The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-08
MONTANA GROWN WOODS
Equal to the Best Types of Austria
liam Fine Cross-Bred
Clips.
The Product Thig Year Will Reach
Over Fifteen Million "
~. Pounds. +
~Desirability of WOsls Grown Hers At
tested by Expert Testimony Of
no Moan Authority. A..

SO much attention as that Of wool growing.
Montana wool possesses special character
iatics which nave caused il to be in demand
among manufacturers. Most OF the sheep
of the state are high-grade Merinos, and
the wool product ia of comparatively uni
form quality. The clean ranges, covered
with A continuous sod, insures freedom
from burrs, dirt and other foreign sub
stances which are quite a depreciatinR
feature of woods from other range sections.
The general climatic conditions of the state
are not favorable to an excess of yolk in the
fleece, and while some or the Pacific coast
woods will often lose 70 per cent. of their
weight in the grease, burrs and dust that is
washed out in the process of securing, GIN
liar Montana grown wool will not lose more
than IS to go per cent. At one time the
staple WINS considered too short to be used
for combing purposes, but modern ma
chinery has overcome this difficulty, n a
large portion of Montana's pro-
duct ie now annually used in
the manufacture of fine worsted goods.
The desirahility of Montana grown woods
is attested by expert opinion of no mean
authority. In Col. W. F. Switzler's ex-
hustive government report on tho wool
production Of the United states we find The
following: "These wools stand at the head
of territory woods. The soil, climate and
parentage combine to produce wool Of the
best character possible IN wild land. In
addition, the sheep husbandry of the Terri
tory has been developed from the begin
ming by men of more than ordinary intelli-
gence, and usually with ample capital to
carry on the business with suoh system as
to obtain the best results"
The Wool Reporter, Of Boston, the lead
ing journal of it's kind in the United States,
makes the following comment: 1.-THE rep
utation of Montana woods is becoming SO
deservedly high that purchasers OF much of
the wool of adjoining territories would be
very glad to have it classified as Montana"
JOIN G. Wright, one of the best known
wool merchants OF Boston, adds his testi-
mony as follows: Montana is producing
to. day as good a wool as the average of
Australia. English buyers on their way to
Australia, who examined some Montana
clips in my store in August last, pronounced
them equal in all respects to the best types
of Australian fine cross-hraa."
The Wool Journal, of Chioago ,, is autl . =
ity for the following statements: 1.-The su-
periority of Montana woods, over those
grown in all other territories, has been
~abundantly proven by the avidity with
which manufacturers have taken up the de-
sirable clips and grades of Montana woods
for several years.
perslstsntly bred from Merino blood, with
the primary object of securing the largest
possible production of wool; this practice
has been occasionally varied by the, use OF
Shropshires for one or two seasons, for the
purpose of maintaining siZs of CARCASS
,,-l Aln,o %,r~ L,1oIo n.o Ak, N~1., AlnA
nave met with general favor among
tue %sheepmen of the state. The
breeding season generally lasts from about
December l to January !, but in some few
cases it begins a few days earlier than the
date mentioned. This brings tbs Landing
season May l to June |, when a good growth
of grass can generally be relied on, and
leaves everything in readiness for shearlng,
which commences about June Is. Shearing
is as a Tuled done by professional hands from
the Pacific coast, who visit the state every
season for that purpose. They are usually
paid ten cents per head for the work. and a
real smart hand will average from 100 to 1875
head per day.
The wool grower prefers to sell his prod
| uct in the local market, whenever he can
obtain anything like what he considers a
reasonable price. In such case he has i'm
mediate use of all the money realized, and
knows for a certainty just what revenue
can be depended upon from that source.
Shipping for sale on commission involves
elements of uncertainty as to what returns
will be secured, and when they will come to
hand; az a rule, however. the bulk of Mon
! tana wool is disposed of under the latter
method. Freight rates from Montana
points to the eastern seaboard range from
about s$1.S0 to s. per hundred pounds; and
with commission charges and other items
it costs the grower from three and a half to
four cents per pound to dispose of his prod
uct in an eastern market.
Although the class of sheep raised in
Montana are far from what would be re-
garded as typical mutton animals, quite a
demand has sprung up for supplies of this
nature. During the past five or six years
the various bands Of the state have been
culled of all wether stock of marketable
| age. At one time three and four-year-old
stock only was considered fit for mutton
purposes, but of late years a ready sale for
two-year-olds has been ~found-the purchas-
ers shipping such stock to eastern feeding
stations and fattening them or corn and
screenings for the winter market. It costs
from eighty to ninety cents per head to
from Montana ranges. and their weightw will
run from ninety to 115 pounds.
Quite a large number of Hooks in the
state are run on the shares.s or leasing
| system, in which the owner receives q Ger
tain percentage of the gross profits, while
tue party leaBiuk tle SLeep TeCG1Yeb Inc re-
mainder. At one time the general basis of
this arrangement-the terms on which such
agreement wac entered into-oontemplated
each party receiving one-half the wool and
one-half the increase of the band leased,
with certain provisions of minor Importance
which did not materially affect the result
indicated. Some ten OF twelve years ago.
when wool sold at ~ to ~ cents per pound
III the local market, the terms noted aho7e
enabled the party running the sheep to pay
expenses and make a small margin besides:
as wool prices declined. however, it was
found that such terms had to be
considerably modified in the direction
of greater liherality to the party running
the s eep, to enable him to come out whole.
The contracts now made are so varying in
their terms. that no specific statement can
be given IA to tho apportionment of profits
generally IN vogue.
Much has been written regarding the pro-
fits of the sheep business, and reckless
statements of fabulous returns have found
ready credence with the general public.
Large profits have doubtless been made in
isolated cases, but such results have been
obtained by taking risks which would ordi-
narily result in heavy loss, A man might
go to so little expense in providing winter
feed and shelter, that his only expenditures