Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1879-11-20

u IdFOIdUlt opportunity W hhu
at the going prices. Horses are also IN
good demand. The receipts of fine horses
from the states during the past year exceed
that of any previous one, yet there IS no
preceptible change in market price. "A
healthier state OF affairs than prevails
among our stock interests does not exist
anywhere.
SHEEP HUsBANDRY IN THE FAR WEST.
EDITOR HUsBANDMAN: [ have just read
with much interest an article in the HUs-
from the pen of Joseph Harris, OF
Moreton farm, N. Y. His statements in re-
gard to the Cotswold and other combing
wool sheep are certainly very sound, so far
as they apply to the country east OF the Mis-
souri, river; but [ think wool-growers in
the mountain districts west of the Missouri
will not be led to discard the Merino sheep
and adopt the long-wool or c~ombing-wool
sheep. The farmers of the New England,
Middle and Western States, where sheep
husbandry is conducted upon q small scale.
can undoubtedly obtain larger profits from
sheep that produce combing wool and
which at the same time yield a large guam
tity of mutton. But upon the great ranges
west of the Missouri, where pastoral sheep
husbandry is carried on, combing wool can
not be successfully grown, and the time has
not yet come for the transportation of NUT
ton from the Rocky Mountains to the East
ern seaboard. And just here | wish to
state that the successful production OF
combing wool, has as yet, been reached by
only a comparatively few of the best wool
growers of the states. It's production pre-
p o great care and even feeding
throughout the year. Combing wool OF the
first order, must not only have length, but
1t must possess great strength and brillian-
cy of lustre. Such wool cannot easily be
produced from flocks that get their subsist-
ence, in large bodies, upon the PLAINS. The
Merino stock should predominant in the
flocks of Montana, for the same reason that
Ii predominates under English management
upon the plains Of South America, Australia
and the Cape of Good Hope. There is too
much Cotswold blood in many of the Mon
tana herds of sheep for the fleece of the
full-blood CotsWold, when unfit tor comb
ing purposes, becomes simply a coarse
blanket wool, and commands a low price.
The wool which can be produced to adj
vantage In Montana, and what is always
wanted by the flannel and cashmere manu-
facturers, is a fine medium, and can be OBJ
tanned by a proper crossing of the Merino
and the Cotswold, Leicester or Southdown
sheep. Sheep producing such wool are us
ually hardy, and give good weight OF
heeces, where heavy-shearing, well-bred
rams are employed. 1t would add greatly
to the reputation Of Montana wool if the
growers would all breed their sheep up TO
uniform standard, say from half to three.
quarters Merino for the more uniform the
wool of a given country, the better it will
be known and appreciated in, market. My
point is well illustrated by the wool of Cali
fornia, which is remarkably uniform, and is
grade Merino throughout.
Articles upon sheep husbandry, writer
for the states, seldom apply to the plains
where the business is conducted upon an al
together different plan. | am aware tina
the wool-growers of Montana are generally
breeding for the style of wool that | woult
recommend for this territory, but | hav'
thought it advisable to submit the forego
ing for the consideration Of. those who arr
about to engage in the wool-growing bust
ness here. PARIS GIBSON.