suited thereto, may be wholly unsuited to another section. Therefore, in order to secure harmonious and profitable local action, local organization becomes a necessity. The rules and orders of the local association, covering but a small area, are easily made satisfactory to all those interested and readily adapted to serve the best purposes.

But the State or Territory covers a wide range of country, and one set of statutes must govern all the people. In order that there be no friction, representative men are sent up from all parts, and the wants of the whole properly considered. So with the stock interests. In order that local regulations be not offensive and detrimental to other sections, and for the purpose of a wider field of associated labor, State and Territorial organizations become necessary.

These bodies, being composed of practical men from every locality, can prepare rules that will enable all to work in harmony and for the general good. They can influence and shape legislation so as to protect all alike, adopt such measures as will guarantee the safety of their herds, and accomplish all at the minimum of expense. Therefore, every State and Territory should have its local and central associations, and every man engaged in the business should be a member.

But the necessity of the work does not stop here. The world over, human nature as a whole is alike, and selfishness is a common factor. As each local association has some conditions peculiar to itself, and can only work with its neighboring organizations by virtue of compromises, so the various State and Territorial organizations are sometimes found to be working in harmony with local connections that are highly detrimental to the welfare of other States. The wisest laws and those promotive of the greatest good have only been enacted by means of compromises. The greatest good to the entire stock interests of the country can only be secured by intelligent discussion, grave deliberation and a willing spirit of compromise. To this end the stockmen of all sections should meet in annual convention as a national body, under such rules and reguations as will insure to each and all the benefits to flow from individual membership. As a whole the stock interests of the United States are of such magnitude as to demand from all of the people the most careful consideration, and from the law making power of the Government the fullest protection.

Scattered and unorganized as these interests have been in the past, they have received but little consideration from the powers that be, and in consequence suitable laws are conspicuously absent from the statutes at large. As an industry, the stock growing business is one and the same from the Gulf to the British line, and there exists no reason why the whole body of men engaged in the calling should not meet and agree upon such measures as will be productive of the common good, and at the same time compel the recognition and respect of the law making powers.

THE PAYMENT OF ASSOCIATION DUES.

Following out the ideas above set forth, a word may be said about the payment of association dues. The associations and the newspapers work hand in hand, and the combined influence of the two has cleared the bulk of the range country of the cow thief that formerly gave such trouble to honest ranchmen, and by virtue of the security thus gained largely increased stock values. With no certainty of ever again seeing the cattle turned loose on the range, capitalists were not disposed to invest, and stock herds were a drug in the market. But after the forma

tion of associations and their active support by the press, the thieves had to go.

This made cattle investments as safe as other recognized legitimate securities, and moneyed men at once began to take hold of the business. This equalized values on all classes of cattle, and soon had the effect of bringing stock raising to the front as a leading and profitable calling. With the prompt payment of all dues and assessments to the associations, and a doubling up of newspaper patronage, stockmen are still paying less than one-fourth the amount they would have to pay for insurance on a like investment in any other personal property, and the insurance would be no more complete nor absolute.

CATTLE COMPANIES-HOW AND WHY ORGANIZED.

The range country east of the Rocky Mountains covers an area of open country 200 to 300 miles east and west, reaching from British America south to the Gulf of Mexico. Going south the trend of the mountains is to the west, and the plain country on the thirty-sixth parallel is not far from 600 miles east and west. Over this wide expanse of almost treeless plains the cattle roam at will, and are frequently found hundreds of miles from their home range. Freedom of action is the insurance on their lives, for they walk in front of the blizzard until they find shelter or the storm abates. When spring comes a small herd is found scattered over an area of perhaps hundreds of miles. They must be gathered and the calves branded. To facilitate this work the round ups have been instituted, and the spring hunt for cattle means an organized army of cowboys scouring the whole country. Mess-wagons are loaded with provisions, and a cook employed who drives the four mules or horses, and cooks for the ten or fifteen cowboys attached to the mess. These boys are sent by the ranchmen in ones and twos with from half a dozen to twenty or more wagons, depending upon the number of cattle they represent. The man with three or four hundred head of cattle finds them as widely scatterred as are the ten thousand of his neighbor. In order to gather his cattle he must have a representative with the outfits in the various directions the cattle drift. This creates an annual expense that is beyond the limits of the purse of the small holder, while to the owner of thousands of head it is but a small per cent. on the number of animals gathered. Thus the round-up system, while it is perfect in itself and enables ranchmen to find all of their strays, and return them to the home ranch, is too expensive for the owner of a few hundred cattle. It costs as much to run a bunch of 500 cattle on an open range, and find all of them in the spring, as it does to run 3,000. And it costs virtually as much to run 3,000 head as it does to handle 10,000. Under these circumstances and conditions there is a present and growing tendency among small operators to pool their issues and organize cattle companies out of their combined herds. By this means the annual expense per capita is reduced, in many instances, from $3 to less than $1.

The large companies are made up, as a rule, of combined capital from the East, taken in small blocks, and very frequently the funds so invested are widows' savings and orphans' legacies. Hence they appeal in strong terms to the public for the same kind and degree of protection that would be accorded to them if invested in any other class of business or securities.

CONCLUDING REMARKS.

The range cattle industry of the West is in a fairly prosperous condition, but it has passed through a season of trying ordeals. The quarantine against the South, and the blockade of healthy cattle in the Indian Territory, caused both losses and "bad blood." The removal of cattle from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indian reservations wiped out a considerable sum of money in the forcing of unripe cattle on the beef markets, and in the expense incident to removal. The President's order for the taking down of all fences on the public domain, and the general tone of the eastern press against the occupancy of the public lands by cattle owners, caused a feeling of distrust to spring up in the minds of those who were contemplating investments in ranches and cattle, lest there might be other troubles to follow. The actual breaking out of pleuro-pneumonia in several localities in the country west of the old and known disease centers, created a doubt as to the permanent security of cattle investments on the range against disease. This caused a few timid persons to desire to sell out and retire from the business. All of these things, combined with an unusually stringent money market, brought about a general lowering of prices throughout the West and a shrinkage in taxable values. But to-day a healthy reaction has set in and a feeling of hope for the future is everywhere manifest. It is believed that sufficient interest is being taken by the people of the East to induce them to more fully investigate the situation in the West, which means their conversion.

When they realize the fact that the arid regions of the plains are alone suited to grazing purposes, and that from 40 to 50 acres are required to support one cow or horse; when they understand that at least one-third of the beef supplies come from these same arid plains, and that its withdrawal from the markets of the world means greatly advanced prices to them, when they ascertain, in a word, that their best interests are to be subserved by "standing in" with the West, then will they withdraw all the apparent opposition lately manifested, and with might and main assist by every proper means to secure the necessary national legislation to give permanent tenure and protection to the cattle industry. It is also believed that Congress in its next session will come fully and squarely to the relief of the industry, and give all that is reasonably asked for. With such a condition brought about, confidence and prices will be fully restored, and the money centers will turn loose their surplus capital for investment as opportunity occurs. With absolute protection against disease, such as the proper laws will give, if their enforcement is placed in the hands of both scientific and practical men, the future prosperity of the industry is assured. Harmony and united action on the part of the entire range interests will certainly secure the accomplishment of these very desirable conditions. Respectfully submitted.

H. M. TAYLOR, Agent Bureau of Animal Industry.

LAS VEGAS, N. MEX., October 9, 1885.

THE LIVE-STOCK INDUSTRY OF COLORADO AND THE TERRITORIES OF THE NORTHWEST.

Hon. NORMAN J. COLMAN,

Commissioner of Agriculture:

SIR. I have the honor to submit the following preliminary report of the results of my investigations of the cattle industry in the State of Colorado and in the Territories of Dakota and Montana. I would state that the information contained in the following report was obtained by means of circular letters addressed to many persons engaged in raising cattle in the above designated territory, and from personal interviews with the leading stockmen and others interested in the cattle industry, and from records and statistics accessible to me. The figures given are perhaps as accurate and reliable as can be obtained without a careful

census.

The number and value of the animals in the above-named State and Territories at the close of the year 1884 were about as follows:

The breeds most in use in Colorado, Dakota, and Montana are the Durhams, Herefords, and their crosses with the Texans.

In Colorado there are 48,754,600 acres, or 734 per cent. of the State, devoted to pasturage. The returns from Dakota Territory are not regarded as sufficiently accurate for use, and I will not hazard an estimate as to the number of acres devoted to grazing in this Territory. The returns from the Territory of Montana would indicate that there are 68,666,000 acres, or about three-fourths of the Territory devoted to the grazing of cattle.

The most acceptable dairy breeds for Colorado are Jerseys, Holsteins and Alderneys; and these seem to be the most acceptable breeds for both Colorado and Montana. The number of cattle devoted to dairy purposes in Colorado is given at 60,450.

The annual increase of cattle in Colorado is 25 per cent., and the annual consumption 50,000 head, in round numbers. The annual increase in Dakota is 40 per cent., and in Montana 41 per cent. The breeds most in use are the Durhams, Herefords, and their crosses with Texans, and those best adapted to beef production are the Durhams, Herefords, and Polled Angus. The ages at which these animals are sent to market range from two to six years.

These cattle are shipped to market by railroad, generally on common stock cars. It would be a great improvement to ship these animals on cars with air-brakes, patent couplings, and suspension trucks. The cost per head of sending them from Colorado to Chicago varies from $5.75 to $10.25, or an average of $8.79; to Kansas City, $3.75 to $7.25, or an average of $5.35. The cost from Dakota is $5.87, and from Montana $8.

In Colorado the cost of feeding an animal on the range until it is fit for beef is $8.40. I cannot give the cost for the production of an animal in Dakota, but the estimated cost for Montana, as given in the circulars of inquiry returned to me, show this cost to be $4.50. These figures I regard as too low.

The condition of the cattle on the ranges as a whole has been good all winter. The modes of shelter and protection are barns, sheds, and wind-breaks on the farms, and ravines, bluffs, cañons, timber, and other natural means of protection on the ranges. In Colorado the loss for want of shelter is 4 per cent. This loss varies in this State from 2 to 10 per cent., according to location and season. The loss of flesh during the winter from this cause is 12 per cent. In Dakota the loss is 7 per cent. per annum, and in Montana 63 per cent. In Dakota the loss of flesh during the winter is 173 per cent.

The various diseases, contagious and otherwise, to which Colorado cattle are liable, are black leg, ergotism (known in some localities in Kansas as foot-and-mouth disease), and Texas fever. This last-named disease prevailed to but a limited extent except during the past year, when it caused a very serious loss among cattle in some localities. Black-leg and Texas fever occasionally prevail among cattle in Dakota, but to no very great extent. The only fatal disease mentioned as existing among cattle in Montana is black-leg, but this never prevails to any great extent. I have not been able to secure correct returns as to the number of Texas cattle brought into Colorado, but the loss caused by their mingling with native stock is estimated at $237,500. The only protec tion against this disease (Texas fever) would seem to be in good quarantine laws.

The annual increase of cattle in Colorado, on the basis of the census of 1880, is 60 per cent. This includes the animals brought into the State from other States and Territories, as well as the natural increase. On the same basis the annual increase for Dakota is 54 per cent., and that of Montana 84 per cent. This increase also includes importations as well as the natural increase.

TEXAS OR SPLENIC FEVER.

Colorado has been comparatively free from Texas fever, but in 1884 our cattle interests suffered a very serious loss from this disease. The estimates of these losses are based on information obtained from parties familiar with the facts, and who were cognizant of the results from personal observation on the range. It did not kill in all cases, but many of the infected ones recovered; and in such cases it prevented the diseased animal from becoming fit for fall beef and jeopardized its chances of surviving the winter.

The fever first made its appearance in Colorado at La Junta, about the 1st of August, and continued its ravages until heavy frost came. There is one party who estimated his individual loss in 1884, from Texas fever alone, at $50,000, but from disinterested parties in his vicinity I am informed that this statement is somewhat exaggerated; but no