAT. I If we estimate the average. net selling price at $12 per head, the amount realized by "Texan drovers" for stock driven north for fourteen years ending December 31, 1880, was $47,561,964. SnIPMENTS BY sEA...-The first shipments of live-stock from Texas, by sea, of which we have any definite knowledge, were made in 1851 from the port of Galveston to both New Orleans ancl Ouba. Just wha,t number was taken to each of these markets is not a matter of record, as the customs districts make no returns prior to the year 1859. It has been ascertained on good authority, however, that the tra,ffic attained no very considerable dimensions until 1865, when extensive shipments were begun to the island of Cuba.. At that time average shipments were made of from 1,200 to 1,500 head of cattle per mouth, 200 to 300 beeves to the cargo being carried. The table below, furnished by Mr. Joseph Nimmo, jr., chief of the bureau of statistics, gives, in so far as recorded by the customs districts, tL numerical and :financial statement of the numbers. of cattle, sheep, and hogs exported from the state since 1859: RETURN OF EXPORTS OF OA'.l"l'LE, SHEEP, AND SWINE FROM '.l'HE CUSTOMS DISTRICTS OF TEXAS DURING EACH YEAH ENDING JUNE 30, FROM 1859 TO 1880, INCLUSIVE, AND DURING SIX MONTHS ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1880. SWINE. Totnl vnlne. ----F-ls-cii--1-y-cn--r-cn-tl-in_g_J'_un_e-a0_- ___-1-N-~:;~~-LI!l_ .. -~n~- 00-.-· _"':'._':~ Voloo :Number. Valne. ------·-···---·· Total •.••.•.....•••••••.•...• --···· ...... 240, 617 $3, 532, 390 821, 930 $846, 323 6,815 $27, 557 $1,406, 270 ~·····= ·c~•=~== ------=·===•II==-=----c.•.====11=-----·-----· 1859 ..•.•••••••••••••. ·--··-···················-···· 80 1, 500 ••••.••••••••••• : ••.•••••• •••••• ·••••••·••• ...... 1, 500 1860 ...... 835 0,700 ····-······-···· ...... •••••·•·•··••·•· 6,70-0 1861. •••••• ····-.. ··-· •• --···· •••.••• --· - •••••••• -- .•.•..••••• ···-••••..•••••••••••••••••••••• •••••• ••••••••••••••••.••.••••••••••••••••••.•.•••.•.••• .,. •••••••.•••. 1802 ...... ·-···· ••.•••••••••••••••••••••••••..•••••. •••••• •• -····· ••••••• - .••••• -·· ...... ·-····· ·-······ ...... 1803 ••••••• _••••.•••••••••••••••.. ·••••••••· ··•••••· ················1·············-·· ················ ...... ·-········· ...... ::: :: :: : :::: :: ::::::: :::::::::::::: :::::~::::::::: :,:::::::::::~~~:I::::::::::~':~~~: ::: :: : :::: :: :: : : : : : : ::::::: ::::: ::::::::: :::::: :: :: :::::::: :: :: ::~: :::::: :~':~~ 1807 .•..•....•••••••• _...... 960 17, 110 549 2,~80 41 828 20,018 1868...... 7,665 50,122 B,156 2,253 52 117 52,4~2 1869 ••...••.••••••.•..•... ·••••••••· ...••••••••••••• •••••• ••••••••••••..•••••••.•••. ···········---·· ...... ••••••••· ·-·············· .•.. •·•••••• ..•. 1870 ...... ··················-········· 18, 299 118, 703 27, 481 18, 189 170 517 137, 400 1871...... -- ••.•••••.• -··-••.•••••••••••••• 10, 810 85, 511 86, 247 32, 837 30 141 118, 489 1872 ••••••.••. ·-·········· •••••••.•••... ·-···· •••••• 7,208 72, 942 27, 228 25, 848 51 127 08,012 1873 •••• ··············-··· ...... 13, 545 184,871 57, 2171 59, 985 626 a, 177 247, 983 1874 ...... ··-.•••••• •••••• ··-· ·····-•.•.• ··-·· 28, 280 381, 970 111, 445 110, 290 706 2,108 494,371 1875 •••.•..••••••••••.•. ····-······· •••.•. •••·•• ··-· as, 045 463, 2215 95, 710 97, 697 1, 6P3 9, 880 570, 2{)2 1876 .•••••••..•••••••••. ·················-·········· 30, 365 48G, 168 45, 140 46, 235 910 a, 632 530, 035 1877 •••••••••.•••.•••.••....•••••••....••••••••. ·-·· 20, 806. 338, 235 108, 747 108, 629 848 1, 008 448, 862 1878 ••••••.••..••••.••••.••••••••••.•. ·••·•••··••••• 28, 838 432, 45() 102, 649 111, 718 388 1, 849 G46, 023 1879 ••••..•••••. ···-·-· .•..•••••••••... ••••••• •••••· 24, 503 427, 676 80, 829 96, 406 054 3, 196 u21, 21s 1880 .••.••••....•••.•••••..•..•.•••.••.••••••.••••.• 17, 7891 300, 443 99, 980 108, 816 287 703 418, li52 Six months &ntling December Bl, 1880: ••••••.•••... 9,430 150, 080 25, 548 I 25, 495 60 104 170,378 I Exports of articles by customs districts were not prepared and published prior to 1856. For the fiscal years 1856, 1857, and 1858, it appears by the records that no m1imals were exported from the customs districts of Texas.· In 1866 no statement by customs districts was prepared and published, and no returns were received from Texmi during the years 1861, 1862, and 1863, and for 1869 the numbers were not given. In the present conduct of the trn.cle with Ouba, cattle shipped are purchased and transported, under contract with the government of that island, by the J\'lorgan Steamship Oompany. The special means of transportation furnished by this line of vessels, added to the quarantine restrictions on returning transports, has driven all lesser competitors ont of the business, and the Ouba live-stock supply is now mainly under its control. Formerly several otl1er contractors, using sailiDg vessels, shared with the Morgan line the risks and the profits of the traffic. Indianola and Galveston, on the Texas coast, a.I'fl the principal shipping poiutis to both New Orleans and Havana. The average voyage of a steam vessel to New Orleans is made in two days, and to Cuba in four. Cattle shipped to New Orleans are not usually provided with feed during the trip, but an ample supply of bedding is furnished, which litters down their pens 5 or 6 inches deep. Owing to their wild nature, Texas cattle rarely.eat heartily during a short voyage like that to New Orleans; hence no regular allowa:Ii'ce of' feed is carried for them. The voyaige to Onba, being of longer duration, requires the provision of from 15 to 20 pounds of hay per daJ1 for each bullocl{, 'vhich, after the second da,y, when subdued by hunger and accustomed somewhat to their unusual sittrntion, they consume greedily. Oattle a.re carried by the Morgan steamers both between decks and 011 deck, 976 STATE OF TEXAS. 23 elevators being in use to lower them into the vessel, where pens are fitted for confining them. Dnrfog the passage the crew of the vessel, or special 1ttteudants, feed and water tho animals. The average loss from natural causes is not o\·er l per cent., but accidents incident, to loading' and unloading the wild and terrified beeves sometimes swell this avemge greatly, while the shrinkage on steers of 900 pounds live weight during the Onba11 voyage lias been found by frequent tests to range from 100 to 125 pounds under the most favorable treatment. The rate of transportation to New Orleans by steamer is $6 per bnUock. In 1878 the Morgan Steamship Oompt10y contracted to supply the government of Onba, with cattle averaging !JOO pounds live weight, for which they were to receive $43 in gold per head. Tho tern.is of their present contract are supposed to insure !li slightly increased VlLluation, to wit, about $45 in gold per bnllock. Tho class of cattle moi:1t. in demand in Uuba are four and ftve ;year old steers, though bulls and stags find a ready 11ale, being used on the large plantations. Prime cattle of the first description cost in 'l'exas $10 to $17, bnlls and stags bringing lowei· priees. It is claimed. by the Morgan Steamship Oompauy that, in consequence of the increased shipments of live eattle from Floricfa, and of the growth of a trade in refrigerated ireats from Now York to Havana., there has been a marked decrease iu the export of live cattle to Cuba compared with that of three years ago. From Mr. H.nff, of the firm of Robinson, H,uff & Borden, which was the chief competitor oftltelVIorgan Company, the follovi'ing particulars relating to the export of cattle by sailing vessels to Cuba were obtained: Mr. Hnfl' entered the business in 1875, using his own schooners in tmnsporting cattle to Havana, and confined his attention entirely to that tmcle; between l\'.Iay and October the easy sea voyage, the condition of the beeves, and the demand in Cu lm are all favorable to transportation by sailiug vessels; the quarantine regulations which deln.y vessels retnruing from Ouba, have made a lmnlensome expense to small exporters. 'l'lte M.organ Steamship Company, with frequent and rapid tJ.•ips, taking cattle only as an incident of tratle, has therefore controlled most of this traffic. In .January, 1880, Mr. Huff was maldng his first shipment for the year; his ciittle 1wemgecl l,OOO pounds live weight; nml wore iu line condition, the coast pastures 011 which they were fattened luwing been uninjured by t;h e frosts of the vrovious fall. He paid $2 per 100 pounds for breeders for these becwes, of which from 200 to 250 heacl constituted. a cargo for his schooners, 1wd tho voyn,ge required on an avemge from seven to ten clays. It was claimotl that no losseK i.verc~ incurred from natural canses when tho vessel oxvorienced fair wm1thm· on her voyage, but tlrnt loss from injuries receivecl in handling tho animals at the time of shipment ancl unlo11d.i11g' nrnterililly 11ffectecl the profits. '£1.tc cost of transportation was place I Bl'ood of cnttle. Bulls. Cow·a. Three-yeal'·old Two-:vom·-olds Yonrlln,,s. On Ives. IlooveR. stoors. I • · "' -· ··--- ·- -- .. ·-··--·····-·--·····--··------1-----1------Nntive Texnns ...... •... $15 00 $945 $1120 ,----;;---$5 86 - $4 00 $H 05 Improved stook of Panhn.ndlo .••.••••.....•.....••••. 75 00 2() 00 25 00 18 00 18 00 10 00 BO 00 ~------'------'------'------~--'----~-.:-.---- 62 AG 977 PRODUCTION OF MEAT. WEIGHTS AND VALUES FROM ACTUAL SALES OF TEXAN BEEVES IN CHICAGO AND KANSAS CITY DURING TllF: MONTH OF NOVEMBER, 1880. Source of information. Breed of cnttlo. --r~=--J~;~~ir~~-C --s:~~~~~·c.- ------·----·------·------· ·-·-·-··--·-· . ·------··- .. ---·---- 1'011nd1" Chicago stook-yat·d ...... Nativo Toxan hooves ...... "- ...... 10, mm 868. :m $~4 ti!J Kansns C;tyynrd ...... do ...... 2, 291 862. 03 !.!O -17 Kansas City yard ...... Pnnhnudlo hooves ...... 210 U37. 85 2-1 o:; 1 ESTIMATED AVERAGE LIVJ!; WEIGH'r OF CL\.'l'TLE ON RANGES. ' I . Yearlings. Two-vear-ol ------~·---·------.. ------·------_.... _.. ______._ ____ ... _ -·----...... ---·-'------'-- COMPOSI'rION OF Clni'l'AIN HERDS DEOEMBEH :n, 18i9. Clnss ot stock. Number. Per cent. Total...... 180, 551 100 Dulls ...... ,...... 8,791 Cows...... 00,343 35 Three·yonr.ol Peroeutage of oalves clroppecl per 100 cows, 80; porceutago of calves bmncl.i DISEASES Oli' STOOK. The diseases of stock iu Texas as well as i11 other dist.ricts iu the United States h~ve been carefnlly inve:stigatctl · by special commissions and otherwise to such a degree that, beyond a. reference to the treatment of losses, it s<~cms best only to refer here to some of the more prominent reports that have been made on the subject. Such are, tho reports of Professor Gamgee on the SJ)lenic or periodic fever of cattle, pnblishecl in 1871, in the report of tl10 Commissioner of Agriculture on the diseases of cattle in the United States; report of J. R. Dodge on the statistienl and historical investigatioI!s of the progTess and results of the Texas cattle disease, published in the same volume; and Dr. D. E. Salmon's investigation of southern cattle fever, in the report of the Department of .Agriculture ou the contagious diseases of domesticated animals, 1880. HHElEP. 'l'he growth of the sheep business cau11ot be detailed like Uiat of cattle. The census retm;ns g·iYe Texns 100,530 sheep in 1860, 753,363 in 1860, and 714,351in1870. Mr. J. H,. Dodge's estimate for 1878, whioh is generally accepted, is 3,674, 700, increasing the return of the state for that year 985,993; that is, he estimates tlmt tho 978 STA~rE OF rrEXAS. 25 retnrus made for taxrttion did uot represent more thau 73 per cont. of the number of sheep in the state. In 1880 the returns tihow 75.85 per ceut of the estimated number. The ccusns euumeratiou is of stock "on farms". 'l'his tipecfal investigation embraces also stock held on thfl ranches and on ra.nges. Sheep were probably brought into Texas by the Spaniards, but, requiring more care than cattle, tlwy ESTIMA'rED ANNUAL WOOL-CLIP OJ? TEXAS FROM 1867 TO 1880. [Prepared from estimates ot' Mr. James Lynch, of New York.] Pouncla. 18(i7 ...... 1,000,000 1868 ...•.••••••••••.••••..•.....•.••.•...••.•.•...••.••...... •••.. -- •••....•..••••..••••.•.•••..•. 8,000,000 186!) ..... -...... -...•.••.•..•.. 7,000,000 1870 .•••••.•.••••..•••.•..•..•...•.•..••.•.••.•..••..•••.•..•..•.••...... ••••••••••••••••.....•.••••.. 7,000,000 1871. ....•.•.••.••.•••••••••••••..•..•••...•..•..••..•••••.•••••.•••••..••.•..• ·...•..•...••.•••..•... 8,000, 000 1872 .•••••....•••••••• ·••••· ••.. •••••· ...... ·••••·. 1),000, 000 1873 .....•...••••••••..•••••.•.... - ...•...... ••.••..••••••••.•..••••.•••..•••••••••.•.•.•..••.•••..• 0,000,000 1874 ...... ··-· •••.•••.•.••••••••••••••••.••••••... 10,000,000 1875 ••••••••••••••••••• , .••••••.•••••••••••••• ·- ••••••••••• -••• -...... 12,000,000 18711...... -....•....•..•..••.••.•..••••••••.•..••••••••••••••..••.••.••.••••...••..•...... 18,000,000 1877 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.••.•••••••••••••••••••••.•••..• 14, 000, 000 1878 ...... 17,000,000 1879 .. --.•...••.. -••••.•.•.. -- ...... -...... •... 1.0,000,000 1!:!80 ...... 22,000,000 Totnl for fourteen years ...... ' .. 150, 000, 000 =""= With the estimated uumber of sheep in 1880 ( 4,457 ,323) the shea,r of 4.94 pounds per sheep would be required to produce the commercial estimate (22,000,000 pounds) of wool in Texas. Tbe invetitigation by the Oommissioner of Agriculture in 1878 indicated an ayerage of 3.5 pounds per sheep. Heturus from t.he best sheep-growers in tho state make their wool-clip 4.13 for 1880, which would give an aggregate of 18,408,744 pounds. The difference between this amount a.ml the commercial· estimate urn.y be largely if not entirely acconntetl for, as the wool sent out from Texas woulcl include wool from pelts and wool grown else where, but reaching the gennral mtirketH through 'l'exas. In the fiscal year ending June 30, 1880, there were imJ?Orted into Texas I,:n4, ------·--·------·------·-·--·I ·------·--- I Vnhm of i Y11l11!1 of nil i Establish· Hnnds fsc?t·_s •• Wool usGl1. Yenrs. , ments. employed. 11 ,1 1 11 . rnn~~~fal ;in11m1J'lu:tom'l!'1 usecl. 11ro ---··----···--- !.·---·--···-I ·-·------·--·· Poundt. 1 1870 ...... 20 100 20 278, 045 .fBG, 817 $152, DOS 1860 ...... 2 43 4 61, DOO 2G, 080 as, 7DG 1850.,.'."""•"'"'""""" 1 8 ao, ooo 10, 000 15, 000 1 ' 26 PRODUCTION OF MEAT. I TEXAS SOUTH OF THE COLOR.A.DO RIVER.-The system followed in Kinney county furnishes the best type of sheep husbandry for the entire region south of the Oolorado. The party engaging in the business, having first secured, by purchase or lease, a complete or partial stock-range, invests either in some lom1l flock or buys from drovers bringing in sheep from Mexico. If a sufficient acreage is not obtained he relies for further past.ure upon adjacent unoccupied state lancl. 'l'hc practice of holding land by purchase or lease is general ~unonp; sheep· owners; that of fencing iu large tracts is not so general, as Kinnes connty is not agricultural m1cl furnishes but little tim her for fencing. A division of the pasturage into winter range near the streams and lowlands, where the brush affords shelter, and into summer range farther inland on the prairie country, is usually made. The feed consists of the va.rieties of the mesquite grass, vine, cur1;y, l)Ointed, ancl hearde1l grama grass in the western part of the county, and during· winter in the brnshy range of the sotal, .inabfa, uopal. cactns, the sa.htclio, the baradulcia or greasewood, and other native plants. The :flocks occupy tlie winter range from December until shearing time, and occupy the summer pasture~groundR the remainder of tho year. About S watch closely the work of those under him, besides turning in each month the accounts received from the vaqueros to the ''mayordorno". This official is the highest in authority of those who handle the stock of' the ranch; a man of long· experience and skill in tho conduct of the practical part of sheep-husbandry, and one able to deal with the class of men em1>lo;ve!l to carr,Y out his orders. The mnyordomo is constantly 011 the range, going the rounds of the <1i1forent camr>s, noting the con wagon-cover over ft,1 and the gallfo oudij are mado of cloth, aml the cabin is without flam• or cloor, INVESTMEN'l'. 1,000 shco1> 1 averaging ,1 ponncls wool per head, at $3 ...... -• $3, 000 00 20 merino rams, at $Hi ...... _...... -..••• 300 00 Hire of two men to build pens and camp ...... - --.. . 2 00 Sbephor1ls (wages, $12; boarcl, $6), at $18 per month ...... -... -.....•.•••• 216 00 1,~00 i1ounds salt, at I>. cents ...... --...... 24 00 Cooking utensils ...... --·-·-·.········ .... •· ...... ·· ...... · · •· -- 3 00 Shot-gun ...... -...... -... -.. - ...... • •. • .. -- .... · · · · -.. · • · · • · • · .. • -· · · · • · -· · --• • 10 00 'I'wo q11ilt11for liodcliug, at $2 50 ...... 5 00 Ax, $1; bell for sheep, 75 cents ...... 1 75 'Vagon-cover .•.•...... •••...... - --. - -. -. -. --..•••.•.. • • -·• · • • .. · -· • · -• • -.. · • • • · · -· · - · • · · 2 50 A.tnmnnition for gun ...... : ...... 1 00 'l'otal...... - . 3,ri65 25 The lierder is now preparecl to get along without further assistance until Mnreh 1 by doing his own cooking. 'l'he flock is tnrne Du. Oot. 11 1877. Origin11l investment in stock, camp outfit, wages of s110phorcl for one year, etc. --- .... -.... . $3,565 213 Mar. 1. Wagon, $60; iiair of imnies, $30 _- ...... -- ...... _...... _... -·- ·-·--· .. -- ... -.••. ---- ,I_ -... . 110 00 H1u110ss, $i1; !llOllicino, $1 r.o ...... ______...... ··---··----· ----·· ...... ·-·-·· -····· 5 50 ·wages of Mexicun nud wifo from Mnrch 1 to Oetolie1· 1, seven months, at $16 .. -. _...... -- .. -- • -. -...... 112 00 Board of same, sovon nwuths, at$10 ...... -----· ...... -----· ...... ---·-· .. .. 70 00 Grain fed to rams while running with owes .. ___ ...... _. __ .. _...... _.... _..• ~-- ...... - .... . 20 00 Shearing 1,720 sl1cep, at 4 cents ...... ------...... ·----· ...... ·--- ...... -----·-· .. .. GB 80 Hauling ri,875 po1mtls of wool to market. _.... _.... _. __ ...... _.... _.... __ ..... _...... _...... 20 as Public weigher, weighing 2i11mclrn, at 10 cents ...... _...... _. -...... ---.. -.. -... - . '112 40 Cost of 24 s:wks, at GO een ts . _...... _. _...•.. _.. _ .. _...... _ ... _•... ____ ...•.... _... _... -..•.... 14 40 10 11onnds twine, iit 15 cents._.--· .. _ .... _ ...... _... ___ ...... _.••.•• _...... -. ·--...... -- ...... 1 130 Needle for sewing sucks ·--... _..... _.... _.... _...... _••. ·--· .•. _._ ..... _...... - .•... 10 3,H09 33 CR. l\fay l. Salo Oct,.1. Snfo of wool from 750 six-month-old I:i,mhs, averaging2t11omuls, 11875 pounds, at 25 cents. 468 7G Oct. 1. Value of stock at expirntion of fir1:1t year: 950 ol G, nss GO 6, 988 50 These figures pertain to an exceptional condition, when there is no crowding of the pasturage, m1d when no particular casualty iuterferes with the best attainable results. The conflicting interests of' cattlemen arnl sl1ecpmen on govemrnent lands often leau to acts of intimidation and even of violence before laws or imperative customs have become established. Sn1~AitING.-Tbo })l'Rctice of shearing twice a ~·ear is general iu southern Texas; the s1)ring sliearing begins, with dry sheep, someJjimes in the latter imrt of February, ·usually bet.ween A111'i1 1 and l\:f£L;vil, sometimes in late springs exteuds to the 20th of .June; the fall shearing usually occurs during September, often during the earl;v imrt of October, and rarely in the earl;y imrt of November. 982 .. STATE OF TEXAS. 29 The contingencies connectecl with sheep-raising ai·c such that expenses in detail will vary with ea,ch one's experience, but the following outline may be suggestive as a basis of judgment. The investment may lie, for example: · 5,poo tbrec-qnartel' merino oweH, nt $2 5(i . ___ .. _ ...... ••.•.••..••..•.•...... - _.. •• . . . . . • • . . ..•..•.••. $12, 800 00 150 meriuo rams, at $24 2:l. _...... •....••••...... •..•.•.•...... •...... ••••••...•.•...•••• ;, 3, G34 50 640 tWl'es of ln,ucl, with water privileges, nt 50 cents per acre...... • • • .. .• • •...... • . • • . . . . . • . 320 00 Buildings an cl fences ...•.•. : .. _...... • . . • • . . • ...... • • • • • . . . . • . . . • . . . • . . • • . . . . • . . . • • • • • . • • • • • . • • . . 250 OD Eq niprncats, horses, wagon, httrncss, tools, 1t1ul dogs...... • . . . .. • ...... •• • • ...... • . . • . . 500 00 17,504 50 === The following may be the expenses for the first year: li'oreman (rwernge wages, $21; board, $5), at $20 1)er mouth, $312; cook: (average wages, $13; board, $5), at $18 per month, $216; two shepherds (avemge wages, $13; boal'd, $5), at $18 each per month, $432; ten extra men for five weeks during lambing, at $18 each per month, $2:35; shearing 41508 sheep, inclrnliug board of shearers, $185; rent of range, 24,360 a.cres railroad lan DISEAS.ES . .Amoug· sheep in Texas infhimmatory diseases aud typhus fever are unknown. Scab, rot (nsually calletl liV('l'· rot), and worms of two kinds, as described below, grnb and hoove, are the on~y diseases reported in the ::;!;ate. LIVER·TWT.-A flockmaster of Sau Saba county reports in 1877 a loss of 1,198 sheep out of 1,515 by liver-rot, 'l'.A.PE·WORM.-A sheep-owner in Hays county states that during the summer of 1880, whic1h was yery wrt, ho lost 45 per cent. of spring lambs from a cause not ascertained a.t the time, but which was att.ributecl to wet. Ho writes July, 1881, that the summer has thus far been very dry, itnd that his fambs are d~·iug· a month earlit~r than in 1880. Upon examina.tion he finds "in the small entrail, which is 100 feet long, an1l runs from the bowels to tho anus, one or more wo1·ms of great length, white, very soft, one-quarter of an inch wide, arnl susceptible of parting· at every eighth of an inch. I'1mow no remedy, and th._,. disease is very fatal. It is :not identical with lombr(:z." LOMBREz, OR woR11:rs.-A correspondent at Corpus Christi says that this disease prevails in Duya.falHl Livo Oak counties, on thll Nueces river, and in Nueces county, when rank grass is induced by much rtiin in the fall 01· 1atter part of summer. It affects the lambs first, and has destroyed during the fall and wiuter of 1880-'81 GO pm· cent. of the weaned lambs. A f:lockmaster of DeWitt county Sltys that his sheep are affected by lombrez, owing to heavy rains during summer; that when he has fed, during the winter following such wet seasons, half a bushel of corn to tho bead, the disease was checlrnd. A flockmaster of Nueces county reports that twice during fifteen years his flocks h~ive sufl:'ered from lomb1·ez. GRun.-One owuer reports losses from grub in Kinney county. HooVE.-Oue owner of Corye11 county reports some losses from this disease, which proceeds from feeding g-reedily on fresh clover, followed by distension of the paunch by gases released in the fermentation of the green feed. GO.ATS. Texas is on~ of the states in which ntteution bas been paid to raising goats. Some .Angora gm1ts have been introduced with which to grade up the common goat for the wool or hair. The mutton of goats is largely used in some localities. The market for the fleece has been quite irregular, and the industry correspondingly fluctnn.ting. While a fow in<1ividnal flocks have sometimes exceeded a tbousa.nd each, the aggregate in the state has not been very great. SWINK In the management of hogs in Texas tllerc is little that is peculiar or exceptional in methods, although they vary considerably. l\foreover, although the number of swi11e is large, the whole product of the st~1te is inadequate to the 110me demand. The total exports of live hogs by railroad aud by sea for 1880 are recorded as 2,387 beml with two other railroads to hear from, which may bring the total up to 3,000 bend; and the total exports of bacon and Im.ms for eighteen months were but 32,0fil) pounds, valued at $~i,923, representing for the year 1880, say, 2J,OOO pounds, worth $3,'iOO, or in all, live hogs and pork, a value of atout $7,700. Opposed to this Yery E.mn.ll export Texas is reported by various g·ood authorities to be receiving from $45,000 to $50,000 wo1·th of. pork and forl1 per week, or a value of' over $2,000,000 per year. 98:1 S'l1ATE OF 'I1EXAS. 31 SU.M:l\'IARY 01? MOVBMENT OP UA.TTLE, SHEEP, AND SWINE. 'l'lte tigureH of the drives of sheep in the past, as indeed of their railroad transportn,tio11 beyo111l the stu,te, are Hot 1wailable, bnt here are presented the number of sheep dl'iYeu in 1880, the number transported by milronda the same year, aml the number sent by sea since shipments began: Sent, ont by ,-- .. ··----~::t;r~n1;;:,~~: . - - -T ·Cnttlo. I She op, Swhw. !______-I I Totnl...... ··-···I rioo, 875 ~~o. 220 2, 887 I By clriYO to tho no1·th ··--··, .....•. 1-···-:::,:;- 80, 700 .••...••••.. Ily Yeo.r. Authority. Cnttlo, ~------~---~------·-----··------·--·-~·1---···-·····-----···--··•-----·- 1830 .• • • •• •••••..... Thrall's History of 'l'oxns ..•...... ••.• ·----· .••.• ,, ...... -·. ... 100, 000 1850 .••••••• -···.. •. Seventh Censns (on farms) .... , •...... •.•.• ···--· -··--· ·-·-...... • ·----· ...... ·-- ... , ...... 390, 11•! 100, 5ao 002, 022 1800 .... -- • __ ...... Eighth Census (on farms) ...... ···--. ·--·-· •...••.... -- •.••... -··...... ••••••... 3, 5!15, 708 753, non 1, 371, r.n2 1870 .••••••••....•.. Ninth Consus (on fnrnrn)...... ••••...... 3, 000, 158 71'1, 051 11 202, 44G 1878 ..•••.••••••.... Nn.tlonn.l Dopiu'tmm1t of Agrlcnlturo ...... ·-···--· ...... •.. ·---·· ...... --· ... . 3, 07•1, 800 1878 .... -- • -- _•..• _. Stnto returns for taxntion ... _...... - ...•. --....•... -...... •.•...... -...... •... -.. a, 512, 412 2, 088, 702 1, om, ml6 1R70 .••.••• _••••••.• Stnfo retmns for tn.xation ...... •....•.•....•••.•...•• ·-·-··. ••• • ...... ••• ...... •.. .. . ••. 3, 800, 447 3, 603, 041 1. 014, 881 1880 ...... Tonth Coutus (on farms) ...... ···--····················---·- 4, 084, 6Q5 2, 411, 033 l, OilO, 371 1880 ••• --· ----·· .••• Tenth Census (on fnrD1S nml ost!m11to APl'UOXIMATE AOllllAfm 01' STOCK STOCK, OCO!ll'ATION, Region. ---·--··------···---·----- Cattlo, __ J. .. .. -~cep.______:~ttla~---j Shct•p. * ·----~=-!~~·- ... Total .•...... ····••···•········ ...... ··· rno, ooo, ooo 125, 500, ooo 4, 89·1, oos I u, 651, oan 2, Ho; 023 ==-.=~.·'.'."-=~-':':--: ~_:_ :.:;..·_;'.'_:._'::::~.:C::.::.::..:.:: ~ -..-:.-, __ ., .-_· __ :.-•.:..:.:::.c:::.:::~;-.,; :.::::::.::~:::---:··.. :::-:::·."'.-"..": ~-":"-~ -.r~-;. ·:;:..:-.;;·-~:;;;,. l'11nh1m +>•-• -·-·--~--~.-.. ------·------~------·- -·------·------....------·-··-·----··-·---~----·------~---·--- ·------~-·-··•--•L••~• * Tho ont1mcmtors in 1870 wcro iustrnatecl not to count spring lnmbs, but inn, conslclcmhlopcroont1tgo of insLuncos this diroction wns 1lisr<•gnr NEW MEXICO TEHRITORY. HISTORY. Authorities differ as to the year of the settlement of Santa ]'e, in N cw Mexico, but it wal') bGfore the yen.l' 1000. Domestic auimals were probably introduced early in the occupation by white men, but bByoncl this general probability little is known as specifically applieable to that pa,rt of Sptwish America now the Texas Panhandle iwevail in this section, but tlle sage-grass: a bnndaut east of Tnscosa, disappears near the New Mexico Hue. Passing west about JiftJ' mile8, the snrface of the basin changes from rolling pm.irie of good grazing with frequent s11ring branches, to long, abrupt, deeri arroyos, .often dry, ancl to irregular hilli,; nml mesas, which seem detached a,rcits of the Staked Pin.ins. Upon those t:mmmits grazing exists, but the si1le8 are almost bare of gmsH. '.rhc hills .-1i1111 mesas increase in 1mml!er westward. Betwem1 the elevations are belts of graHs, cut for lrny. 'L'hc white grama rtbounds on the levels, while lmH'alo arnl black granm n.1•e tho principal high-land g'l'asses. TJpon the ridges aud rocky spots am several val'ieticR of the cactus, the sharp ba.rbecl thorns of whieh, easily •11~ I 34 PRODUCTION O:F' MEAT. In Taos, Rio Arriba, Bernalillo, and Valencia counties, west of the rno Grande, to the Atlantic and Pacific divide, we have a country where streams and mountain ranges, all, except the San Mateo monntains, tend from northwest to southeast. It llas a southeast exposure, and tbe great divide serves as a break to the cold storms. 'l'lw divide marks a general line between the range of. the Navajo Indian slleep and those of tho white men. Most of l central northern New Mexico lying· on the east of the divide has a rough topography, sometimes deeply cut as in the long, Darrow cafion Oitperlin. There are but few unavaila,ble heights or forests, but there is much troublesome brush that crowds out the better grass pasturage and tears wool from sheep. Tracts Qf very good grazing are uumcrons bnt small. The largest good area in the north is southeast of ol -0ecupyiug seven and one-half months h,y the route taken. Of tlrn (approximatel,y) 407000 sonthern Oaliforni11 shee.ll brought in by Stoneroau, Ulmiec,y, Hobinson, Onstcr, Zuber, Booth, McJ(ellcr, and u. fow others from 187G to 1870, ahont 13,000 went on to Ooloraclo. TheJ' were all grade meriuoes, 11 class until thei1 very scarco in New Mexico. A .shipment occurred in 1.8G'l of 130 merinoes from Vermont into Uolfax connt.y, near the Tanaja. It is probable that 2,000 head will cost $3,000; to ta.ke 3,000 head, $3,500; 5,000 head, $5,000; 10,000 hen.cl, from $0,000 to $71000. That is, w1dlst the small herd of 1,000 costs nearly $2 per head, the large herd of' 10,000 costs not over 75 cents per head. A drive of the latter size is impracticable, however, unless a broad belt of' pasturage is to be traversed, for that number in one drove is not easily managed, aside from the fact that the advance animals of tllis nmnbcr iu one body would leave nothing for the rear animals to feed ou. A division into three or four droves over a width of country sufficient to feed each is necessary, keeping strong beeves, cows with calves, e~c., distinct. .A person who kept count of the cattle drive of 1874 from Texas reported that 110,000 heatl passed Roswell on their way up the Pecos. ·The same authority stated that to be the largest number that had ever gone through New Mexico from Texas in one season. Whether or no the number was exceeded during any year prior to 18747 it is certain tJrn,t it has not been equaled since that date. OATTLE. The cattle of New Mexico have been: 1. So-called "wild cattle", which are not now found in the territory, but are frequently spoken of as having ranged the country in former years. They were brown, with a light stripe down the hack; long, slim, blue horns; large and mealy nose. 2. So-called Texans, of Mexiean origin, of every color, and with patches of white; horns enol'mously long u..ud thin with a half twist back; heads coarse but thin; they are tall, gaunt, and narrow behind. The legs are long, and the hoofs large. The cow bred to a short-horn bull produces a wilder animal than those from Mexiean cowst and one that does not breed as wei1. 3. Mexicans-so called in New Mexico-sometimes "Spanish" cattle; smaller thttu the Texttns, raw-boned, with shorter horns, and not so wild. They are often black and white; sometimes their colors are brindle, brown, buckskin, and calico. In Taos county more than half this stock are bh1ck and white. The cow brecl to a shorthorn bull produces an animal gentler than the Texan, but not so large or shapely. It is a harder bloml than the Texan to breed out. 4. "Chino" or "curly-haired Tex:ans"; large, well-formed, rouncl; legs rather long; body heavy; color CL brownish lmffaJo, no white, bbck, or red. In winter the hair is cul'ly as a buffalo's; when it is she The a.d vantages claimed for fencing in this region. are: 1st, the range is Ilrotected fl,gainst overstock.fag by 8tra,11ge. st1Jck; 2cl, tho use of the bt\lls is restrictod to the owner's herd; 3d, losses by straying and by theft aro lessened; '1th, the cost of la,bor and of horse-ftesh is reduced, because branding, beef-gathering, etc., may bo made by n, few regular cowboys; 5th, young and disabled animals may be helped and tho stock assisted in severe wetttber; 6th, the special needs of either snmmor or winter range can be better pro-ridcd for. Tbe objections to fencing are: 1st, for snmll lrnrcls, the expense; 2d, to fence public Ia.nd is a risk not assnriug totll~ investor the permn,nentuse of the imstnmge for his own herll a.lone, n,ml, even iftlmt ma;y be a,llowetl by eonrtes~·, not continuing· his tenure beyond the possible llay of goverrnaeut sttle or lease or the incoming of settlers takiug np pre-emption or homesteacl tmcts· within his boii.udaries; 3cl, in case of n, severe storm. or other cause of stampede, a charge of the excited animals, unless they are controlled by riders, will brea,k the fence and iujnro themselves 011 the barbs. Acconling to answers received to special schedule questions in certniu lrnnls of New Mexican cattle (a.) tug·gre gating 98,029 in 1880, there were 1,010 bulls, or 1.02 per cent. of the whole; 33,()72 cows, or 3{L041)er cent,.; 11,332 i,;teers, three years and over, or 11.45 per cent.; 14,839 two·~'en,r.olds, or 1.5 per eeut.; rn, l8H yearlings, or 16.37 per cent.; 21,887 calves, or 22.12 per cent. The estimated number of ealYes l1ropped to each 100 cows was 75; of these ur;, as estinmted, survived to yearlings. The estimated average annual loss for 1t term of .years among· these cattle over twelve months ol AVERAGE VALUES AND LIVE-WJ~IGH1'S Ol!' NEW MEXICO CA'r'rLIC SOLD IN KANSAS CI'l'Y S'l'OCK-YAHDS DUR.ING NOYBMBER, 1880. Texns (dry) cows gmze1l ono or more scnsonR In New Me:x:ioo ....• 67 7CO 10 BS Texas steers grazed ono or moroaenaons !11 No1v Mexico ...... oa 810 20 ,so .American (native) 1.>coves 1.>ro11in Now Mexico .••••. , .••••.•.••••• , 188 1,078 20 00 ·------·---····--·-···-·------······-·---····· ...... ··-··-· ---·------·-·-·---· ·----·------ SHEEP. Of the sheep in New Mexico, 72 per cent. mtty be estima,teu 11s Mexican shee1\ 1\ml the rest 11s of vario\1s g1'11\les of merino blood. The nsual estimate in ordhmry seasons is that 60 iier cent. of the breeding ewes raise their la.nibs, which gives a ye1i.rly increase of about 38 per cent. on the flock. From February 5, 1.879, to July 12, 1880, there was an itlmost unbroken drought thronghout most of the territory, and sheep perished hs thonsanllfl; and because of cold, dry storms, there was a failure of g·reen grass at lambing time, nud consequently the mothor ewes failed in milk. The common estimate of consequent losses was nearer 50 than 2u per cent., including lambs. Hains eame bonntifnlly in the fa,ll of 1880, relieving thn extreme depression in 'iVl1ich this invnstign.Uon foum1 the s1rnep interest in New Mexico. The rams run wit.h the ewes for about six weeks from tho first; or third week in November, d(~})lllHling· npon the locality, whether in southem or north0rn New l\l'exico. Lambing is in .April. The spring shearing is in J\fay; immediately nfter which lambs are marked~ docked, mid eastratecl. 1!\tll shearing increases the ycitr's elip about; 20 i1er cent., ancl permits .an economical (loctoring for smtb, and is t;hcrefore nclvisttbble where the climnte permits. It has been general over New Mexico, but in northern lom1lit.ies of higli. altitncles tho praetice is cleereasing. Tho plant investmeut to run u,OOO sheep, incln a VALUATION FOR 'l'AXATION.-In Colfux county oattlo were valued for tairntlon at $0; sheop tlt $1 25; hogs at$'!; and taxes were assessed at the rate of one iier cent.> oue-lmlf territorial, one-fourth couni;y, 1~nd one-fourth school tu.x. 991 38 PRODUCTION OF MEAT. are fed with grain; others reverse this, to remove and feed at night; others again turn in half at night and half b~· day. With large flocks two men arc assigned to each in careful management; one to bercl and the other to keep camp, pack the donkeys-of which each band has two--move the tent, cook, etc.; or, if a, double band, three shepherds are provided, two herdsmen and a cook. The pasture-ground is constantly changed, the tent seldom standing in one spot longer than twenty-four hours. I~ations are carried for a grazing campaign of weeks; mnttou sheep arc driven with each band to be slaughtered as required. Over all the forces an overseer is placed, wlw directs tlle movements and constantl;y rides the range to seleet grazillg grounds nnd camps. In the soniill and west, especially amoug the Mexicans and Indians, the grazing migrntion of sheep extends to great distances, even l>eyond the territory, to take advantage of all the pt1stnrage facilities offered within a sen son's tran1l, arnl is often appnrently directed to escap(' taxation. 'l'hc pre-eminently nomadic sheepmen, who thus avail themselves of all ranges not actually occupiecl at 1he moment, rtre prineipally l\:foximws. 'l'lteir homes are where their slieop feed. 'l'his is ouc reason why not one-half the sheep of New Mexico nre taxed. A county at ono time i~ without a. flock, whilst an adjoining county is cro"·ded. A11other montll occupation is reversed. This Jll'Cnlinrit;r is more noticeable during summer, rain coming generally iu loeal thnmlcr-storms. The freshened llistricts, with their streams renewed nml their sinks tilled for a tirne, me quickly occupied. In the northeast, where Amcricam;; are locatetl, pre-emption or homestead elaims fix at least a home rnng-e, alHl the frocks are uot so nomadic. 'rhis refers principally to Oolfax, Mora,, mid San Mignel eounties. There is a strong- feeling th11t the present land lnws do not meet the needs of stockmen in this territory to enable them to control sufficient areas for profitable grazing. Wool is the principal object of slwe1H'aisi11g in New '1 Mexico; indeed it is onl~· i11 the northeast that Hlweprnen raise rnutto11 other than to snpplJ' the herdsmen with m~at ancl satisfy a small local APPROXIMATE VALUE 01!, SHEEP, AND WEIGHTS OF MUTTON SHEJ~P AND OF WOOL. -··-- --· ~ ANNUAL SllllA!l. --·-.. ------~-··· Dreod of sheep. Hnms. In woe. Wotlrnra. Lnmbs. Mutton sheep, ·- Uvo weight. Lnmlis on HMns. lilwes. Wotl10ra. ycnt• ol!l. -~------·---····- ---···-~·--· ··---.. -~ ------~ ---- ···--···-·· l'ounds. l'ounds. l'ounds. l'otmds. l'o1mds. Moxlenn ...... $2 50 to $3 00 $1 00 to $1 ~5 $1 00 to $1 25 $0 7fl to $1 00 70 to 75 3 to 4 2 to 2. 25 2. 25 to 2. 75 1 to 1. 25 Ilnlf·1>ree -----·------·-··-~· .. ·------i --- ··---·-----··-··· --·--·--·-·------·-·~--·---·------.-·--···-··-----· ---~~:t:~~~-~~: __· ---~~t'.~:_ Shce1i. i __ ··--- -·--- ·---~:::______Cntt.~ Sl1~~.'...... A.rizonn territory.... 15, 000 SO, 000 I From .A.rizonn...... • • . • • • • • • . • ...... • • • .. • .. 1, 000 10, 000 Texas, .... !...... 15, 000 From Colomdo. ... • • • .. .. . • .• ...... •• .. • • .. 5, 000 ...... Wyoming (stock) ...... :... 22,000 ]'rom Texns ...... 4,0GO ...... Colornclo (mutton) ...... • • • . .. • .. 60, 000 Dy m!lron 40 PRODUCTION OF MEAT. CATTLE, SHEEP, .AND SWINE IN NEW MEXICO TERRITORY AS REPOR'l'ED FOR CERTA.lN YEARS. I Year. Authority. Cnttlo. Shilcp.• Swiuo. 1850,...... • • • • • • .. Seventh Census (on fnrms) ...... }.' .....•.••••••.•.•••.•.•••.....•.•...... •..•...... •.. , .. . B2, 077 377, 271 7,314 1800, .•.•••••••••.•. Eiµ:htll Ceusua (au forms) ...... 68, 720 830, 110 IO, 3HI 1870 •.••••.•••••.••. Ninth Census (on fal'ms) ••.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.••.••••.•••••••••••••.••••• 67, 534 019, 438 11, l!G7 1880 .••••••••••••..• Tentll Census (on farms) ...•: ...... 160, 70L 2, 088, 831 7, 007 1880. •• • • . • • • • • • . • • . Tc11tl1 Census (on farms, aml ostimatccl unenumoratocl mnoh nnd rango stock) ...•...... •...••. 347, 030, s, 038, 831 18, 151> ESTIMATED CA'l'TLE, SHEEP, AND SWINE IN NEW MEXICO TERRITORY JULY 11 1880. Al'PllOXJMAT!I ACUltAlm 01' STOCK OCCUPA1'ION, STOCK. Sections. Sections defluccl. Cattlo. Shoop. Cattle-. Sb cop.• Swine. ----·!---·------.. ___ ------··------··------.... ------·------·------Total ...... 30, 800, 000 00, 500, 000 3"17, 980 3, 938, 831 18, 151> Northern ...•.. North of northern boundaries oi' Socorro nµd Lincoln. counties ...... 23, 150, 000 83, 700, 00() 280, 722 a, 000, 140 H,550 Southern ...... Sonth of tho nbove. -...... 13, 740, 000 26, 800, 000 GS, 214 278, 082 3, 000 ' I • Soo note to '.l'exas tnbles, p. 31. Incliun stock ls iocluclc AVERAGE DENBlTY OF STOCK (CATTLE AND BIIEEP) OCCUP.A.TION,-Making ODO head of neat stock the unit of stock, aml considering tive sheep to equal one bea INDIAN TERRITORY. O.A.TTLE. Indian territory is largely a grazing country. Cattle-raising is genera,lly on the open-range system, without other food than that which nature provides on the ranges snmmer and winter. There are some exceptions to this in the nort.heast, on the Missouri and .Arkansas borders, and at a very few other points in P1Lnl'l'!l valley. Milch cows and saclclle-horses require feeding during the winter. The stock is not herded, but the boundaries of tho range are guarded by "line-riders". The line-riders, two of whom sha,re each of the cu.mps about 20 miles one from another on the boundaries of the rauge, require from two to seven horses to the man. The line-rider st11l'ts out each morning· in the direction oft.he next station 1~nd rides half way, where he should meet anotller rider. This chief work of tlrn cfay is vcrformccl by noou. There is much more risk of cattle straying in winter than in summer. Short pasture, a fall of suow, 01· a cold blow will start them off to hunt for better mnge or to clrift before the wind. From September more hclr> iii required, and the f'orue must be doubled for the service until th~ early spring storms ha>·e passed aml until tlw '' ronud-up" is completed. The usual wages is from $20 to $25 per month, and hoard which is estimated at $10 per month. The cowboy f~rnishes his own bedding, saddle, bridle, and fire-arms. , EASTERN INDIAN TERRITORY. The Indian meridian or sixth principal meridian of the United States land survey (970 15' 45") is the one to which surveys in that region hiwe refei;ence. Dividing the territory by the Indian meridian southward to tho Washita river, and thence duwn that river to the Texas boundary, sets off about equal areas east and west. Tho eastern section contained in .Tuly, 1880, 58 per cent. of the cattle of the territory, all the sheep but about 200, aml over 99 per cent. of the swine. About 77 per cent. of' the population is in the eastern half. The agricultural area 994 INDIAN 11ERRITORY. 41 territory is northeast of the Arkansas river, principally near the borders of Kansas and Arkm1sas, and .in the valleys of the principal streams. The seasons here vary il'regularly from wet to extreme drought. The natural inclination of the Indian inhabitants is toward pastoral pursuits, and five-eigbtlls of tb.e country o:ffel'S good pernument grazing. In the eastern portion of the Ohoctaw nation, east generally of the Kemishi riYer, according to J. F. McCurtain, principal chief, there is a timber-belt without grass. There is timber along the rivers, 1.mt seldom of sufficient density of growth. to forbid stock occupation entirely. The best extended grazing iu eal:ltern Indian territory lies between tb.e 35th and the 36tll parallels of latitude. Tb.ere, north of the north fork of the Oanadinn river, is an average of one head of stock to less than 40 acres of pasturage. North of the Cimarron an(l between the Canadian and its north fork is good grazing, but the Osages, Pawnees, Poncas, and Kaws about the 3Gth parallel, and the Seminoles and Pottowatomies occupying the i·egion, have not many herds, whilst the Oreeks are large stock-owners. Next in order as stock-raisers iu this region nre the Chickasaws and the Choctaws, south of the Canadian river, who holcl about 40 per cent. of all the cattle in tb.e eastern half of tlrn territory and the same per cent. of the sheep. The leading sheep interest is, however, among the Cherokees in the northeast. J". F. McCurtain, the Choctaw chief, reported tl.iat his nation had slaughtered for consumption during the year ending June 301 1880, 31250 bead of cattle, and had sent out 6,500 at an average home value of $14. He estimn,ted that beside their own stock, there were 6,000 head of cattle uot belonging to the Indians, grazing there nnlawfnll,y. His figures for the growth of the cattle business in his nation were 25,000 held in 1845, 62,000 in 1860, 15,500 iu 1870, 40,000 in 1875, and G5,000 in 1880. WESTEl:?.N INDIAN TEBIUTOHY. In the western half of the territory, north of the north line of' tlie Olleyenne and Arapahoe reservation, the grazing averages a medium pasturage with stretches of better quality along tlte river valleys, especially hi i;he northeast and cast. As a rule, it is better on the south bcfrders of' the rivers than on the north. Tlrn poorest pastures are on the divides mid sand patches, the latter occurdng jnst west of the 98th mcriclinn, near the Kansas bonmlary and in tlie northwest, near the lOOth meridian. Loco weed and gypsum wnterinjnre the ranges west; of' longtiucle 1 930 30 • 'fhc occupation in 1880 averaged, ttbovc the Cimarron river, oue head of' stock to between 40 and GO acres of pasture with comparatively dense occupation near the KmlSas boundtLI'Y in the (~xtreme weHt aucl wwy 011e11 oceupl~tion south of the Cimarron and in the southeast. None of the cattle are herded by Indiaus. The government treaty engages to punish trespassing, on cmnphiint of tho Inclia,ns, by :t fine of $1 IHlr head of cattle ancl expulsion. The Indians have attempted, with but small success, to tax the intrndcr11 ltt the rate of 50 cents per year, or 5 cents per month on each head. This belt of' country is generally well watered, though much of the water is slightly itllmlhw. Twenty per cent. of the extent is ricP. valley, 73 per cent. rolling prairie, and 7 per cent. of timber-open-growing cottonwood, elm, lrnckberry, walnut, jack and post oak, grassed with wild rye, oats, blue-stem, 11nu wi.1<1 pea. The valle;ys possess excellent soil for agriculture and are covered with a close growth of' blue-stem grairn. TlHl npfand pmiries grow sage-grass chiefly on their elevations, with bu1falo and the mesquite grasses on the table-bmls and in the hollows. The valley grasses are palatable and nutritions when young and green. The uplands vrovide the wiuter fora.ge of plants tllat cure as they stand. In the herds permanently ranging here tlrn original cows !Lr<1 from T(\:xns. Shorthorn bulls have been used. Contact with the drive cattle coming through this section from 'l'oxas exposes the established herds to splenic fever, aml stock from eastern states is most sensitive to cO'ntagion. 'l'he winter storms are severe here and are very destructive when accompanied by sleet, though the vnJ.ley rtwines nud timber breaks afford considerable shelter. When snows lie on the ground the stock ln·owse on shrnbs, vines, aud sage brush. The better herds are found near the northern boundary, with home muches iu Kansas. Th~ region drained by the ·washita ancl the two Canadian rivers, iu which is the Cheyenne ~Lud .Arapahoe reservation, has good pasturage on its valley bottoms !Lncl on clayey soil underlaid with retl sandstone or with gray limestone, particularly in the Canadhtn basins. Much of the growth is i·ich an · owue1· in tlte matter cotiltl not be learned. It is saill that in the performance of tha Indian bargains with the whites1 as above described, JJOt a single charge of bad faith has eve1'. been m11de a.gainst the red man, though be has leg·al possession of the mittle and the probable owner could have 110 recourse to law. The Indian council hfls unsuccessfully sought by taxation to prevent the cattle of outside parties from use oi' tho pnsture without recompense. F'ully 4,000 Texas cattle were fattened here during the winter of 1879 and 1880, going in the :-;pring and early summer to Caldwell .and Hmrnewell, and thence by railroad to market. '£his southern ceutml regi.on of Indian territory enjoys a comparatively favorable climate; beside which there is ahundm1ce both of shelter and of winter grasses. . Along the Washita river, about midwiiy of the reservation, there is an active, prosperous farming clistl'i«t known a.s Paul's valley. Here a comparatively large number of cuttle and hogs aro coru-focl. The composition of certain herds in Indian territory iu 1879, aggregatiug 65,000 head, as compiled from answers to circula~s was: 1,306 bulls, or 2 per cent. of the whole; 21,450 cows, or 33 per ceut.; 9,100 steers, three-year-olcl and over, or 1411er cent.; 11,060 two-;rear-olds, or 17.01 per cent.; 9,902 ~7 earlings, or 15.23 per cent.; 12,188 calves, or 18.75 per cent. It was estima.tetl that 75 calves \Vere dropped per 100 cows; and that of these 57 survh'ecl to ye::i.rliuga. The estimated average annual loss among cattle over twelve months old for <1 term of years was l3 J>er cent. J;'UBLIO LANDS. (Unorganized territory.) In the adjustment of boundaries, in organizing states and territories, a strip lrns been left north of tho P1wha11clle of Texas miassignecl to any civil organization. It lias been occupied to a greater or less extent, in an iwlefiliite mauner l:':iuco J 875. Its 1iasturage is good ju qua lit~· and abundant, exce1)t through tlie· northern half of t.lJO ceutral tllird, ·where the arid charncter of southwest Kansas is continued and intensified. Its generally gootl 996 . STATE 0]-, KANSAS. 43 gmzing in an untaxed and entirely free range, readily stocked from the south, and with the Kansas market near at baud for its beef, added to the exploring clemantl for new mnges, caused, in 1879 and 1880, the locating of several stockmen with permanent herds, and 58,450 cattle were found there at the time of this investigation. This does not indude the temporary wanderings of K11nsas stock. Above 20,000 cattle ancl 71000 sheep frequently wander over the border from the Oimarron river ranges. Though it is in the belt of severe winter storms, there are enough timber and ravine bre.aks to give shelter. Since the statistics of 1880 were gathered almost all the availabie range iu the region has been taken np, principally by one large stock company. ESTillfA'rED CA'r'l'LE, SHEEP, AND SWINE IN INDIAN TERitITORY JULY 1, 1880 • .Al'l'UOXUIA1'E ACll!llAOE OJI B'l'OOK. S'rOOit OCOUl'ATION. Sections. Sections defined. Cnttln. Shoop. Cnttlo. Sheep.* Swine. ------1------1----- ,_____ ,___ ------ Total. ••••••• ·-.·-·---.••••• ,_., -...... 35, 000, 000 ...... ~ ~ ~ .. -.. 487, 748 *55, 000 ?73, 031 ----~---·~~ --.- .Elnst-0rn ...... Eaat.ofthoincllnnmerldlan nnd tho Wnsh!tnl'ivor, below tho lnterscotion of tl10 17, 441, 000 ...... 808, GOO *54, 734 766,431 morlcllnn 11nc1 tho 11vor. \Vee tern...... West of al.Joyo.deflnoc1 cUvialon line ...... 17, 558, 400 ...... 170, 2•18 *260 7, 50D ------~------·-·--'·-·------~-----~--~--~--- *Seo noto to Texas tii!Jles, p. 31. Tot!ll laml !ll'O!l of territory ..••••..•.•••..•..••.•••.•..•..••.••.•.••..••.••..•..•..••••..•••.... !lcres .• 41, 401 1 600 Tot!ll !ll)1>roxim11te nren of 11vailn1Jlo 1msturago ...... Totnl laml nrca, 51740 squa1•c miles, or 3,673,600 uc1·cs, of which over 3,000,000 nrc nv11il!Lblc, ihrnisbing about 62.Sti acres to tho bend of stock. KANSAS. HISTORY. The beginning of stock.raising was by the bringing in of animals as army posts were esta,blishecl, ancl with the emigrant trains. The :first herds ranged on the 38th and 39th parallels in western Kansas came from Colorado. In eastern Kansas small herds were brought by settlers 1Llong the Missouri and Kansas river valleys. ·· As the stock increased the surplus found ready market with local butchers, new emigrants, a,nd the freighters to Santa F6 arnl farther west. The early stock was good, being of eastern origin. As railroads superseded the ox-ten,ms, the demand for working .oxen declined, but about the same time Illinois began to require the cattle of Kansas to fatten 011 its grain, and Missouri made like purchases. · · Within the twenty-seven counties nnorganizecl in 1880, or, pmetimilly, west of' the lOOth meridian, a few tlaring men in 1871 put their herds along the Ohnan·on ri,/er and Crooked creek, in Seward ancl Meade counties, to compete with the droves of native buffalo and to ma.intain a defensive warfare against Indian a.i1d white mittle tbieves. Beside this initiatory occupation in tlle southwest, there was in the northeast some r1111giug· cloue between Sappa. and Prairie Dog creeks. Not until 1875 did the region attract geneml attention. OATTLE. WESTERN KANSAS.-Kansas is, in greater proportion than any other state or territory with which this iuquiry has to tleal (unless possibly California), a forming country, t11oug·h west of 11 line dra,wn dittgonally from the point where Beaver creek, ~L l>ranch of the Ifopublican river, intersects the Nebraska boundary-about longitude 1000 31', to the point where Medicine Lodge creek, a branch of tlrn Salt fo1·k of the Arkansas rivn, intersects the Irn1iu.n !lll7 44 PRODUCTION OF MEAT. territory boundary, about longitude 98° 30'-the state is thoroughly a grazing region. There is generally no h1rge area west of that line where much corn is produced, while the annual rainfall, reaching 20 to 25 inches in the southeast quarter of this western ranch region, does not exceed 15 to 20 inches over the remaining three-fourths of the region. The two interests are therefore sharply and closely contrasted in Kansas. If t.lte state were divided by the county lines nearly correspondini:r with the 99th meridian, or along the east border of Phillips county at the north and Oomanche connty at the south, the three-fifths of the state east of that line will be the part generally adapted to farming. On the '\yest of that line is pre-eminently a grazing country. Buffalo-grass is pre-eminently the forage of western Kansas, not preferred in the early rainy season when the more succulent and perishable grasses· abound. It ripens its seed by the time hot weather sets in, and then cures and is available through fall and winter. Grama is next in quantity and quality, with the same enduring character for winter pa.sturage. Blue-joint makes a fair showing north of the Smoky Hill river, in the comparatively well-watered section of weste1·11 Kansas. South of the Arkansas river the sage grows extensively and forms summer feed. The noxious "loco" is found along the Cimarron river. Between the Colorado line aucl the lOOth meridian Kansas is much more broken than the country either east or west of that armL. The drifting of herds and flocks before the colcl fierce storms in this treeless region causes much loss and labor. These winds would be irresistible if the surface of the connt.ry was an unbroken plain. Kansas rises westward from au average elevation ~of 800 feet on the Missouri houndar;r to about 2,000 feet on tlie !)9th meridian; western Kansas has a still greater elevation. Where there is sufficient wa.ter, 10 acres of range will support a head of neat stock. When we ftnd that there were in estimate. 80 acres and a fraction of pasturage to each unit of stock, we lrnve to remember that :at least one-half of the occupied area is scantily watered and that the region is not fully &tocked. JJooking at the :figures for western Km1sas it is also to be borne in mind, perhaps, that the best pasturage portion has been for years a tmilwa;y for driyes, and that h1 1880 it was crossed by about 225,000 head of cattle, ,grazing on the way. West of the 99th meridian, in the grazing region, comprising thirty.eight counties, of which per cent.; 21310 steers three-year-olds and o\er, or 11 per cent.; 0,500 two-year-olds, or 16.67 per cent.; 3,575 yearlings, or 17.02 per cent.; 4,570 calves, or 21.76 per cent. The estimated number of calves dropped per 100 cows was 76; of these 138 survived to yearlings. The estimated average annual loss among cattle over twelve months old for a term of years was 5.5 i1er cent. EASTERN K.ANSAs.-In the mtttle business of en stern Kansas there is a wide range of system as contrasted with that of the western, where we see the extensive grass-ranging, subject to some limitations, the cutting of grass for the winter, some feuciug, more building and smaller herds. In the eastern tiers of conntic~s the cattle are actually much more numerous, but they are raised in connection with farming chiefly to consume the grain; In the intermediate space between the 97t.h meridhtn ancl longitnde 990 301 both grazing and feedi11g are practiced. Here, where wheat-growing is more prominent, and cattle-holding is but incidental to farming, the "herd ln;w" is in force, as also in some other parts of the state in the counties of the southeast corner. This law frees the farmer from the necessity of fencing and holds the stockmen liable for injur~r done by the animals to the cultivated crops. Eastern Kansas is now mainly a great corn region a.nd feeds grass.grown stock from western Kansas for beof. ; j: Oom a.t 20 cents per bushel is made la.rgely profitable in this way; at 30 cents the feeding of cattle requires closer management. 9f.J8 STATE OF KANSAS. 45 From the 97th meridian to about longitude 990 30', a little west of our assumed line between farming and grazing lands, wheat becomes relatively more prominent. The herd law prevails here, and corn is mucll less abundant than east of 970, so that.grazing is restricted and feeding is not practiced as in the eastern part of the state. The prevailing and most highly esteemed grass in eastern Kansas is the blue-joint or blue-stem. It does not cure standing,. but is a hay-grass. Though'' buffalo" and tlle "grama" are found to some extent east of the 99th meridian, principally in the southwest corner of eastern Kansas below the Arkansas river, yet the buffalo grass is rapidly disappearing before increasing settlement, and there is no winter pasturage. The feeder of eastern Kansas, who breeds a portion of his stock by crossing native cows with shorthorn bulls, purchases late in the summer from the western ranges three-year-old half-breeds, or thirty months' cattle if of better stock, weighing on an avera.ge 900 or 1,000 pounds. The better class of inirt-graded animals raised in eastern Kansas have had some corn. A bout the 1st of October feeding proper begins, the stock being lield in open fields provided with sheds for shelter during storms. The feed cousists of half a bushel of corn per cfay per bead and 10 pounds of h:ty. The corn is usually fed in the e~r, but sometimes shelled or crushed. With corn at 20 cents per bushel and hay $2 130to $3 per ton, the feed costs about llz cents per day, or about $20 75 for the six months -0f average feeding time. Labor, interest, and taxes will somewhat increase the expense per head. Hogs follow the cattle, allowing usually one and a half hogs to a steer. The food of the hogs consists solely of what is wasted by the cattle and \lf the undigestad grain that passes them. The pork made to each steer will net an aycrage of $11. During feeding the steer win have put on 300 to 400 pounds, according to bree Colorndo ...... -...... 53, 000 $2 R71 $2 12! Now-Mexico ...... 80, 300 2 00 1 75 Pnuhnndlo, Toxns ...... 80, 700 2 07 2 12!t The estimated average value of stock ancl mutton sheep in Kansas in 1880 was: Rams, $5 to $7; ewes, $1 130 to $2; improved, $2 25 to $2 75; wethers, $2 to $2 25; improved, $2 25 to $2 50 ; lambs, $1 to $1 uO; improved, $1 50 to $1 75. Tile estimated average annual wool clip was: Rams, Gpounds; improved mms, 7 to {)pounds; ewos, 3~ pounds; improved ewes, 5 to~ pounds; wethers, 4J} pounds; improved wetliers, 6J} to 7-a- pounds; lambs, .2 J?ounc1s; improved wet~ers, 3k to 4 pounds. In certain flocks of western Kansas sheep, ltggregating 32,335 head in 1880, the composition was as follows, as compiled from answers to circulars: Rams, 310, or .96 per cent. of t11e whole; 15,450 ewes, or 47.78 per cent.; 8,900 wethers, or 27.132 per cent.; 7,675 lambs, or 23.74 per cent. The estimated number of lambs dropped per 100 ewes waR 85; of these 49.68 survived to yearlings. The estimated average annual loss among sheep over twelve mouths olcl for a t.erm of years was 8.5 per cent. 999 46 PRODUCTION OF MEAT. SWINE. The large production of corn has developed hog-raising to great prominence in eastern Kansas. Western Kansas, lying west of about the 99th meridinn, had on hand in July, 18150, an estimated total of only 41,36G swine, .! while eastern Kansas helcl 1,832,877 head. In 1870, according to the returns of the Ninth Census, the hogs ! on farms b1 Kansas were 206,587, and the enumeration of live-stock for 18GO found only 138,224 located on fat'ms. The lack of accessible markets for pork was a drawback for a time, but packing-houses have been established in late years at various points. The people, chiefly settlers of small means, are less able to incur the expense of building proper shelter for stock, fencing off pastures, introducing pure breeds of swine, and of giving in 0th.er respects that ontla.y and attention to the business whicb it requires and receives in older communities. Lines of transportation are besides less frequently available, and freight rates on live _animals are more onerous to the former than in regions of tbrough railroad communication. As an important offset to these disadvantages tbe Kansas stock-owner can command Indian corn and pasture land at low prices. There are two methods in vogue of growing hogs. By the first method the stock is reared and fod in close pens or dry lots, destitute of sheds, without green feecl or sufficient fresh, running water. Reports by correspomlents indicate that three-fourths of Kansas hogs are thus grown. The young hogs get a meager allowance of slop-feed, and are fed dry corn from weaning time till shipment to market. In breeding, the plan followed i1llows the sow and boar to be coupled at the 1ige of six or eight months. The number served by a single hoar varies from 35 to 75, according to the judgment of the owner. :M:arch and April in tlle spring, and August or early September in the fall, are the months for sows to farrow. The average number of pigs to sm'Yive weaning is a little over 5 per 11 litte.r1 or about per annum in two litters, though some corresponcie11ts assert emphatically that an a.vemge of' not over 4 pigs to a farrowing survive to be fattened. Soaking corn for sows with pigs during spring ancl suunner is followed by some, crushing raw feed is less often practiced, but cooking grain or otber hog foocl is not followed. This latter metl.10d, while it is admitted by many to be good ou sanitary grounds, is not practiced for swine, since the expense incident to preparing the material offsets the possible benefits derived in a country fnruishiug cheap grain but where labor and fuel arc costly items. Wben the plan of pasturing the sow and pigs is. followed they run' on grass from April till September, with sometimes a light allowance of slop-feed or soaked corn. In the case of the fall litters the use of ii stubble field of wheat or rye stubble is g·ive11, accompa.nied by dry . grain until the season for grass aud _full feetl comes round in the following year. Of imprnvcd breeds th(} Berkshire and tlle Poland-China are preferred aud ratetl about equal in desirable qualities. During an avei·age trans1Jortation of 150 miles the shrinkage was judged to be from 10 to 15 pounds per animal of fattened stock, aml the mortality incident to carrying prime hogs the same distance was estimated at lrr per cent. In the case of animals solcl at 11 months olcl, which was the popular time for disposiug of fat 11ogs, tlrn avcr&ge weight attainecl was given at from 200 to 225 live weigllt. With those hogs summered a second timo on pasture, arnl fnll fed in the fall until twenty to twent;y-four months of age, a much higher averltge was, of course~ attained, the live weight reaching in such droves 450 to 525 pounds. The s;ystem introlluced by the special breeders contemplates f'nll feeding, use of green feed, and plenty of running water.while growing. But little clover or blue grass is growu for the use of hogs within the state, the only pasturage being furnished by the uncultivated grasses, with ·the added access fo the stubble-fields after harvest. In m:my counties half-grown porkers follow beef-mtttle that ::Lre feeding on corn. In spite of apparent exceptional freedom from continued epidemic disease, when contagion or h1fection has appenred, the careless mmmgemeut incident to a new state has exposed the industry to severe checks. Only one ·correspondent, a feeder in Cowley couuty, claims to have experienced total immunity from loss, no complaint ever having prevailed in that part of the state. Throughout all other counties heard from an occurrence of' lung tl'OUble, thumps, sore mouth) or cholera ha.s made havoc at one time or another. In 1880 the state, from the report of a large number of farmers,. was remarkably free from the presence of any fatal epidemic. The state board of agriculture reports each year the live stock of the agricultural portion of the state, which comprises about three-fifths of the area. This greatly facilitates the acquirement of knowledge regarding the resources of the state. AVER.A.GE WEIGHTS Ol!, 11, 796 KANSAS GR.ASS-FED BEEVES SOLD IN CHICAGO AND KANSAS CITY DURING NOVEMBER, 1880. Kincl of cattle. Ntnnbet· Average .A.vemge live Wherosohl. I solcl. age. weight. I·----·· -·------· e·-·---· Yea1•s. Pom1ds. Knusns·Texnns ...•.•••••.••....••••••••..•.• __ . Union stock ynrcls, Chicago ...... 2, 212 4! 02() Kausns-Texaus ...... Union stock yarrls, :Kansas City.. . 2, 801 4 884 Kansas half-breecl .... -··-·-· ..•..••••••.••.•••. Union stock yards, Chfoago ...... l, 034 31 1, 032 Knnsashalf-brC>ed .•••.••••••..•..•...... •..••.. Union stocJ< yo.rrls, Kansas City .. . 245 Bit 054, Xitnsas natives ...... ····'···· Union stock ynrcls, Chicago ...... 1, 702 3* 1, 142 Knnsnsno.tiyes ...... •••...•...... •..•...... •.. Union stock ymds, Kansas City .. . 2, 020 3·~ 1, 086 Knnsns natives in po.rt (grade sl101•thorns)..... Union stock ynrcls, Chicago ...... 602 4~ 1,354 1000 8TATE OF KANSAS. 47 According to Special Abstract No. U, Manufactures, Tenth Census, the averugo live weight o:il :l!l,958 grass-feel< K11nsas beeves slaughtered by the princi1ial slaughtei'illg establishments in the state was 1,004 pounds, and the fl.Vera.go age 3t years, and of 23, 754 othe1' Kansas grass-fed beeves the aYerage age was St yearH ancl the a·rnrage weight 1,014 pounds. · MOVEMENT OF STOCK. It is estimatecl that there were broug·ht into Kansas in 1880 104,038 cattle and 275,VOO sheep, as follows: From Texas were brought l!t3,038 cattle, of which 58,000 were solll for stock purposes aml 24,831 for beef purposes in1 Indian territory, at1d 40,207 for stocking Kansas ranges; from Colorado 30,000 head. One thousand bulls were brought into the state for improving stock. From the Panhandle of Texas 89,700 sheep were broug·ht; from New lVlexieo 89,3001 and from Colorado 103,000; beside' 2,000 rams for improving stock. 'l'he nbove statements have reference only to that part of Kansas lying- west of longitude 990, CATTLE, SHEEP, AND SWINE, IN KANSAS AS REPORTED FOR CERTAIN YEARS. Yeiir. Authority. Uiittlo; She~p.• Sw:iuu. -·--·-··---·---· ------·-----·------1------1----- 1860...... •• ...... Eightl1 Conana (on forms) ...... , ...... 03, 455 17, 500 138, 224 1870 ...... 'Ninth Census (on farms) ...... B73, 067 100, 088 200, 587 l 87fi...... • .. • ...... Stt1to ngifoultuml i·c1port...... •.. .. • .. • ...... • .. .. • • • • ...... 703, 323 106, 224 202, 658 1870 ...... clo ...... 700, 024 143, 002 330, 355. 1870 ...... <10 ...... · ...... 070, 463 311, 802 l, 264, 400 1880 ...... do ...... l, 115, 812 420, 4!l2 1, 281, 030 1880 ...... Tenth Ct1n8uB (on forms) ...... l, 451, 057 400, 071 11 7B7, 000 1880 ...... 'l'euth Census (on farms nncl oatimutocl uuonumorntoll rnnoh nncl riinge stoolc) ...... 1, 533, 133 020, 071 11 87 1l1 243 ESTillU'rl!JD CATTLE, SHEEP, AND SWINE IN KANSAS ,JULY 1, 1880. Al'l'll0XIMA1'1t AOIUMOI\l OIJ' STOCK s·rocit. OCCUL'A'rION, Soc ti on a. Scotlone llofined, I--~------· ------Cnltlo nml sl10op. Cnt.tlo. Shoop.• Swh10. ------1------·-·-·------·------1------l--·--·-···I··----1----- 'l'otn! ...... , ...... •15, 282, SQO 1, 533, 133 020, 071 1, 874, 243 Enatern ...... Enst of 1t1Jout nlnoty.ulnth merldlnu ...... w, 500, 000 l, ll48, 547 G72, BOB 1, 832, 877 Wea tern...... Wost of nbo11t 11h1oty-nlnth moricllnn: Orgnnized counties (11) ...... 6, 206, 880 45, 636 80, 080 29, BOO U11pl'l~llnlzocl c.onntiea(27) ...... ; ...... 9, nm, ooo 138, or.o 2fi, 798 lfi, 000 • Seo note to Toxns t111Jles, I'• Bl, Indlnn stock ls included in nlJovc. 'l'ot!Ll lmul arcm of stnttl...... 11.nres. . 52, 288, 000 Total 11pJ.lroximate 11re11 of 11v11ll11blo p11stnrn.ge ...... do ... rio,000,000 'l'ota.l appl'Oximatr; area of unoccupiecl available pasturn.gc ...... do ... 4, 717, 120 Total 1)()pulatiou ...... • ...... • • • • ...... , .. • .. • • • . .. • .. • • ...... • • .. .. • .. .. • • ...... • • • .. • ...... • • • • • .. .. llDCi,09G AVEilAGin DENSITY OF STOCIC (CA'l"l'LE .AND SHEEP) OCCUP.ATION.-Making one licacl of neat stock, the unit of stock ancl considering, five sl1eep to oqu11l one hoacl. of cattle in rcll1t.io11 to consumption of pasture, we have l 16tl910G7 units of stock occupyillg 45,282,880 l>cros,, or 27.29 acres to the he11d 1 according to the best estimates. 1001 48 PRODUCTION OF MEAT. OOLORADO. P .A.STURAGE. In describing the stock-raising capabilities of Oolorado the reports of the United States Geological and Geographic surveys have been used as a basis, modified and extended by special investigation. Mr. Henry Gannett (a) makes the following estimated distribution of Oolorado lands: 71323 square miles, or 4,686, 720 acres· tillable land irrigable without employment of reservoirs; 55,000 square miles, or 35,200,000 aqres pasture land of all qualities; 20,000 square miles, or 12,800,000 acres spruce anCl pine timber; 13,500 square miles, or 8,640,000 acres quaking- aspens, pillon pine, and scmhby cedar; 6 7565 square miles, or 4,201,600 acres, barren, worthless. ~ To exhibit approxim~Ltely the number of acres in Colorado in 1880 on which live-stock can be raisecl, the tillable, agricultural land is put at 7,500 square miles; wild open pasture (mostly plains), 55,000 square miles; quantity ·Of grazing land in forests, 81500 square miles, or a little over 25 per ce11t. of the area included in Mr. Gannett's two items of timber; making a tota.J of 71,000 square miles (45,440,000 acres) of pasturage available eitll.er in summer or in winter, sometimes through both seasons, and 32,645 square miles (20,892,800 acres) worthless for the purpose of stock-raising. In attempting an approximafo represeu tation of the different qualities of pasturage the distinctions · are necessarily more or less arbitrary. All areas counted by the scientific surveys as agricultuml lanc:f.s are here in eluded in the goo cl pasture; also other lands within ten miles of run11ing water; and whatever otheq)asturage replies to circulars and personal examination pronounced "good", even though in 1880 many of those sections were overstocked or badly eaten down by previous occupation. In fact, after more than a year of extreme drought, tho •Colorado pastures were as a rule in bad condition in 1880, The best quality of pasture of to-day is only comparatively good, the best quality of twenty years' iigo having been essentially changed. There is hope that with more care, with new methods of irrigation, with less overstocking, etc., depreciation may not co11tinue, Of the 31,ooo,ooo acres and over of dift'erent qualities of pasturage in eastern Oolorado, we may class 12,0001000 to 14,000,000 as from fair t0 good-perhaps not more than one-fifth of that as strictly good-and from 1610001000 to 181000,000 as poor, exclusive of 1,000,000 acres worthless or nearly so. In western Oolorado, greater in area tlrnn eastern Colorado, we find but about 1410001000 acres of pasturage, but there were over 2,500,000 acres nnusecl in 1880, mainly in the Indian reservations. This includes some of the best pasture in the state, some of it virgin grazing, though in small scattered tracts, often suitable only for summer occupancy. .A.s a rule, that which is suitable for occupancy during a portion only of the year naturally retains its excellence 1011ger than a contiuqous pasture. The absence of summer rains is the preservation of the winter forage with the peculiar vegetation of the western grazing regions. The bunch-grasses particularly, that keep their sweetness and nourishment all winter, standing where they grow, would become worthless in a climate where summer and autmnn rains fall. The natural seeding of the grazing regions is trampled in by stock, especially by sheep, and in soils not too sanely is thus defended from the drying and fret1zing it would otherwise suffer. Th~s ancl the richness of sheep manure, with its better distribution, not smothering the g1•ass where it is dropped, are to be cousiclerecl against tho close herding and cropping of the same stock, which latter practice does undoubtedly tear out grasses by the roots from light ranges. Mr. Abner Loomis, of Fort Oollins, who has had twenty years' experience in Oolorado, testified strongly to the luxmiance of the native grasses with moisture and of their wonderful recuperative powers after extreme cropping and prolonged droughts. ' Among the principal grazing-grounds of the state we may first name the plains just east of the mountains, of which the favorable portions are from the mountains eastward, generally to the 104th meridian, the Plntte river neighborhood, and the more extensive regions of the Arkansas river. Along the eastern borders of the state are tracts of arid though not entirely barren land. These dry regions do not absolutely forbid winter occnpation, except in ~"few limitecl areas. The winter snows, where drifted, supply moisture under the warm breath of stock, or are mP-ltecl in holes that animals have tramped or wallowed. Stock will travel farther for water withot1t discomfort iu cold weather. Thus, in winter grazing, animals generally will double the length of their daily summer range from water, and water will often be found in winter on plains absolutely dry in summer. · Weld and Elbert counties held in 1880 a fraction over 37 per cent. of all the cattle in eastem Oolorado, and the densest occupation of the same stock was in Boulder and Elbert counties. The cattle occupation was least in southern Jefterson and eastern Douglas counties. • Most of the sheep of Colorado are found between the 104th and 106th meridians, and 67 per cent. of the sheep in eastern Colorado were in 1880 between the mountains an cl the 104th meridian. Boulder county made 110 return of slleep, and t.owards the Wyoming and the Kansas borcler we find large areas without sheep. El Paso, Huerfano, [A1rimer, and western Elbert counties had Romething over 42 per cent. of all the sheep in eastern Colorado and over ~37 per cent. of the total number in the state. El Paso and Huerfano counties graze 293,000 Aheep on about -- - -- ,_ .. ______a Unitecl States Geological Survey. 1002 STATE OF COLORADO. 49 :2,500,000 acres of available pasture, about 8 or IJ acres to the head. It is well llere to remember that this represents the situation in Colorado after the extreme clroi1ght of 1879, prolonged until late in the spring of 1880, during which time the drop of lambs was smaller, there was an increase of the death rate, and large drives were made from the state. Within the mountains of western Ooloraclo, in the north, we notice first North park. The pasturage was but sparsely occupied, even by summer herds, before 1878. The general impression had been that stock could not winter there because the temperature from 500 to GOO feet above the Lammie plains was too severe and that its basin wonld hold deep snow. During the winter of 1879 some men from Laramie plains kept their stock in the park with success. The abundance of good grass gave the cattle a reserve of strength with which to meet temporary privation, and the central open ranges of the park were well swept of the excessively dr;.r snow. There were natural shelters, giving protection from the coldest storms. Mr. Gannett estimates that the park contained 700 square miles of fine grazing lands; unt, adding wood openings and other extensions of the park range proper,·f,here · are probably ne:Lrly 1,000 square miles of gn"Lzing of different qualities. Middle park is in the south of the same county (Grand). Its pasturage lies more in tletached portions than that of North pa,rk, and is at least 1,000 feet more elevated. For those reasons, and because less accessible than other ra.nges north n,nd south, it was but very lightly grazed in 1880, and bad not been trietl, so far as could be learned, for winter occupancy by cattle. Its grasses arc luxuriant. The extreme oceupation of Grand county was not 200 square miles. Passing southward, the next importa.nt grazing range is tlrnt of South park, iu Pn.rk cotmt;y, lyirl.g about the sources of the South Platte. It eontains a vastura.ge area not less tluJ,I1 that of' North imrk, and in every respect ·exceeds in value any equal area occupied as a, grazing region in OolOrado up to 1880. It then helll ttbout 30,000 cattle and 5,000 sheep. Among its advantages is shelter on the foot-hills and in the momitain nooks. The surrounding mountains form natural bltrriers ~1gainst straying; the lu.y of its basin or main in closure is so situated as to be swept of snow; there is imre rnnniug water in abundance, and several warm springs are 01mn through the coldest winters; also a variety of grasses suited both for hay 1111cl for standing winter forage. The many mining camps within ev,sy dl'ive of its rai1ges fnrnish markets for an its meat procluct. The risk of an exceptionally severe winter is the chief drawback. Following south, we come, belowthe Arkansas river and between tlle Wet mountains and the Sang·re de Christo mnge, to Wet l\fountain valley and Ilnerfhno park, the former range lying in Fremont and Ouster counties, the latter about the forks of the Huerfano river, in Huerfano county. The two ranges contain pasture equal to about five-eighths the area of the South park grazing. '!'he Wet Mountain range lies in the two counties that showed in 1880 the densest cattle occupation of western Oolorado. Although an olcl pasture, and available through both summer and winter, it still has afair quality of grazing. It extends well into the mountains, and has been, at t.imes, apparently eaten out. So, too, of Huerfano county, in the eastern port;ion of the state. The San Luis valley is the largest continuous range in western Colorado. It stretches from the upper Wltters of San Luis creek, where 1 Iloman's park is situated, or nbont Ia.titnde 330 20 1 into New Mexico, and comprises, in Colom.do, one.fourth of S~guache county, one-half of Oostilla, one-fifth of Hio Grando, and about one-fifth of Conejos county. There are all 'Varieties of pasture, from limitecl rnlley and mountain patches of excellent qrn1lity, ptfocipally in the north, to arid sage tracts and alkali sands in southern Costilla. 'With an a.verage elevation of a.bout 7,750 feet the climate is favorable for winter grazing•. The mountftins form barriers on three sid' a less nnmber was assessed. In June, 18801 its neat stock was estimatetl to be between 4G,OOO uncl 47,000, of which 75 per cent. were north of latitute 370 451• The sheep of the four counties traversed by the Sa.n l1nis Vltlley are twice a.a numerous as tlle cattle, but they occnpy chiefly the regions above the valley, east and west of' it, and east of the Rio Grande south of Fort Garland. Iii the upper portions of San Luis valley the ordinar;r bunch.grasses premil. In the middle region, clown to the Trinchera, and particularly west of the Rio Grande, the grama, grass prevails. Farther south salt grasses and sage form the grazing. Through the mouutitin borders and moist valleys blue-grass, wild oats, timothy, and clover are found. Along· the foot of .mountain walls on the east side of the valley the sand drifts in hills. Southeast of Meadow creek ancl from the San Luis fakes to the western :flanks of' tlle Sierra Blanca there is a wide sweep of sand-dunes, enc1ing in allrnli swamps or ponds in the southwest;, where greasewood prevails for 8 or 10 miles. Nortll of the lakes San Luis creek is not running water, but rather a broad bog of alkali mud, in which cattle sometimes perish from miring. The upper waters of the streams running westward from the Sangre cle Christo range have cut cleep canons, eucumberecl with timber rubbish. We may call the pasturage of the upper one· third of San Luis valley ''good" on an average. Most of the central portion on the eastern slope of the Lacarita. and the Del Norte mountains, following the Rio Grande out into the plains of the valley, may be classed from good to poor. The average pasture below the latitude of Fort Garland is poor. North west of Roman's park, or the beginning of Sim Luis valley, and in Gunnison conn ty, there is tt range on both sides of the Gunnison rive,r up to the mouth of Tomichi creek. It continnes along the vn,lleys of the Gunnison and · East rivers, and along Tomichi and Ohio creeks. Mr. Gannett found it. in 1878 au excellent summer range untouched, and adjacent winter pasture existed in the lower valleys. Most of that pasturage lies within the Ute reservation. Farther west is the Uncompahgre valley, with a limited amount of good g'razing. In Uncompahgre pa.rk, of about 3,000 to 3,500 acres, it is of good quality, but generally the table land of the Grande and Gunnison rivers . 1003 50 PRODUCTION OF MEAT. is illy suited for herds. The rivers often run in deep cauons and tlle pasturage patches are broken by outcropping rocki:i or sprinkled with shale. Between the Uncompahgre river and the Dolores river is the extensive elevation called Uncomptthgre plateau, comprising about 2,500 square miles. A large proportion of this is said to lmvo admirable pasturage of coarse, strong grasses that preserve well for winter. It is supposed, though not tried, that cattle cannot survive the winters there. All accounts of Gunnison county son thwest of the Grande and Gn111dson rivers are indefinite ii1 regartl to pasturage capacities. The disconnected pasture a.reas forbid the compacti11g·. of large herds, and it is remote from the highways and markets. Of' the country northeast of Gunnison river and south of Grande river, up to Middle park, Mr. Gannett sn~·s: (a) We find imstnre ll1ml of au iucliJforeut qn11lity, grading here and thero into excellent grazing lancl on the pl11.teaus nt the fu.,t of ~ : the park, aliont the courses of the Gmucl Eagle and the lower course of Roaring F0rk. Tho great valley of the Gmndo, at tho mouths of North -~fan aml Riile crooks is vm·y poor in gntss, aud cloes not improve farther down, whe1~ it is narrowocl !Jetwceu the North .Mau I platc:1ll aml tho Roan cliffs. Tho broad valley of Plato au creek nncl tho northern slopes of the Gmud ~fosa are fair gr1tzh1g Iancl. Uoan or Book plateau, in southwest Summit county, is well grassed where it is not too rngged, cnt up by calions with deep stream-beds frequently dry, and, where wet, diff:icnlt to reach. In the north, west of the 108th meridian on the descents to White river, the irregular grazing· tracts are well grassed. They are less ruggml and better waterecl south of White river than Roan or Book plateau. Pi-ce-ance and Douglas creeks furnish running watC>r at all seasons. North of the White rfrer east of the mouth of Deep Channel creek and extenc1h1g over the Dai\forth to the confluence of Good Spring and Milk creeks there is much good grazing, believed to be safe through the winter. West of Deep Channel creek, north of White river, towa,rd Yampa pfateau, the rugged plains m·e nearly arid and barren. 'l'he average pasture character of what remafos of Summit county is good, particuhtrly north of the ·.10th pamllel. There are rugged elevations, pieces of l.teavy timber, antl poor dry patches, that 111·event l:trge rm~as of continuous imsturage, but there itre more frequently luxuriant park and meadow spots. JDlsewbero a,re greatei tracts of strong, coarse, self-curing grasses, with probable safety for herds iu winter. Gnnuisou couut;y helcl but 4,500 cattle and 5,000 sheep in 1880, mostly owued by Indians. Summit conntY. was toti1lly unoccupied, except per·hap8 temporarily by drifting from southeast Routt conut~'· The mining population of this region will p1·ohably consume wlntt beef it may produce in the future. Houtt county, south of the Yampa, west of the 108tl.t meridian, is almost desert, a isage ancl stunted ]Jine region, ancl is a continuation of the arid region in Snmmit county. North of the Yampa ancl west of Htl'fo Snake river there are a few cattle tlrnt lrnve eome in from Wyoming, from the pastures of which this dift'ers in greater elevation aml more rnggecl topography. It is better watered than the Washakie basin and the gra::ises grow thicker on a heavier soil. Brown's park, in the northwest corner on Green river, befol'e it runs into Lodore cafion, was' known years ago as a wintering ground. There are widenings of the valleys of the Yarn1m aml the Little Snake better than those of Brown's park becm1se heretofore less grazed. East of the Little Snake and north of' the Yampa, to the heights of Elk Head mountain an cl the Park range, ii; a high rolling region of generally very fair grazing. It becomes excellent in the bend of the Yampa for 20 miles east ancl west of tlle point where Gooll Spring creek enters it from the south. On the sloping bases of the mountains, which a.re but little timbered, the pastura.ge is also good. On the dry, exposed plateau between Godiva ridge and the Elk Head mountains the grazing is poor; no stock was in this part of R.outt county in 1880, except about the nortll bend of the Little Smtlrn,. where it strikes the bouncfary line bet.ween Wyoming and Colorado, and on (Saint Vra,in's fork. Occurmtion of the county, except west of the Little Snake, was very slight and variable. .A.hove the month of Elk Head cree.k stoclc occupancy extended, irregularly and but trausientl.Y, up the Yampa to Egeria park, and thence over into• Middle park. In all of Routt count,y there were in the census year lmt 7,700 cattle and no sheep, or tthoul:i one animal to each 500 acres. Wheeler a,nd Hayden's surveys contribute most th[Lt is known regarding the extreme southwest beyond tile· San Juan mountains. About the Sa,n Miguel mountains, north and west, with the exception of limited tracts in Gypsum and Saucer Vl'Llley, the grazing is very poor itncl water scarce, sage, pifion, and a little grass composing the Yegetation. Southwest of the lia Plata mountains, to the neighborhood of the San Juan river, in tho very · comer of the state, below the piue forests, the proportion of pasturage land is small, but water is not so searce as. farther north. Grama grass a.ml white sa.ge constitute the principal fora.ge plants; the sage occupying the dry places aud open plains, the grama growing· on the mountain slopes. South and southeast of the La, Plata mountains, as far east as tho spur of the San Juan rnouutu.ins, on the plateau belt midway between the New Mexice> boundary and the elevated mountain ranges and east of the I-tio Piedra, there are many pieces of fine pasturnge, fnmishiug approximately in the strip of country specified 250,000 acres. They occupy most of the southeast corner of Conejos counl-.y', on the Rio Nutrea, Rio Blanco, and the headwaters of the San Juan. CATTLE. The conduct of cattle-raising is very similar in Colorado, Wyoming, and western lfohraska, but the cattlo interest of Colorado has been very, much moclified in late years by dry seasons, 'the markets, and the introclnction of' sheep. The statistics of 1880 were affected by the disastrous drought of 187{) and 1880. l'[ot only were tho a Unitecl States Geologicnl Survey Report, 1876. 1004 STATE OF COLORADO. 51 dried-out pastures overfed in 1879 and little old gmss left for winter subsistence but the continuance of drought until midsummer of 1880 without snow enougll for moisture or cover chuing winter prevented tlrn sta,rting of spl'ing grass. In some parts the general spriug "round-ups" were omitted nntil after the rains began, tho lwrds having· scattered in ever~' direction, the stock being too poor to hauclle, aml tlie difficulty beil1g great to gatller or morn them ·where there was neither 'vater nor grass. Stockmen did not know what cattle they possessed until later in the season. .Animals had cornpletel;y deserted some of tlw ranges on the plains aml crowded into other muges, es1Jecially those of the mountains or wherever there was wa,ter. Under snch circumstances aml the dishmtrteued condition of ranclnnen definite statifitics of 1880 were hard to get aud could only be computed after midsummer when owners were able to rnlLke approxinu1te statements to be compared with the assessment returns. About 150)000 stoek-eattle were driven. ont of Oolornclo duriug 11-380 hecmuse of the drought. Another result was tha,t a htrge proportion of the three ancl four yen,r old steers tlrnt shoulll have made beef in that year had to be carried over to 1881, to attain co1Hlit.ion, while outside cattle were brought into Oolornclo cities to furnish beef, for which more tliau half those driven in were used. S1m;ying .has bnen practiced in some herds. The operation was performed on young heifers, and tlle spayecl cows in their fourth ;year were marketed at the sEwrn prie<) us steers. In certain cases reported, where nearly 2,000 aninmls were srmyell for special sales, tho losses were insignificant and the result waR entirely satisfactory. The increase of calves for 1880 wits, of course, affectecl by tl10 c1isa.strous season .. -while the en.Ives constitntecl something over 20 per cont. of the total munber of cattle in 1870, in 1880 there were not more than 18 per cent. The increase of the cattle interest l>c~tween 1870 and 1880, a::i exliibitecl by a comparison of the mun bers of cattle on farmR, n.s reportc•cl hy the Ninth and the 'renth Census, is 390~ per cent. As this specin1 investigation of the statistics of all cn.tt.Je, both on farms and ranehes, is the ftrst attempt to inelucle cattle on the grazing ttreas, no compa1'isou mm be institnte ="=c·.·•.•~oooc:.••cc.-,.,,,.:=-======·======c======;===='7'====;===== Avcrngo Avornl(o llva Xlnll of cnttlo. Whoro sol11. Number. ngo. wolgbt. -----····-.----·--·~ ··-·------~--~·-·------11------1-----1------Ye~rs. Po1111d1. Colo1'11 --;::::--· -··--·--:=-:=:-::~:':".':':".~• ...... ·-'···-----"-" ---~ .... ---- llcovoa. Tlmie-ycnr.ol -~------·------Tc:x::w, from tho trail (< ) $12 00 to 12 50 $10 00 to 20 oo $16 00 to 17 50 $12 oo to rn 50 $11 00 to 12 00 $8 50 to $0 00 $7 50 to $8 00 (*) '1.'e:x:nn, acclimlltccl. t . (* ) 14 liO to 15 50 23 00 to 24 00 10 oo to 20 oo 15 oo to 16 50 14 00 to 1G 00 ...... ·-~·. -...... (*) Americ1m (mit\yo) ... $35 00 17 50 to 18 50 28 00 to 80 oo 24 oo to 20 oo 19 00 to 20 00 17 50 to 18 50 13 f>O to l•i GO 12 no to rn 50 $8 00 to $0 00 Amorlc1m, grnclorl by t'$o0 00 t..o 7» 00 20 00 to 21 00 32 00 to ll4 00 27 00 to 20 00 22 00 to 23 00 lfi 00 to 20 00 15 oo to 10 00 14 00 to 10 00 0 00 to 10 00 im1lrovo1l bull~. -----·-----~·-- ·• Texns enttln of those clnaAos a~e sol a The word" band" is used with vocy different meanings in different localities in the West; it is used for a flock, a herd, a drove of - animals, a subtribo of Indians, etc. .Among stookmen it is used as the common name for either flock, herd, or drove. 1006 STATE OF COLORADO. 53 The more experienced flockmasters discard sheds except for fambing. High, tight corrals, with outlying snow and wind breaks, are preferred, as they afford snfilcient shelter and protection, are more cleanly, less liable to induce disease, and the sheep do not overcrowd and smother themselves in storms. Inasmuch as severe storms and exceptional years are such an important element in Colora.do sheep-grazing, lhe f'o] lowing facts pertaining to the experience of previous years in this regnrd may be of value: l n the winter of 1371-'72 severe snow -storms caused great loss, and A.pril 7 a terribly cold win cl with :fine snow (the "blizzard" of the plains) was very destructive. Stock was then run without any artificial protection. The nrnn who owned the largest flock in the state at that time lost outright 17 per cent. of his sheep. The years 1874 and 1875 are memorable for extreme cold weather. The late storms during and just after lambing and shearing were the most disastrous. About the middle of June, 1876, there was a two days' storm of wind, snow, and hail. In the spring of 1877 again a like disaster came upon the flocks. During six weeks of December, 1877, and January, 1878, heavy snows remailled npon the ground, in many places coveriilji the pasturage entirely. One ranch, 18 miles east of Colorado Springs, lost 1300 head out of 3,700 while that almost nuexamplecl snow lay on the ground. The losses consequent were stiid to have averaged 20 per cent. of' the sheep. One mmt who then had 6,000 sheep without ]Jastnrage, bnt who had provided hay the summer before ancl bought Kansas corn at 85 cents per cwt., carried his sheep through with but little loss. Many of his neighbors, less pmdent, lost 50 per cent. of their stock. In March, 1878, an l~xceptioun.lly heavy snowfall, which clriftecl badly, burie ·Or 33.9 per cent.; lambs, 14,042, or 21.1 per cent. The estimated number of lambs dropped per 100 ewes was 85. ·Of these 48.07 ,per cent. survived to yearlings. The estimated average annual loss among sheep over twelve months old for a term of years was 8.5 per cent. The average value of stock and mutton sheep in 1880 was: Rn,ms, $.15 to $50; ewes, $2 25 to $3 i wethers, ;$2 25 to $3; aambs, $1 75 to $2 25; the average weight of mutton sheep was, live weight, 95 to 100 pounds; dressecJ. weight, 49 to 53 pounds. The average annual wool clip in each class was : n.ams, 10 to 14 pounds; ewes, 4 to 7 ;pounds ; wethers, 5 to 8 pounds; lambs, 3 to 5 pounds. The estimated average annual loss among sheep over twelve months old for an average term of yea.rs is 8 per cent., made up by the following causes: Disease, winter .and spring storms, wild animitls, old age, poisonous weeds, and snake bites . .Scam is very troublesome, causing much damage to flocks, and is introduced anew nearly every season by trail sheep driven in from New Mexico. Coyotes, wilcl cats, and black eagles are very annoying to floclnnasters on the prairie, while among the foot-hills the larger carnivora are a source of danger to adult sheep as well us to lnmbs. SLAUGH'l'ER.-According to Special Abstract No. 9, Manufactures, Tenth Oensns, fourteen slaughtering .establishments in the cwunties Bonlcler, Clear Creek, Ouster, Arapahoe, Gilpin, and Ijakc, slaughtered 21,018 ibeeves having an average live weight of 991 pounds, valued at $675,390; 37,166 sheep having an average live weight of 104 pounds, valued at $107,415; 9,590 hogs, ha;ving an average live weigl1t of 340 ponnds, and valuml .at $106,410. ESTIMATED MOVEMENT OF CATTLE, SHEEP, AND SWINE DURING 1880. FilOll cor.OllADO. TO CO!.ORADO. ----·------·------·------·------···------,---- DeaLtnntlon. Cattle. Sbeop. Sourco. Cn.ttln. Sho~p. Swino. -----·------~---..------·---- Total...... 140, 800 151, 000 Totnl ...... , 21,880 Cl,420 14,640 ___ _. ____\_-::-.:.;:;::.:_~ = :Dy clrlvo ...... W.>omlng ...... no, ooo 8,000 Bytlrive ...... Onliforn!tt...... 10,000 ...... Dy ddvo ...... Arlzonn ...... 2, 000 BydI"ivo ...... Wyoming...... 10,000 ...... Dy clrlve ...... Nelirnaka...... 2(1, 000 40, 000 By drivo ...... Toxna...... 6,000 ...... By Year. Authority. Onttlo. Sheep.• Swlne. ------·------·------·-·-··----- 1870 ...... NlnthOensus{onfnrms)...... 70,736 120,GZS 5,501J 1879 ...... Bimminl report of St(l.f.o aiulitor ...... 530, 823 779, G35 9, 765 1880 ...... do ...... ··--···--·...... •••...... 5•12, OO·l 782, 040 7,470 rnso --·--·- ...... Tenth Consue (on fm·ma)...... •....• ...... •••••...... 840, 839 746, 4431 7, osa 1880-_.. _. -_·_- _·_-._.-_·_· ._._T_en_t_h_C_o_n_an_a_{_o_n_f,_u_w_e_nn_cl_e_a __ u __m_nt_c_d_u_n_on_n_m_o_r_nt_c_d_r_nn_c_h_11D_c1_1·_nn_g_o_a_to_c_k)_._·_· ._. _·._. .._ _. ··-·---~--..-'----7-0I_, _49~---- 1, on, 44~-----~~ ESTIMATED CA'I'TLE, SHEEP, AND SWINE IN COLORADO .JULY 1, 1880. .A.l'l'UO X!MA~'R AC!lllAGJn 01'' STOCK, I BTO CK OCCUl'AUON. Sootlone. Sect.ions defined. Unt tlo, F\hcep. Onttlo. Sheep.* Swine. -~------· I Total...... 42,5:;s, ooo 20, 20D, 535 7!ll, 402 1, 091, 443 10, 885 ·-_c::-.::::.:-::~::_· ::-'-======:: -~-·-·. ·-· -· ERSt-Orn ...... EttSt of tho Rocky mountains: i.e., enst of western llound1>ri~s of Lnrimer, Boulcler, SO, ooo, 000 21, 730, 535 013, 406 070, 585 a, 011 Gilpin, ,Jefferson, El l'nao, Pueblo, Ilucrfnno, nnd Lna Animns countios. '\Voetorn ..... West of tho Rocky mountnius: west of above * Seo nqtc to To:xns tnlllea, p. 81. Indlnn stock is lnclutlccl In nllove. Totn,I land are1L of state--···· ______.• ··-·._ ..•....••.. __ ·-_·----· .. _--· ____ .•.•... __ -·- .•.•.. acres .. 06,332,800 'l'otal n;pproximi.te a'roa of nvnilaulo pasturage __ •••.. ____ . . . _ .... ___ .. _. __ .. ____ .. _. _ ... ___ ... do _.. 45,440,000 Total m·ea of uuoccnpied