deductions have been made for re-inspection, the cattle of other localities examined, and also all cases when remittances are made by commission merchants direct to owners.

The Colorado committee, in addition to the inspectors outside the State, maintain inspectors at Denver, Pueblo, and Leadville, and other inspectors, who travel under orders from one part of the State to another. Shippers, if possible, have their cattle inspected before shipment, because then there is less explanation necessary while en route. Where a number of cattle are sold from one point on the range to another point, buyers generally insist that they shall be inspected on delivery; in fact, inspection makes the interests of both parties more secure. Butchers, by law, are required to preserve the hides for one month after slaughter, and inspectors regularly visit all the principal towns, examine these hides, and report the brands. And while perhaps but few cases of stolen cattle are detected, the means of detection are so numerous and perfect that the stealing of cattle is rendered highly dangerous, and dishonest men are deterred. from engaging in it. In Colorado a tax of 1.15 mills on all the cattle of the State is annually levied for the support of the inspection system. Besides, the cattlemen themselves, through their State association, maintain an efficient detective system, and have able attorneys in their employ to assist the regular officers in the prosecution of all cases of cattle stealing. The inspection system of other sections may vary in detail from that in Colorado, which has been so minutely described, but everywhere these systems are designed to provide the same safe-guards, and in one way or another are generally effective, but necessarily vary somewhat in methods to suit the cattle movement peculiar to each section.

WINTER CARE-NUMBER OF MEN AND HORSES REQUIRED.

The winter care of cattle on the range is mainly confined to an effort to keep the water holes open. The cattle in cold weather suffer more, as a rule, from the want of water than from any other cause. There is more or less riding up and down the streams during severe weather, chopping holes in the ice at convenient distances, through which the cattle may drink. There should be more of this done than there is, for snow makes a poor substitute, and during most of the season the range is entirely bare of it. With open water at frequent intervals, the cattle cover a larger area in grazing than when the watering places are widely distant, and of course get more feed and do better. Sometimes weak cattle are brought into the ranches where there is hay at hand, and are helped along with feed, and range men, as has already been observed, are growing more and more appreciative of the value of home ranches which are capable of yielding good supplies of hay. At some ranches, too, more or less bulls are kept up and fed, and the horses kept out of the herd also require attention. But, in the aggregate, the winter's work is light, and a much less number of men are maintained than in summer.

In early spring there are slough holes and miry places in which weak cattle are in danger of being lost if assistance is not at hand to help them out, and such places are often visited.

The help and personal attention, and consequently the expense of managing cattle, varies with the intelligence of the management and the character of the range, and decreases in proportion as a large number is maintained under one management. Thus, upon

the open plains, two to three men in summer and one in winter, with say twenty horses, would be required to handle 1,000 head. For a herd of this size it is not necessary to maintain a camp the year around, and two or more parties often join in this expense. The saving, however, is not great, as neither the quarters nor the fare on the range are extravagant. For 5,000 head, six or seven men in summer and two in winter, with six times as many horses, would be required. For 20,000 head the management would probably require twenty men in summer and six in winter, six horses to the

man.

Respectfully submitted.

BOULDER, COLO., January 4, 1887.

GEORGE W. RUST.