The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-12-28

fuppCl StltLQANS VIZ IA " StdLSAJ -
ence has demonstrated that the finest bred
and largest varieties suited for beef purposes,
quickly adapt themselves to the eculiarlt1es
| Of our climate. AT the east the impression
obtains that Montana is almost perpetual1y
ice-bourd that consequently hay has to be
secured for our herds, and good shelter pro-
Yided for them. II should be borne in mind
that temperature is not regulated by latitude
solely, but accompanies isothermal lines. The
same mean prevails here that we find six de-
grees farther south in the States. Further
more, the atmosphere Of Montana possesses
d drynese, which in the winter renders the
absence OF caloric less p%erceptible. Outdoor
work is often carried on without discomfort
when the thermometer marks 300 below re-
70. Cattle acquire shaggy hides that render
| them Indifferent to much greater extremes of
| cold. When fierce storms prevail they seekthe
| shelter afforded by numerous .scoulees,' else
| where termed ssdraws," hat are lined with
bunch grass, or if they contain q stream are
filled with weeds and bushes. Sheltered from
the blast they clear away the snow and live
| not Internationally until warmer skies ap-
pear. The high, dry winds that N
early ia the autumn cure the grasses on the
upland and lowland, SO that they retain all
the substance Of hay. Vegetable matter does
not readily decay in Montana. Herbs and
grasses undergo q curative process after ma
turing, and retain their n~utritive properties
nearly a year.
When snow falls its stay is brief, for the
winds quickly whip the ground bare, and cat
tie Craze c%ontentedly as in the summer. The
ssChinook' is another wind that comes
from the. great Japan current that
breaks on Americas western shores.
Even at this distance it reeks of the sea, and
often is oppressively warm in midwinter.
The deepest snow, the thickest barriers Of
ice,go down before it in q few hours. Gener-
ally, during the months of February and
March, when at the East emaciated folk IN
wraps and furs are wading through snow
drifts and slush, the easy-going Montanian
saunters about ID his shirt-sleeves.
That is how it happens this Territory is 50
we'll adapted for the raising of stock without
the necessity Of providing barns and hay.
Local butchers often complain about the ex-
cessive fairness Of cattle taken off the range
in the early spring. Within the recollection
Of white men only two winters have been
destructive to stock. Those, not because Of
the cold, but the winds for an unusually long
term deserted US, and the snow accummula-
ted to an unprecedented depth. We have
come to regard it rs y Of Natures func-
tons for the wind to blow at the period
when the SHOWS fall, and on that the safety
Of the stock business depends. Only in cy-
cles Git may be said) is she sullen but the
profits reaned In a decade, during which the
annual loss is five per cent, well enables the
cattle-raiser to endure an i%nfrequent one of
fifteen or twenty per cent.
During the past winter, which was noted
for its severity all over the Northern hemi-
sphere, our losses in cattle fell far short of
that atthe South and East. In the deapon-
dency Of the time some persons argued that
the present system Of conducting the bust
ness would have to be abandoned that no
man would retain 9 larger band than he
could control by herding, and provide with
hay and shelters at inclement seasons.
We are Of the opinion that our methods
should be changed, in the way Of making
many Improvements, but the system suggest
ed by the fears entertained last winter will
never obtain, because the conditions are
against it. Montana is essentially q grazing
country for raising cattle by the wholesale.
The difference between conducting the BUSH
ness as at present, and under the plan sug-
gested by tlmidity, is that between a safe five
cent trade in nutmegs and molasses, and en-
gaging in q promising, large speculation,
which, under the supervision of the investor,
can be rendered secure against all but Ma
lures operations. Montana is an arid country.
The soil though fertile cannot be counted on
to produce satisfactorily unless irrigated. AL
land SO. Watered is devoted to the production
Of cereals. Except in favored districts of
limited area, the bench lands will never sup
ply grass of a character to render it possible
10 secure hay, for the Winteruse Of q band Of
beef cattle. Nor would they thrive well re-
stricted to narrow limits, closely herded near
enough to an enclosure, to insure getting them
there in sudden storms. If it were possible
for d man To hold his herd on a sufficient yet
limited range, within natural barriers, he
could il peri!ous times give it supervision
that would reduce his annual loss to a min