Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1890-01-09

Galsn Wilson writes as follows to
the American Sheep Breeder:

Galsn Wilson writes as follows to
the American Sheep Breeder:
| 1t is well to reflect awhile upon the
sheep industry. which is Just now so
prosperous, and ask the question how
long his state OF affairs will probably
continue. Those Who grow thorough
breds for stock purposes have gener-
ally cleared up their surplus and still
there is demand for more. Hundreds
of car loads have gone to the far West
and South from the Middle and East
ern States, and this line of the busi-
ness Is likely to continue indefinite
years, for the flockmasters of warm
climates must continually infuse into
their flocks blood OF thicker-cOated
animals OF more Northern regions.
This branch OF the business holds out
llattering Inducements to capable
breeders. Wool is higher than a year
ago and is likely not only to hold the
advance already gained, but to go still
higher. The American people are
learning to eat more mutton than
they did. The market OF Great Brit
ain calls for an increase OF American
mutton greater than the comparative
increase OF her population. 1t is not T
probable that there will be n mutton
combine, like that OF beef, to effect u
depression in prices of live stock, for
farmers are organizing against trusts
of every character, and will yet arise
in their majesty and shake off any
which cannot show fair and legal war
rant for their existence.
But what kind OF sheep shall be
grown? This will have to be answered
each for himself-by first consider
ing what his probable market will de-
mand. Mr.. John Tucker presumably
no relation to ''DanO, is reported to
have said i'm the Farm journal: I've
must change our methods and make
the carcass the main-stay of sheep
industry and not the fleece, as we have
been doing" The fallacy of the claim
that sheep should be grown either for
wool or for mutton has been so gener-
ally shown, that did not know there
was n respectable sheep-writer left who
would have the hardihOOd to advO-
cate it. 1t has not been proven, nor
has any attempt been made to do so.
that there is any reason why IA large,
heavy fleece OF excellent wool cannot
he grown on a large carcass of excel
lent mutton. The nearest that has
SO"O W dh ottciiPt ttt Sucn DTOol
was by Western agricultural paper,
which said: Mutton sheep were bred
for mutton, therefore it is bestu' Can
there he any objection to growing 20
lbs. of wool on a 200 10. carcass OF
first-claSs mutton? Yet, this point
has been reached in individual cases
and can be made general. Let us then
discard this wool or mutton theory,
and use the conjunctive land" instead
OF the distinctive "or." Some years
hence none will do otherwise. In
breeding anything it is policy to breed
for "all there is in it," 1t is feed and
care that make the mutton of the
British Isles superior to that OF
America. When we feed as they do we
will have equal mutton no matter
what kind of wool or how much or
how little grows upon the outside of
1t, and then they will take more of it.
1t is wiser to make mutton for the
market than to try to make market
for the mutton. Fed and cared for
alike it is probable that no person can
tell, by tasting "a mutton chop, what =
breed produced it.