Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1885-11-28
THE AMERICAN MERINO.
Some Interesting Facts About Them.
BRocKToN, Mass, Nov. 16, 1885.


Editor of the TRIBUNE:
Your newsy paper comes every week,
and is to me an exceedingly welcome Wis
itor. Two years ago, with two other com
panions from Boston, Mass, [ left West
minister, West Nermont-that home Of
the American Merino sheep-bound for
Helena, Montana. We occupied two
freight cars and had as passengers three
hundred and eight as splendid Uerino
rams as ever were shipped from Vermont.
Of our trials and tribulations en- route no
one knows who has not experienced the
pleasure Of feeding, watering and clean
ing out after such a crowd. But Helena
was at length reached and our prisoners
released from their long confinement,
bounded forth into Montana's sunshine.
The Spanish have a saying, which has
passed into a proverb, that wherever the
foot of sheep touches the land turns into
gold
Is it not true? However barren the soil
wherever our vast herds of sheep nave
ranged the land becomes more and more
productive; weeds and stubble disappear,
rich crops sping up in their place; happy
homes appear, as mushrooms in a night,
and the villages and cities Of our west
become realities.
But TO resume: These bucks were con
o;rDa1 T., Ho,;c Ctihcop L.o whom,
body knows east as a former manufactu
rer of the Star mills blankets Of Mime
apolis, a blanket in every way the best
in the market, and used in the palace
cars. Who that have travelled has not
slept under them, and comfortably? And
let me say right here that Mr.. Gibson
knows a good sheep, and what good wool
is, and in Il few years the tiockmasters of
Montana, who adhere to this strain Of
blood can say as do the t1ock-masters of
Australia to-day. Il quote from the re
port on American woods at the interna-
tional show, Sidney, New South Wales,
Mr. Moser, secretary, dated Aug, 18S0.):
NttIttitI 10 / DS ltitll6Su iOl Tic HULL
Der of exhibits she sends of essentially
Spanish type. a great number of them
are raised by hemp and they are very
heavy in grease. 1t is not likely that the
Australian iock-masters, as a rule, will
affect this kind Of wool, and the reports
Of the sheep some time ago presented to
tho {tnrfr,1 Ar,;arl+pr,l Coc;o+- have
been by no means favorable, very strong
exceptions must, however, be taken in
one individual instance. The committee
in this single instance refers to the name
of the breeder, Mr. George Campbell, of
Westminster, West Vermont. This ex-
hibit is the best Of the kind in the whole
exhibit. In fact, there is nothing to APP
proach it. With the exception of lack
Of s%oftness it has every characteristic Of
the best Australian exhibits. The quality
is undeniable and the staple dense and
even"
[ have quoted thus at length, as I wish
to make a point, and it is this: That you
have within your borders the blood which
has produced this result. Sir Samuel
Wilson-and no one will dispute his au-
thority-said that Geo. Campbell's rams
had done more for Australia toward the
improvement Of its wool staple than Il
other flock in the world. Flock masters
of Montana n ic mot tho 81 ~ oarr.-s, N
an excessive amount Of grease, hemp and
stuff, that will pay you to keep in the
home run. Every such case places you
farther and farther away from the Austria
liam results. But for length of staple,
strong constitution, and by careful selec-
ton and judicious management there is
no reason why the wool of Montana
should not rival that of our cousins in
Australia.
But have strung this short letter out
to a fearful length, as [ intended merely
to congratulate your editor upon his read
able paper and its influence for good up
on the northwest. No one will deny the
power of the press, and your paper is to
be the most important factor in the de-
velopment of your immediate vicinity.
wished to touch upon the importance
of another industry in your section ad-
mirably adapted by nature, that of An
CORA goat culture, and will, if the editor
will permit, another Tina.
In conclusion, let me wish you Of Great
Falls and vicinity all success, and / am
confident that the day is not far distant
when it will become by right of natural
location the centre of a great and pros
porous community.
CHARLES IN. jerks.