New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-29
WOOL-GROWING IN MONTANA.
CARE. BREEDING AND STATE REGULATION.
FINEST RANGES on THE CONTEMPLATING
QUANTITY AND PRICE OF THIS YEARS
PRODUCT COMPETITION WITH
EASTERN WASHED WOODS.

| QUANTITY AND PRICE OF THIS YEARS
| PRODUCT COMPETITION WITH
| EASTERN WASHED WOODS.
| Gro,t Falls Mont Dec Alt IS we'll known that
| Montana wool commands higher price than any olher
| Western clips Its uniform excellence has won SUCH
reputation that the entire State product mas i'',
sale in Boston, which Is recognized as the DesO WON
| market in the country. This Is due 10 certsih "eif
defined conditions The rolling grasscovered pa'eaus
~ Montana make 1t natural sheep and cattle country
rbe Intense cold OF the Minnesota and Dakota winters
| docs not prevail here. Chinook Is the magic "0'u
| that explains the climatic difference. Inc Luhh
name Is applied to the west winds which temper 's'Se
northern plains nearly far east as the o'h'e me-
snow rarely falls to any great depth and animals OF
all kinds can live out" all winter without haruship
| his was formerly a great cattle region But the
boen ranches with their fences and the newly de-
welcoming agricultural regions, breaking up the large
ranges and the greater profits OF wool-gro"ing are
inducing the cattle to transfer their interests 10
| sheep-rasng.
An impetus to sheep-mising in Northern Montana
| the best section OF the state for this purpose mas
| oor 1ven nv the Great Northern Railroad, which
five wears ago extended its line through this re1cn'
The facility for transportation Is the chief agency
in transforming this former cattle range Into an es-
| sentialy shecpraising country. The railroad mas
fosered this industry In the way OF extending reason
able rates and suitable storehouses at various points
| he
nlons station Of Benton Is the huge wool warehouse
| and M Great Falls there is a similar one. These
objects are the best evidence to the newcomer mat
tbs IS the great wool country Of the Northwest.
| Theodore Gibson Of Great Falls, who has been In
| rho sheen raising and Wool business since Its De-
rnnlng In this State thirteen years ago. aiSc-isSeu
| he situation with your correspondent
THE sheep business in this state sald me- haS
nassed beyond the experimental stage. 1t Is on
scientific basis OF breeding. and state regauoh'
Good state laws have enabled us completely 10 stamp
out the scab Emigrant sheep are inspected BY Inc
| state officials before being allowed 10 enter fof
broodlng Deaine- Mcrino from Vermont are mostly
usad sheen are divided into focks OF from 2,ooV 10
2 900. and placed under good care Every ranch las
corroI, and sheds for shelter and stacks ior winter
feod,np when necessary The grass Is abundant ana
cures like hay as 1t stands in the fall Inc RUE Is
10 cut one ton OF hay for every ten sheep Inns Is
merely done precawion, for II Is seldom leu in
ranges are free from burrs and sand, the TWO elements
that injure other Western woods. In consequence vi
those favorable natural conditions and the care the'
our sheep are healthy and grow uniform neeoe
throughout the year. This gives to Monan" wool i's
pronounced Qualities, long staple and bright
"Onr wool runs largely 10 medium and fine medium
| CARRYING a good deal of combing long ana snort.
| Northern Montana clips carry n large proport'h VI
| Doloine wool on account OF It's combing and Dehhe
quality II Is substituted TO some extent by mahuiac
! Jurors for Australian wool. Montana wool shrihKS
10 per cent II IS washed Shearlng IS zone Oh
lime 90 We have good natural conditions as "'Sls'
but # must not be lost sight Of that II mas taken Uu
teen years of careful State regulations ana good Dceu
ING TO establish the wool growing Industry IN It's pres
! ent commanding position
. mammoth sheep ranch, the largest ana pest oon-
ducted ranch in the state. * that owned by i"llo7
. ,lor, of Now York City 1t IL located horlh Vi
! croot Falls In Choteau County 1t covers se'ef'h
SQUARE miles divided into sections ana wire leh''u
Each section Is provided with Sheds stacks anu oa
| f,- tho sheep and with houses ana staoles. nv u
hodo,artors office telephone connections are hau "i
| ,cb section The ranch is as carefully supe'ln-
| ,ndd nc n manufacturing establishment 1t Is uhuer
| tho ro,sonsl MANAGEMENT Of the Clark Sons. lheir
oo, took the first prize in the Boston market Ais'
| year They have 10000 sheep producing i'0' 49,
no-,ds of wool Il IS the example Of thS rahon '''
has IN a great extent set the standard Of N"rVNen
Montana woos and Is making this new section o"i""A
| tho older sheep-raisng districts OF the s'a'e'
" ,,, oor, nroduct for the entire State wns 12Ooo,
600 nds ne against s344, S34 pounds for las' year.
:, .o1 there were 100000 sheep Shorh' Ill 1917
100 600 This Is only the be1iEnlng. Inc he" " i'o
are in the business contemplate houhIiis no mon
tbc growing Of Is fine grades rs Australia Inv 90
s.r that these plains and this climate can sro" 'o
finest wool in the word II is their ambition TO cover
,h,o rlateaus with nocks Of finely bred sheep rs
ooro over the heaths of England and wales. JHe
attention and study they have given the suoJeo' '
v.nces them II its permanency ana u!uiha' III
| Mon are constantly boIC wing money OF the BANKS
nj from 10 to - per cent to invest In sheep anu ,,'S
make good profit at that rate of interest TINS mig"
rate fl not charged by tho banks on account Oh ue
.teuatod righteousness Of the business Investment
II f.. NOT so regarded quite the contrary Ten per
cent is the usual rate, and per cent per mont" 10
charged regularly commercial paper.
| rho pric. Of Montana wool this season was % 10
q. conts in ,hc Boston market, and 10 TO o. cents In
| all ftpc1g sod
| buvers james McNaugaton Co., If New-ioFh' ana
| rus,,c, Pat man & Co... o. Ph ladelpha, sometimes
,pd their lnycrs here, but their purchases are com
roratively small. Another local authority at "ie"t
Fans. Mont. was approached by The Tribune core
spondent with the inquiry
How Is the wool taIlf regarded by Montana Sheep-
| Iaisors ?"
.We want n fair protection. At present Mon
| ,ora wool brings cents more than Canadian wool
rails Just over the line There the wages PAID sheep
hercers /, g25 per month while W" pay 80. Under
the present regulations they are Obliged 10 sell IN
London the cheapest market in the world, while we
sell IN Boston, the highest market In the wOlld l
.unuo.c We could stand the competition Of Canadian
wool but we don't want TO- No one knows exactly
low a change u tariff would affect prices. We nat
uraly prefer that the present regulations remain -
a, t. make the market perfectly stable. Montana
wool viii always bring good price, even against the
connection Of the world / d. not think change
OF Government pDIcl Noull 9N'IO'SS "4C'' IV o'c'P
business OF the state. FOR that would pay If not
pound OF wool grew the Sleeps backs. The sales
for mutton would make II pIOhiahe.'
A comparison with ether Western WOODS is neces-
sary to SHOW the relatively high STANDARD of Mon
tana Oregon and Idaho clips sold This year at flom
10 10 - cents. cents below TIE Montana pIices.
the range, OF states, well rs all other Western
ste, arr poorer In grass ald have burrs and sand
that cut tile ae-co. The sheep are OF inferior breed
nc ana scabrddrn. ard the clips are consequently
MOI 10 be r. ei upon for uniformity Dakota woods
cOu,par. more favOrabv, the natural conditions are
NOR simila.. The best grades Of North Dakota
wool, we're >Od to eXtcnt In Boston this year,
hut fine greater quantity was classed with the
- domestic woOls" Of Minnesota, and bought by
Minneapolis houses at considerably lever figure.
throughout all tbs region the sheep Industry has
been greatly stimulated IN the past few Years by
Monanas success. sheep are obtained here Tor
and the Dako.as with the expectation Of growing
wool that will equal the Montana clips The two
conditions greater cold and dampness, will always