Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1888-03-17
HARM0N'S WAY.
Description IN His Own Words
of Model Stock Rancher's
Ranch.
His Method Of Rearing ano Rais-
ing-A Word About Big
Outfits.
A MODEL CATTLE RANCHER.

! caoie huHlue-s frlnclples-An luteryisW
with Capt. Harmon.
"Yes sir, tell you the day for these
large cattle companies has passed, we
won't have any more In the country
remarked Capt Harmon to the writer
as he settled himself for talk on the
cattle outlook, As IL presents itself to
him after thorough all winter study
Of its various phrases out to his ranch
on the Lodge Pole Hills.p This
winter, continued the Captain. settles
the question In my miGd, and you
will find that others will come to the
same conclusion before long. Now
let me tell something; there would
have been just as heavy loss in cattle
this past winter as in that of 1857 If
there had been as many cattle on the
range; there has been plenty OF feed
for cattle that are now on the range
because the number was not rs great;
you take a strip of land on which only
one steer could live aud thrive and
place fifty head on the same strip;
some would die, wouldn't they? OF
course! Well, now, that il just the
sltuatiOn; the less number of cattle
+ you have the more feed will they OBJ.
tain and the better will they pull
through a severe winter, therefore /
say to be successful in the cattle busi-
ness we must not attempt the handling
OF large herds, for it can't be done; not
in Montana. Now I'll tell you what
| have done and what | propose do.
ing. | have, with the aid of two or
three hands, good active young fel-
lows, cut panel logs ten fest long with
which i have constructed one stable
32xl2O and tfe other 36xl20. On
either side of thess stables have ar
ranged stalls, facing toward the CEN
tire, 80 cattle can be fed from the main
passage way running the entire centre
Of the building, plenty of room being
left in the rear OF the stable for cattle
to pass In and out and to ad NIT the
passage Of a cart for the removal of
manure etc. / can thus feed in these
three stables 200 head of cattle and
some SS head OF horses. These sta bles
are ranged side by side, the farther
one propose so arranging as to be
able to feed so cows on one side In
stalls. leaving space on the other side
OF the main passage way .or calves to
run ut large with an opening at one
end of the. stable, as an exit to an
open lot where water can be obtain ed.
| shall feed hay and roots, which
can raise in great abundance. l am
now feeding fifteen bushels .per day OF
rutabagas to about 100 head Of cows. /
have a chopping machine which
chops these roots as fine as is desirable
and they make the best kind of fodder.
In summer shall close herd my cat
tie with one man in attendance, cor
railing them every night in a ten acre
lot; in this way eAery head / have is
constantly under my eye, and should
any become hurt or sick they can be
Immediately returned to the stables.
We can never hope to raise fully de-
veloped stock in this country unless
the young are carefully aud judicious-
ly reared. Cattle and horsesd raise as
they have been, are informally
slunted ia their growth, simply be-
cause no care has been given them.
Situated as / am can successfully
handle 500 head OF cattle and I'll ven.
ture the assertion that by my method
| will make more out of these 500
head than an outfit who handle 1000,
as they have been handled. I'll save
more calves, my beef stock will bring
more, and the grade of my cattle will
steadily improve. This manner ol
conducting the cattle business has
more advantages than one, not only
to the owner himself, but TO his neigh.
Dor, to the community 10 which he
lives; while he is stockmnn, he is nj
the same time somewhat Of a farmer,
raising such products ss IL necessary
to enable him to feed his stock and
properly raise them. He becomes in
this way identified with the country
in which he lives; he buys and sells,
and lives right there aud Is part and
parcel OF the country. tell you eau
didly that half dozen small
stockmen with from so to 500 head of
cattle apiece are really of more benefit
10 the country than are the Immense
herds Of 10000 or 10000 head. All the
benefit derived from these large
companies is In their expenditure
Of money for taxes aud supplies aud
| ~. NJ natllA