Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-05-25
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
SUN RIVER CROSSING, May s, 1876

brought us to the camp of Mr.. Kingsburry,
where we were pleasantly entertained. and
enjoyed camp-life for a short time-spend-
ing the night with him. Mr.. X. is Il partner
of Messrs. Ray & Davenport, of Helena.
These gentlemen were among the first in
Montana to engage in the business of wool
growing, and a glance at their flock is
enough to convince one that they are far adj
vanced in the shepherds calling. Their
flock, which numbers about 5000 head, is
the best we have seen in the Territory. They
are entirely free from scab or disease of any
kind, their wool is long and even and OF
good quality. The ewes are divided into
several bands in order to enable them to
take proper care Of the lambs. Their Win
ter-quarters are about ten miles distant from
their present location, where they have an
excellent range, good hay-land adjacent.
and shedding sufficient to house in their en-
tire flock.
From Mr.. K%ingsbury's we took a north
ward course along the valley of the Flat
creek. This stream is small and only at
fords sufficient water to irrigate six or seven
farms, while the valley is large enough TIC
furnish very desirable locations for twelve
or fourteen home-seekers. The valley is
nearly a mile in width, and for the four OF
five miles we travelled up it the land is
level and the soil is deep and rich. 1t is
surrounded by low, broken hills which are
covered with grass.
Fifteen miles from where we left Flat
creek we came out on the bank of the south
fork of Sun River at Mr.. Con Kohr's stock
ranch, where we found Mr.. Thomas Hoban.
his agent, collecting and branding his herd
of four and five-year-old steers, preparatory
for a drive to the Eastern market.
Crossing Sun river, we continued oul
journey northward about eight miles, over
a beautiful plain, to the residence of Messrs.
Houser & Hams, who are extensively en-
gagged in wool-growing and ~stock-raising,
They have one of the most beautiful loca,
tions we have seen in this country. Willow
creek, upon which they are located, affords
enough water to irT1gate twenty farms.
while the valley is about a mile wide and
probably fourteen miles long. Timber in
the west, about eight miles distant from the
ranch.
Messrs. Houser & Hams sheep have not
Wintered as well as some other f1ocks-their
loss amounting to about two hundred head.
This was owing to the fact that their sheep
have considerable scab among them, and
the lack Of warm shelter for winter. Their
lambs are coming rapidly and doing well.
They have at present employed a force of
five or six men who are engaged i'll shear
ing. They intend to dip their sheep and
change herding ground as 500 as the lamb
ing season is over. Their loss Of wool from
scab will probably not exceed ten per
cent.
Mr.. Hams has recently sold 100 head of
beef steers to Mr.. Con Kohrs which he is
now delivering. We regret that neither of
the proprietors were not at home, as we
could have derived considerable information
from them.
On Sunday, May 7th, we returned to the
south fork of Sun river and called upon a
of the M whom we found
pleasantly located along the valley, among
whom we remember Messrs. N. A. Lewis,
E. A. Matthews and T. Trantman-all
bachelors. The farmers of this section are
somewhat discouraged, having been thrice
eaten out by the grasshoppers, and several
have abandoned the idea Of planting crops
this season. The gentlemen above named,
however, have in fair crops and have COM