Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-05-09
Written for the AvAET COURIER. =
OUR STOCK INTERESTS.
Answer to yr. Edwards Artfcfes.-
Cattle vs.. Sheep.

. we are Continuity lilkiny ABOUT STas
hcppers. suppose We talk a little abo'
sheep: both are very destructive to veg
O. tation. Oar cattle are willing to feed aftt
nrasshoppcrs, but not after sheep. b.
our cattle may not understand that we IL
- depending on the fine wool OF the shee
tor part Of our clothing, and that III
y sheep are therefore entitled to a part {
our grass.
ID In reference to the articles by Mr.. E(
wards. in regard TO sheep, lately publishe
j. in the AvANT COURIER, they can only b
considered as misunderstanding on hi
r part, for he agrees well enough in his al
grlInent to what I said in my article III re
gard to stock-growing.
To save himself the trouble Of con
trovcr,ing HIMSELF after complainin:
e about the handling Of sheep. Mr.. Edward
y considers it his duty TO give Sigh
kick at our pride by saying that we art
0 expecting too much from our ranges
5 which is wrong. We have every reason tC
expect a great deal from our ranges, con
D sitlercd so great wonder by all expert
, enced people, They are surpassed by
none in tie world! Mr. Edwards COM
meaccs by cyiticising cur temperature,
) making il appear disastrous to the i'm
provelnent Of stock. He shonlh know
thar by rep esenting our climate untavora-
bic TO the improvement of the short-horns,
he was giving bad recommendation for
the Mcrnos. that are considered as the
tendercst kind of sheep. and very sens-
tive to irregular treatment.
The few short-hofHs of Montana were
all insulted by Mr.. Edwards assertion.
With their noble appearance. they turn
their broad hind quarters to him, and say,
Look there. young man. and convince
yourself that You don't know much about
what you say: we have never shaken TN
! der the cedar bush. and we never shall us
long as there is a straw pile in Montana
for Us to cat.
As for tic war which Mr.. Edwards de-
clarei would at once exist between cattle
and sheep, there is no necessity for such a
statement. He at one Time encourages the
improvement Of cattle: then he tries to
destroy The reputation of the shert-horns
With what will yon rlien improve our
beef? Representing Them as merely a
machine 10 turn the agricultural products |
into meat: yes. they have done it with /
such an astonishing paying advantage that /
they have created for themselves an incon-
tcstiblc reputation throughout the world,
and they can convert our bunch grass into
gold if We only give them show and our
protection. We are fully satisfied that the
short-horns can be improved to a great eX-
tent from their actual condition at the
time of their importation to Montana.
With an even chance they will stand our
climate and the hard winter better than
any cattle we have here at present. and
viii winter many more pounds Of beet
with less expense than sheep will mutton.
And when it comes to the shipping, the
experienced shippers claim that beet can be
shipped for about one-iitth Of the expense :
rquired in shipping mutton. a car that u
Will ship sixteen head of cattle will only
hip fifty head OF sheep. and three steers Z
will contain as many pounds OF meat rs
fifty ordinary sheep-and what a difference
xists in the demand. While there is a /.
.reat and continual demand for our beef II
rom Europe, there is no demand from
Their countries for orr mutton. Purchas- g
Ifng Is pay Jig hII pfce ior our best
eef. but they generally leave the sheep for #
he Chicago market on which Mr.. Ed n
iards relys to dispose of the surplus NUT
On Of Montana. But Mr.. Edwards saws -,
lat III England they have plenty of sheep M
iemsclyes and that they have been the =,
'rtnne of the country. Every country
as right 10 consider her fortune good or
I'd according to her natural resources. "A
ngland contains among her laboring class :"
great many poor people, even if they 90 y
anutacture their own clothing; and
nong the soil of that country there is a qt
-eat deal of bad land, too rough for cat tn
e-growing. Through sheep they get va
venue from this land that could not be
'ofitably used in any other way. But in Ri
ngland they do not allow sheep to craze til
it'll cattle, and in many other countries in he
lrope where there is some common land
ere is strict limitation Of sheep ranges. m,
d if a sheep is caught by the constable. in.
aZing on cattle ranges. tie owner is LA So
; to a heavy fine. willie the ca tile have
ecial privileges. In Europe. where the or
i cannot be renewed by tie plow and on ~
'ded over with tame grass, they are very If
reful not TO allow fi;ll liberty to sheep. be
: it is well known that sheep will destroy
: pasturaGe. and that cattle will not Craze II,
er them. They appreciate the value ofthe co;
'ol just rs much us we do. though they .r
'uld consider it general loss should III,
'ir other industries be sacrificed for the b..
lc Of the wool crop alone.
The GARY and beef income is revenue
The first consideration. Tie sheep oc- PEI
~ the high peaks, where cattle can not 'eS
and therefore do not interfere with cat ~.
growing. The same rules are adopted WI
the English We find also great PIP
ny poor people in Mexico among the ~.
pherd class, where Mr.. Edwards says
hoof OF the sheep has turned the soil wa
0 gold. They may have done it for the nef
.elit OF few men who own large tiocks the
monopolize the grazing lands of the par
'ntry, While the rest Of the population ;iho
arge are the sutierers-poor, ignorant are
slaves. Is thai what we call the for I
e OF country! And even in Mexico. una
ere We should not go for !, pattern for the
civilization, liberal;ty and rights, some six
o have been there, claim that they have and
ulations even there. Sheep and goats thru
upy tie poorest and toughest parts of oth
If ranges, while the cattle occupy the alol
valleys and have easy access to water: T
that it is very easy to see more wealth Ben
SIS among cattle-growers than among the
sc who raise sheep alone. seas
n ancient writer says: ''Shcep are the Big
ST profitable cattle to keep Mr.. Ed 100
'ds quotes this saying. Let us use this ofli'
Ne argument in regard to horses, and pas
tbn,, L., 1.E. n