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'wiLLAtaEITE FARMER; PORTLAND, OREGON. FEBRUARY 4. l88i.
SHEEP AM WOOL.
Sheep Husbandry In the
iimhiu Itcglon.
Wo publish this week tlirco sevcrarcommu
ideations, from experienced Wojd Growers,
that cover tlio entire ground of sheep huslnnd
ry and wool-grow ing In tlio Columliiaii Valley.
Tho editorial comment that accompany cadi
aro all that Is needed and tlio subject could
not bo lift to Letter hands. We hnc sought
to furnish iiractlc.il Information concerning
cmo of tho great and most productive Indus
tries wo havo and so havo secured thuso ex
ircsslons from practical men w ho havo mado
n success of it. Hon. John Miuto, who Is a
aclf-inado man, well-known as u (Homer and
whoso namo is familiar In our political history,
resides at Salem and Is a practical lincdir of
Merino sheep; Hon. A. J. Dufu represented
Oregon as Commissioner for Oregon at the
Centennial; whila ho reside, at present at
East Portland, eiijovlng wcll-caiiicd rcposo,
his sons hao largo Hocks in Wasco county
and make a smo success as wool growers; the
last paper is furnished by n gentleman whose
practical knowledge of sheep and wool con en
tho entire ground of discussion.
i i
BIIEEP AND WOOL IK OREOOK.
History of Importing and Breeding Bqeep, imd
of Wool Growing In Oregon. With
lti Preiont Status.
IIV IIOV. JOIIS IITI.
Ttn first shci p brought to Oregon, wero
driven from California by an American named
Lease, in 18.1S, and thiro is soma reason to
hcliovo that ho madun second etrivo In Ul'J.
Thny were light bod cd, dry fleeced, kempy,
and inferior sheep. In 1811, Mr, Joshua
Shaw, and his son A. 0. It. .Shaw, brought
tho llrst few across tho plains from Missouri.
In 1817 a Mr. Fields brought a lot of good
sheep across tho plains. In IS 13, Mr. Joseph
Wiitt, of Amity, brought 3.10 head, consider
ably infutid with Sixony iixriuo blood, and
among them w iro fr rams and 2 cues that wero
pure Saxony and six high grad Spanish
merino ewes. In 18,11 Hiram Smith hroui'ht
some full blooded .Spiiilshmeriiins, I never was
informed as to tho uuiiiIh r. In 18.11 Dr.
Toliniv, of tho l'ugvt Sound Agricultural
Comiiauy ilroo into tlic Willamette valley,
koiuo 1,500 head, ib.cond.ants of Lease's Cali
fornia sheep that camu in I8HS, among which
wero soino pure, or nearly pure, South Downs,
Leicester and Merinos.. In 18.18 Martin
Jcasu brought In '.X) Inad of Macathtr Auttra
lun Mcrinoj that wero inipotted into
San Francisco by J. II. Williams. U. S.
Consul ut Sidney in 18.17. In 18.1!) It. C. (leer.
of Wuldii hills, imported Soilthdowns of tho
famous Jonas Wubli breeding. In ISM) Rock
well & Jones iiumrtcd Punch and Spanish
Merinos from Vermont later in tho same
year Jewett V Ijmo hroiight in soino pure
And Miinn gradt-tl 1'rincli meiinos. In IMlI
Donald McLeoel brought 160 tlioroiiL'lilircd
Spanish mviiiios from Vermont across tho
plains. In IN! I. John I). IVtcrson imported
and sold in Ore -on, Trench and Spanish meri
nos. Mr. JoliuCo'swclliiniMirtttlXuw Oxford
shire ami llaiiiMliuvMliiuns about 1M1I, and
bout tlio sitno dito Hon. Hon Stark imported
h single Cotsucild mm. Snicu that elato tho,
lato Joseph llnluian, Mr, Wilson of Ohio,'
Thomas Cross, Mr. Wilkius, S. (1. Rccil, and
others lino Imported Cottuoldsand Leicester
from tho Atlantic side, and James Cuiueron
and others havo imported from New calami
and Australia. Of later data tlirru hao been
importations and sales of incriuos by Jowctt
and Muuson, I'cter Svxe A Sous, Severance
& Pert, and Mrs. lllaeow, Nearly all the
sheep imported to Oregon of 1 eto were Span-
mi or Amciioan imported merinos, except
those sent hero by Mm. lllaeow, which wero
of tho largest and highest keptstjleof French
inrrinoe. ,
Iho resident breeders of merino sheep in
Oregon at present are, Thompson & Sons
and Dr. Raid win, of Wasco county, who im
ported their own sheep; A. J. Dufur anil
nous of Dufur, samo county, who have stock
of my breeding, and those from tho linn of
Mills & Lurlluig, of J. I). Patterson's importa
tion crowed with rams imported by II, Ham
uiond, of Vermont. In tho same county ore
Lewis brothers, who have Australian and
lYencli merinos, I am informed. In Umatilla
country are Ross A Sutherland, at
IMot Hock, whoso tlock is crossed with
Severance & Feet' stock of Spanish meriiiu,
wero imported by Put Smith, o Wall Walla
sort of free rover iu the sheep line. Near
Walla Walla is located "lly.'1 tleer, a live
Uregontan though he live across the line,
His stock is from the llock of the Uto T. O.
Navlor, (Jewett & Patterson's importation)
ttd from my ueighbor V. L. Davidson.' stock,
(Rockwell) Joncr, McLcnd, Patterson and my
self contributed towards Davidson'sstock.
Tti U'nih ft, flrmrnn In I sTiit irl a cAlthtv
Col I Fcmlcl Southcrliu has lately commenced
f with trench merinos fiom Mrs.Illacnw 1 stock;
Judio rhoiims Smith is also there, whoso stock
was tho McLcod drove from Vermont, and I
think Senator Stcarus has soino of tho same
stock crosic-d by Jewett & Munsou sheep.
In I oik county D. M. Guthrio breeds
largely with French and Spanish merinos,
there aro a few thoroughbred merinos kept in
Linn county by Mr. Knox, of Knox's butto,
and by Mr. Thorn is Fronian. near Alluny. In
Marion country T. W. Davenport his a flock
fpunded on tint Navlor stock and some of
mine, crossed with blood of Sevcrauco &
I'ects imputation, 'lhomas Crose, J. L.
l'arrish, Hon. I'. R. Suitli and mvself have
stock began with tho earliest importation from
Vermont and Australia and added to by such
later importations ox wero thoucht to bo a
cain.
Tho breeders of Ions woolcd sheen nrei
Mr. Wilkius l Sons of Lano county, who
havo the New Oxfmdshirts. Mi. James
Kicliards, ol Waldo lulls, thU (Marion) county,
keeps CoUuolds; sudo, I believe, Mr. Withy
mini, H. (I, IUed, ninl RoUrt linhric, of
Washington county. 'Iho .Southdouns and
lliiinpvhircdovvns are no longer kept hero of
my ktinwlutgo, and of lato vuirs tin re has
been less and lorn interest in.mifes eil lieie
In the best long woolcd families, as Hocks of
them onro held by Cornelius of Washington,
Raker of Yamhll, and Kevsof Kenton, have
disappeared. It is not that theso breeds can
not bo kept In Western Oregon and made to
produce combing wool of tho very bcstiiality.
l'ho aw arils of lirstclossin dais by the Worhf's
fair of 1870. and moio recintlv of l'arls.
and within a fow weeks put nt tho wool ex
position held at Philadelphia, proves that
Western Oregon can excel, both iu loin,' comb
ing and In lino clothing wools; but our ex
perience proves that combing wool sheep ro
quire constant ore on the part of tho owners,
to keep them iu tho proper condition. There
aioafuu locations iu Western Oregon of
which this Is not true. 1 hero aro a few
ranges of limi'ed ixteut that aro better adapt
ed to long woided sheep tl an to any other.
Thcia are alvo firmcrs who so keep their
flock under conditions generally not favorable,
that they bring to market a veiy good article
of combing wool. Hut such are exceptional
men ot present.. Tho genera' condition of the
cnmaio oi " esteru Urtgon, ami tlio pasturage
furnished cither n ituratly or by thehclp of the
farmer, are such that there is a steady deteri
oration from an av erngu standard of Cotswold.
Leicester, or New- Oxford sheep. The flock
grows gradually inoroandmnrelrggy iuappcar
a mo, tho wool b comes shorter, drirai d less
lustrous, and In many cosse tho sho- p, while
comparatively aoung, lose cousiilerable of
this wo d heforo ordinary aliening time.
For these general reasons, tliose who take
Interest enough in tho sheep they keep to use
any pure blooded sheep for tho purpose of lm-
proreimnt, or even iiiiintaiiiuig the measure
of prolits received from their flocks, look, in
a large majority i f cases, towards the merinos
This is so, to such an extent, even in Western
Oregon, that I think t at I am s.afo In asum
iim that ut this time tho amount ol inn-inn
hlcod In the sheep of the coun'ry is equal to
that of Ml ther breeds together, common
stock included. That is; I beliuve, the sheep
ui iiviitni eirc,juii win gnwio ncai iy or quite,
halfJdood merino.
Ow ing to the rapid ette nnon of w heat-fanning,
ami an Increasing uo of sheep as gleaners
and wee-diiiL' w he it-fallows, whe-te thuy
uro in many cases kept .without water and on
short feed iloriug tho following season, eveji
tho Mcillio blood is not siillicieut to counter-
act tlietendcuey to deterioration and dryness
of fleece', and flocks so tr ated aro rctreicrad-
ilium sited sheep to got a fair living a condi
tion suitablo to growing fino wool of tho best
einality tho comhing-wool sheep is not get
ting the amount of feed necessary to keep its
wool in healthy growth, so both wool and
sheep are deteriorating. On fresh ran?o this
is not the case, and for a while a very good
staple of long wool can bo grown on such
range, but tlio causes I have indicated aery
soon begin to operate, with results that fully
justliy tne wool growers ior urcceiing more
anil more towarels me ciommg-wooi snecp.
Tho present wool crop of the Columbia
river valley, including Kaat and West of tho
Coscado range, will very nearly giado as "mo
ilium clothing staple." There are, of course,
entire clips that would sort into combing,
coar-o delaine and noils. There are flocks of
long-wools that have been kept under tlio most
favorable conditions. Thero are still larger
numbers of flocks of this samo kind that havo
been breds tow arils tho Merino, that a largo
proportion of "med'um to flno dclalno wool,"
according as the llock has taken the first, sec
ond or third cross towards fine wool. Theso
exceptional lots of combing and ilehine wools
rcccivo no discrimination in their favor iu
our local markets.. The custom hero is to
buy wool by tlio reputation of tho dislri. U
w litre it is grown, as "Douglas county wool,"
"v illamctto valley wool, or "hastcrn Oro
gon wool." Rut the observing reader will see
occasionally, aiiu a lato Joiirns I of Commerce,
quoted by tho American Stockman, December
tltlil "Valley, Oregon, lambs' wool (1st
fleece) hchl in San Francisco at 31 to.lj cents;
Lastem Oregon lambs, 'M to '21 cents:" while
California Northern (Humboldt and Mendo
cino counties) are quoted '2o to "0 cents.
Thoso wool, I suppose, are sorted ml graded
in San Francisco, and tho Oregon grower, for
the most patt fail", under pn sunt methods of
ii arkot, to get tlio lull bcuelit ol good breed
ing. One main causo of this is that sheep and
wool growing are but in their beginning in
Oregon, and very many who aro tngagcil iu
it are merely learners iu the business. While
some are apt to learn and soon becomo skillful
in tho management of flocks, and conse
quently are succcisful, many, and per
haps most, aro merely making a living.
Others are slowly failing of success at all, as
tney cannot aeiapi tnemselves to tlio ocenpa
tlon; but out of all this will come know ledge
with experience! tho men and the Hocks are
growing that will make this Northwest Coast
regiou one of the first wool-growing, and, ul
timately, one of the first wool'manufacturing
portions of the earth. God lias given the
conditions favorable for Iwt i occupations and
man will uso them to the full of their adapta
tions. At the lato National Show of Sheep
and Wool, held In Philadelphia, at which
Oregon wools mado a good lecord. W. F.
Markham delivered an address before tho
nig,
havo, as a rule, not yet adopted tho plan of
liUnel feeding iu Winter, to makoup, in part,
for short, dry feud iu Summer,
Wool growers iu F-aiUin Oiegon and Wash
ington, and, in tact, iu all th country between
tho Cascades and the Rocky Mountains, aro
advancing more rapidly llnu tlio.o'e.tof tlio
Cascade range iu the improvement of their
wools. This advance is nearly all In the di
rection of tlio American-Improved Merino; so
much so that I Mievv thero are ten ineriim
rams ii ire.li ised for usu'thero to one of anv or
.n .i i i i-i. t-.... , . . .
mi uiucr minis, sue oouiiuiowus aim elll
ferent faini'iesof combing. woolcd hep have
U'cn tried thero sulliciently often to prove
that the climate and other conditions of shep
husbandry in that section of country are still
more unfavorable for long-w exiled afieep than
Is the case, as 1 have prcemtcl it. West of the
Cascade Mounta in iu the Willamette Vallvy.
It Is found, in practi.e, that iu si fleck of
mixed breeds the long-wooleel keep on the
outside of the others iu search of fete!. Ob
servation proves that when the short-joiutcsl.
round-bodied Merino grade, weighing 130
pounds live weight, baa feel to its satisfaction
and is ready to lie down, the long-wooleel
weighing 180 pounds, has not had feed ac
cording to the requirements of its nature and
site, and in consequence is restless at camping
M,v, cuimj imun uuun sucu sneep re
quire the constant care of tho herder to prsveut.
tliem from leading the flock to travel faster
and farther daily than is good for it Then,
wlitu the stasou render jt UuVul for a me-
"Convention to promote the sheep and wool
Industry," in which ho said i "Along our
Noithem bonier is a region embracing Oregon
and Washington Territory, warmed and
moistened by the winds and currents of tho
Pacific Ocean, presenting tho same peculiari
ties of climate Mid vegetation to which aro
credited much of tho vaunted excellenco
of the lonc-Woolcel sheen of Kinrlaml." Mr.
Markham is right; tho climate is here, though
it is not so wide iu its influence as be states.
It covers, however, tho two counties of Call
forni I have mentioned, the Western third
of Oregon, the half of Washington and tho
" " ue Jriiisn ccnumuia. UUt Irom
Kaat of the Cascades to Western Kansas anil
from Middle Texas to Alaska, is all clothing
wool country, for which the Improved Amer
ican Merino is the best known brecel. The
portion of coast moistened by the w inds of
the Pacific, now occupied aa wheat fields,
needs, as I have Iiidicat-d, something ap
proaching Knglish method of husbandry, both
a to wlieat and sheep, to make it carry
combing-woolcU sheep. The lands of the
cont that aro most favored by these "moist
ened winds," however, are yet under forest
and brush wild growth. A little observation
will convince anyone that the timber belt
aiong our streams, tne lootlulls, narrow val
leys and bench lands of our mountain ranges,
that carry grass and clover greeii through the
eut re season, are suier for the production of
such plants as the rutaliaga and mang. Id
wurtiel, than the lands of the main Western
vancy. wnereon natural elrvnesa prevented
timber grow th, and kept it ready for the plow
of the piouneer and the pasturage of his ox
teams. Rut the millions of acres of brush
and timber lands are here, Mr. Kelitor, wait
Ing ouly for the mind and wuscle that is bound
to come and utilise them. Meautime, those
w ho are here are fully occupied securing re
sults in what seems the easiest and quickest
manner. I have tried to show the present
status and tendencies of our ool growing aa
it is couuecttd with improveel brr tils of sheep.
I have explained the means of improvement
aud how it came here and is- inviting the
choice of the wool Brewer. The fiebTis a
wme one, aim in time, l nave no doubt, will
be fully occupied.
i i
WOOl OROWINO IN WASCO CODHTT.
jir MS, A. J. DUrUR.
Tlio following statement of fact is an au
thentic record of the uperience ot Dufur
llros., whs havo a choice Deck of well bred
Merinos, that are taore thorn suaally valuable.
Mr. Dufur values ihttn &t $1 a head, and they
evidently pay a large interest on that, but
sheep, well bred, can bo easily purchased at a
much less price, Tlio Dufur have an excel
lent range on Fifteen-Mile Creek, sonthof The
Dalles, and in addition to that they hare a
valuable swamp land claim 20 mile West, on
tho benches of the mountains, covering thou
sands of acres of swamp lands, that afford
excellent lato Summer and Fall pasture. They
aro exceptionally well fixed, and beside have
natural talent for keeping sheep to the best
advantage, which I an essential to successful
sheep husbandry. Tliose who lack this can
hardly aucccod under any circumstance.
L'ait I'ohtland, Dec. 21, 1830.
ICditor Willamette Farmer:
In perusing your excellent description of the
great Columbian Kosin in the Fahwxr of the
.'Id Inst., my mind involuntarily mm back to
timo when railroads wero unknown muregon,
ami tho FAKMKn, with n few ot it most de
voted patrons, wero making an effort to bring
before tho public the vast natural and unde
veloped resources of our adopted State.
Having liecn closely identified with th
agricultural Interests of Oregon for more than
twenty years, ami still believing, a I ever
havn, that no State in tho Union possessed at
many advantages for tho legitimato accumu
lation of wealth, and the ro-establishmcnt ol
independent homes, as does this State; and
knowing that tho Wli.UMm Farmer is
read with interest in almost all of the older
States, where one of tho all-important ques
tions in tho overcrowded districts 1st "Where
can we find safe investment for independent
homes!" I will, w ith your permission, git e
your readers my views ami experience in wool
growing and sheep husbandry in Eastern Ore
gon and Washington Territory. It cannot be
expected that a detailed statement will be
mado in one short article of all the eligible lo
cations for sheep husb.au Iry iu a territory of
country so extensive that some of our Kastern
States miuht be overlooked aa a littlo patch of
territory i ot worth settling on. Aud aa it is
too frequently the caso in describing a country
for a writer, with a single stroko of the pen.
to declare it to Imi the finest place in the world
for evervboely and rverv thing, I shall, in
this communication, simply give fact and
figures as far aa my qwn experience goe in
sheop husliaadry in Eastern Oregon.
I might, with propriety, refer to the for
tunes realized by such men aa Frailer, Moore,
Field, Rogers, Smith, the Grants, Waldrons,
Thompsons, Fargars, and hundreds of other
who have come under my observation in East
ern Oregon, or the grand failure of several
others I know ot who seemed to think they
could make a fortune by investing in sheep
and running them with dogs without food or
shelter, let the cold be ev- r so severe or the
snow evor so deep; but this would not give
the practical busii ess men of tho East a cor
rect idea of the necesasiy expense to be in-.
curreei, ami me proimoie proiila to he aeriveu
from carefully conducted sheep husbandry In
the Eastarn districts of the great Columbia
basin.
Mysoxpciience has proved to m that a cer
tain amount of forage, with cheap shedding
and dry straw bedding is one of the best in
vestment the wool grower can make in win
tering in Eastern Oregon, It i true that
hundreds of bands are carried through with
out extra feed or shelter, but 1 have iuvarialgy
found that the loss iu numbers, the conditiou
in flesh, and the shrinkage in weight of fleece
at shearing time ha more than doubled the
expense of furnishing a fow pound ot hay
and the light expense of shakes, boards and
straw to make wind-breaks, shods and dry
Wilding to protect the flock from the cold
winds, rain, snow or frost that occasionally
occur in all countries that I have ever seen.
It is true we frequently have Winter when
sheep will not touch h y if it is fed to them,
but I have found that from two to threu
weeks is aliout an averago time for which the
flock master should provide feed and shelter
for his flock. In the Winter of 70-7 I find
we feel about 10 elays; in "77-8, 13 davs; in
78 9, 2 days; and the sheep that Winter
would have done much better to have been left
entirely on the range. In 70-80 feed and ,
shelter was required about two weeks, and
the present Winter bids fair to let u off with
not more than six or eight days. A our last
wool and lamb crop was aliout an average with
former years, it may not be uninteresting to
some of your readers to learn the expense ami
profit of running a band ot 1,600 ewe w had
selected a about three-quarter blood Merino!
KXri.NSE ACCOC.XT.
To 4 tons of salt at r.'O per ton I 80.00
To 8 tons of hay at $10 per ton 8000
To 10 tons of strawat toper ton 60.00
To 7 ct per head for shearing 105.00
To 39 wool sacks at 62J cU each 24.37
To man and board for herding 480.00
To two extramen on month during
parturition , 60.00
Total
sV yWeraseji" '... uM