Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-05-22
EDITORIAL CORREsPONDENCE.

heOgh, for many years tue LarSest rOtI
in the country and occupied by the In
dams, and still one Ofthe largest, is near
here. 1t is in charge of Gen. BRISBIN,
who has written many fascinating let
tens about this country TO the New
York Herald. In this vicinity is the
best part of Montana which l have yet
seen. There is real farming done here,
and uD the Tongue and Powder Rivers
and their tributaries there are immense
herds of cattle and sheep.
1 talked with a man here who has
been farming lear the Fort for four
years, and he produced evidence salts
factory to me that he raised four hun
dred bushels of potatoes on an acre of
ground; that he raised forty bushels of
wheat on one acre; that he raised one
hundred bushels of oats tothe acre; that
turnips, ruta bagas and root crops gen.
orally will produce here beyond any
thing dreamed of in West Virginia.
Barley is another crop that does exceed
ingly well here, and hemanufacture of
beer-a very good article of lager beer
is carried on here in a small way at a
good profit.
Notwithstanding the high altitude As
well as latitude of this country and the
consequent intensely cold and long
winters / have no hesitation in saying
that it is a fine sheep country. | went
out yesterday to see a small flock of
1000 sheep, and l tell you they were
beauties. They were large, robust and
fat, notwithstanding they had neither
food or shelter other than that which
they found unaided by man. There is
no mistake about this. They wintered
ON the plains, and the only protection
possible was snch as they. could find by
gathering on the inward side Of the
bluffs. In all the countries where
they were wintered, hay and oats are
unknown. In fact, herders will argue
with you against feeding either sheep
or cattle, unless il would be a little in
the spring after the winter is over and
before the early grass has come. They
don't feed at this time, and make no
preparation to feed at any time; but if
they had hay or grain they would not
feed in the winter. Why? Because
of the impossibility of doing : protita-
bly,. The herds are generally very
large; they scatter over miles and
miles of territory to gather the grass
and find protection from the sharp
winds; it would be almost impraeticable
to gather them in for feeding purposes;
would take an army of men to feed and
care for them, and then they would
come out of the winter no better in the
spring-beeause if you onc commence
feeding them they cease TO hunt
feed for themselves and stand
around from morning till
night shivering in the cold and bawling
for more. The exercise in hunting food
is necessary to their healthy existence
in this brisk climate. The grasses here
are peculiar. The Buffalo grass grows
much like the Blue grass of West Vir-
ginia as to habit and height; and the
Bunch grass grows quite talland luXuri-
antly. They begin to grow in protected
localities from the first to the middle of
May, soOn after the spring rains begin
to fall, and on the plains a little later.
The rains usually continue at intervals
until the latter part of July, when they
cease, and the sun turns the grass into
an excellent hay, possessing all the nu-
triton, apparently, of the mOwn article.
After the summer rains cease, but little
more rain may be expected until the
next May; but SHOWS come frequently
and deep in. the average winter, and
sometimes remains on the ground a
considerable time. How do cattle and
sheep procure their living at such times?
The answer is: Shows generally come
with blows-the wind sweeping the high
lands and bluffs bare, leaving the grass
uncovered in many places. Then these
mountain cattle and sheep learn the
habits Of the buffalo and paw deep
down into the snow for their provender
when it cannot be otherwise found.
Referring again to the sheep / saw:
They were the large native sheep of CAL
iforRia or Oregon, crossed with Cots
valid and Leicester. Their herder
claimed they would shear an average of
from six to seven pounds, and that the
wool brings 20 to % cents at the local
station. Sheep are never washed.
My idea of raising shaep here would
be to get my ranch and flock of sheep,
with a herder and dogs. l would then
break a good size piece of prairie; SOW
oats to be cut before quite ripe, eureand
stack, and sow turnips, all to be fed in
the spring during Landing season. A
little Of this feed would come in well
in case Of a long protraeted spell of I'M
usual depth Of snow and severity of
weather.
Miles City is the largest and best
town on the Northern Pacific road in
Montana, and it has the only good
hotels-snd the latter are really very
good. The Grand Central is equally as
good as any hotel 1 am familiar with
in West Virginia. Further On the rail-
road will strike other handsome and
substantial towns: BOzman, a thriving,
well-built, modern-lOoking town of
2,eOO inhabitants; Butte, an enterpris-
ing city of 10, OOO;H Helena, another smart
place of 1000 to 5000 people. These
are mining eenters-in the midst ofthe
region that has already yielded over
$5O,OOO,O 900 in gold and silver.
This part of Montaaa-the western
PORTIONS new; the Indians not having
entirely disappeared from here even yet.
Only last week a band of thirty Indians
dashed down on some settlers nea
Glan1fva 20 aaDfura horses and