The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-04-09
STOCK HAVE DONE WELL.
Average Temperature Has Been Fa-
vorable, Grass Good and
Snow Light.
The Smith River Range Country
Has Had the Longest Siege
OF Any.
A Good lacrosse IL Looked for This spring
and . General improvement
Predicted.

Correspondents Of ths Rocky Mountain
HusbAndmsn report that live stock Of
every description have Jared we'll. There
are few sections where the snowfall has
been heavy and other conditions have been
unfavorsbls. vhers considerable loss has
already occurred and more will occur be-
fore the green grass comes. bat over a large
area OF the state the fall Of snow has been
light. the weather mild And stock have
houriahed nicely. Correspondents Ia the
vicinity of Three Forks upper Madison
valley, the Twin Bridges country, the Yell
levstons VALLEY from saltwater east, ell the
shonkin and Hlghw0od country and the
district lJinR between this and Great
Falls. the Sun river. Teton. Marias
and MIA river regions and also the
country repoa the average Temperature
very favorable. grass COED, snow light and
plenty Of bare ground almost at all times
throughout the winter. On the west side
things have moi been quite 30 good. and
Smith River valley. . portion of the Judith
and the entire Musselshell, togsther with
ths Shields River an :, 10 is b slisved, the
Upper YsllowstoRe. have not Jared 30 we'll
and stockmsn hAVs had ell they could do TO
bring their herds and hooks throuRh.
Smith River has had the longest siege Of
snow II has ever known. and this. coupled
with the fact that the foothills we're fed
bare before winter set In, has oonspired 10
make the raHebmsn rustic ss they never
had before. Sail on Smith River and she
N ussslshell there has been no con-
siderable length of time that there has not
been sn abundance OF bare ground, bat
there has been no feed upon ths bare
points, hence 10 was OF no avail. In the
famous Potter basin, Thirty miles south Of
White Sulphur Springs, there has been but
little bare ground. though owners have
been we'll supplied with hay and The suffer
ing Of stock has been light. The same 10
ne of Smith River valley. There has
been but little suffering. however, among
the herds aud hooks in this valley from the
fact that everyone calculates on winter
feeding and pats up large quantities OF
hay. To be sure. they had to feed longer
the past winter by one-half than ever be-
fore. but for all that they have by being
aparinR with their feed made their haY last,
and but little loss will be sustained Ga
the Aussslshsll IL will be a little diffei emit
That VALLEY 10 NOT quite 80 sxtenuve hay
region A. smith river and owners are hand
ling larger herds aud the consequences IL
that they could not care for them so well.
AueL on hnat NAAtey tIeio - quAtS n wi
eentsRe Of stock left on the range 10 rustic
for themselves In winter. aud among these
there must be considerable mofe loss than
among the aemi-proVided for herds within
the faTmers' enclosui es. There are q few
other localities where stock have been fed
the most OF ths winter. but when We con-
slider the large number OF stock in the
state Rs compared with the losses, the per-
centsge will prove small indeed and the
winter will 90 down TO history as one OF
those provided with favorable conditions and
one IN vhion stock have wintefed we'll. Tne
Husbandman says: 1T Is indeed fortunate
that in the midst Of a great financial de-
p ession ureeip stated by the panie of last
August that this sterling industry has wint-
cred so we'll. for with n good increase such
az follows favo abs winters ths stock In
dustry. despite the low prices, will place ito
oaerntors on their feet all right IN a short
time even though prices do remain reason
ably Low. 10 gives us pleasure TO be able 10
report thus favoiably OF our hooks and
be de anu should. as We thinK 10 fully as
surod, a good calf and lamb crop be secured
all will be we'll again and things move on
fai,ly we'll"