Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-10-12

Leaving Bennett 81 Goodale's, VIC Travelled
eight miles south, across a rolling country.
to The ranch Of G. w. Cocks Bro. These
gentlemen were among the first persons in
Montana to engagein woo-growing. They
drove their original flock of common sheep
up from California in 1872 and located al
this point in the fall of 1873. When they
arrived and for some time after, their sheen
were severely afflicted With scab and it was
not until last year that they became entirely
free from this disease. From their graded
flock, which now number 5000 head, thew
have from year to year been selling Off the
old ewes and wethers, keeping none but
young ewes, and for the past three years
they have bred these ewes to pure-bloodcd
Cotswold rams, giving them at the present
time an excellent flock Of one-half and three
quarter grade-Cotswold.
Aside from wool-growing these gentle
men are largely engaged in importing and
breeding thoroughbred sheep. | have not
for many a day spent an hour more pleas
antly than did in rambling through Cook
& Bros pasture. Among their thorough
BREEDS, we found "Gloster Chief, at the
head of the flock. He is a little larger than
Bennett & Goodale's "British Prince,' be-
ing three years. old and weighings 375
pounds. He is one of the largest and most
beautiful sheep I have ever seen. He was
bred by the celebrated sheep-breeder, Mr..
Cole, OF. England imported by j. Smell &
Son, of Edmonton, Canada, and. brought to
Montana, last spring, by Cook & Bro. The
4 yovf that aa11rht NV nttnafin, fcy1r =
pure-blooded rams, got by the famous
Prize, who was at the head Of the prize
flock. at the Provincial Fair, at London, in.
1878. One Of the best Of these had just been
turned into the pasture, he having strayed
from the flock last spring, while en- route, to
the ranch from Carol, and was accidentally
captured aud brought in by Mr.. r. 4. Col
Inns, who found him taking the comforts Of
his new home on a elf, overlooking Hay
makers creek, near the Muscleshell river,
about eighty miles from this place. Aside
from these, was a larger flock Of ewes and
bucks, which were brought out this season,
among which were nineteen head of full
blooded bucks which they had recently sold.
In a corral near by I found their Merino
flock. This flock numbers 5 head, two bucks
and three ewes, of pure-blood, Which they
imported this spring. Monarch 3D." WHO'S
at the head of this flock, isa fair-sized ram.
The lot are descendants Of Hammond's band,
Of Vermont breeds.
Besides breeding pureb-looded Cotswold
and Merinos for the Montana trade, it is the
intention of the proprietors to cross these
breeds and mingle them with their graded
flock, with a view to improving the fineness
of the wool. Tn all my travels through
Montana, / have not seen a better location
than the Cook Bros. They were the first
to locate in this section, and have exercised
good Judgment in their selection. The
country surrounding them is rolling and
covered with the most luxuriant grass. Is
is eight miles to the nearest flock or herd.
thus giving them an unbounded, inexhausti-
bic range on all sides. Their flock have
grazed upon these grass-fields the past W.
years, coming out in good condition In the
spring without being fed any hay.
Cook & Bro. are well provided with cor
rails, sheds and barns sufficient to shelter
their entire flock from the bad winter wealth :
er. A beautiful stream of water courses
through their pastures and c~orralls, ana
pipe is being laid with q fix-feeth head to con- !.
vey water into the tronghs inside OF thess
sheds and stables. When this is done, ana
4 good residence, such as it is their Intention
to build, they will have one OF the iliess
sheep-ranclies in Montana. afas WILL