The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-07-18

mixed clips? Is it desirable to encoDraoo
some party to establish a grading honssee
here? There are years, when bJsinoas
is brisk and buyers are in consequence
anxious to get wool, that prices will ba
paid which are all the wool will m
should demand, but there are other sea-
sons, which are by far the most nun,or
Gus, and upon which the grower mnst
figure to do Il safe business, that the ar
ticle must be thrown upon a Quiet or
dull market, and when in order to oct .
price it must be handled with an exact
knowledge of what it is. AS alread,v
intimated, is not that knowledge in tbsa
hands of the buyer to Il much greater
extent than it is in the hands of tha
seller? [ hope no remarks of mine will
be construed as antagonistic to buvere
that have been with us in the past or
expect to be with us in the future,
only ask that [ may with some degree
| of certainty know what | am ~sel;in@
and if, surprising they We're so disposed
they are taking advantage Of my igno-
rance.
Perhaps this matter has already been
tested elsewhere and found imDractica-
BILE. If we cannot hope as wool producers
to get the test of what we have to sell
down to the exact results attained bv
the wheat farmer, still we have, I be-
lieve, q field in which to work in this
mattet worthy of our best efforts.
THIS paper has already spread itself
out far beyond the legitimate scope of .
secretary's report, and still but very few
| Of the points have been touched upon
about which [ would like to exchange
views with those who have been longer
in the business and have had a wider ex-
perience. There is n point, however.
upon which / wish to speak. We must
if we wish to improve our business, keep
exact records ia regard to what we are
doing, We do not appreciate now the
vast Importance carefully collected stats
tics in regard to matters connected with
feeding, summer and winter manage
ment, bucking, landing, shearing and
many other matters would be to our in
dustry if they couIdsb be collected and
published. They would not only be a
great satisfaction to us as showing lust
what we had done in years gone by,
but would be far more profitable than
we now realize in giving us points upon
which to improve. In such matters a
record is what we want and not merely
memory Of what took place a year or
two agO
No n can say that we do not as in
dividuais put energy and intelligence
into our work. We have a wool already
that is a favorite in the market, a light
medium wool which when secured has
a soft glossy texture that is much sought
after by manufactures. If we will put
some of this energy and intelligence in
to concerted action through this organ
i%Zation, [ will boldly assert that in ten
or fifteen years we shall find our woods
quoted at figures abreast with the best
Australian and far ahead of other do
mestic woods produced from large herds,
either upon the Rocky mountain slopes
or the Pacific coast.
President Gibson then delivered the
following
ADDRESS.
The organization of the Montana wool
growers association was a fortunate step
for the sheep industry of this territory.
Should its existence cease to-day, the
work it has already accomplished
notably in procuring the enactment Of
an effective scab laW-will be of incalcu-
liable benefit to the territory. The wool
growers, however, il alive to their in
t%erests, will hardly allow the organiza-
ton to die out or to languish for want of
proper support. 1t is by united action
in a perfect and we'll managed associ-
alton that the best results can be OBJ
tanned from sheep raising in this or any
country. This, like the breeding of
cattle or horses, Isl progressive business,
and any man engaged in it, be he old or
young at the business, needs all the adj
vantages that come from the experience
Of those around him who are similarly
employed. There is undoubtedly much
to be gained if we keep we'll informed in
the wool and sheep literature of the
world but what we absolutely need is
knowledge of our W territory-its adj
vantages and disadvantages for sheep
husbandry, and how we are to proceed
to accomplish the most satisfactory re-
results. The pilgrim" looming 10 Mon
lana to engage in the sheep business
thinks himself prepared to carry it on
studied R0adaH's Practical Shepherd
or Youdtt on Sheep. He soon finds, how
ever, that such knowledge has but little
application to this country, and if he is
wise he puts himself in training under
practical Montana sheep man. There is
scarcely any point of resemblance be-
tween the sheep industry of Montana
Of Wisconsin, Ohio or Michigan.
SO, also, each of the great territories has
its peculiar conditions, which make it
necessary for the fock-oyner to study
well his own field of operations. [ need
remind you of the many advantages
that have been derived from similar or
CARNATIONS in the prominent wool grow
ing states. The beautiful XXX and NM
Of Ohioare the result Of intelligentsheep
breeding, and good breeding throughout
a great state means an interchange OF