The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-12-21
MONTANA's SHEEP INDUSTRY.
Its Condition and Progress Summarized
by the State Board.

Its Condition and Progress Summarized
by the State Board.
Montana produced rs, 600, 900
pounds of wool during the present
year, according to the report of the
state board Of sheep commissioners,
filed this week. The board expresses
the opinion that the assessment of
sheep in Montana, which was So a
head, is altogether too high.
The board refers to the investiga-
tions made by DR.. e. v. Wilcox, Pro-
fessor V. K. Chestnut and a govern
ment botanist, in regard to poisonous
weeds and plants. These experts es-
innate that the annual loss to the
state from plant poisoning amounts
to from $75, 600 to 500, 900. y
Speaking generally of the wool
growing industry in the state, the
board says:
SAT the opening Of the year condi-
tions looked favorable for improved
prices of wool and mutton, and there
we're agents in the state seeking to
contract the wool crop Of 1900 at 20
cents per pound at a time six months
in advance of it's shearing.
"But when shearing time came and
the crops were brought to market
there was a noticeable scarcity of buy
ers and backwardness in purchasing,
and prices were far below what was
reasonably anticipated.
"This was in strong contrast to the
animated bidding at the wool ex-
changes at our principal marketing
points one year ago, and it seemed
evident that there was a combination
against the growers to dictate prices
and secure the wool crop on consign-
ment.
"Many were compelled to sell at
two-thirds the price that was antici-
pated, and most, unwilling to sell at
prevailing prices, we're compelled 10
ship and accept what the c%onsignees
were willing to advance. Most of the
consignments are still unsold and the
expected returns are being consumed
by interest on the advances and COM
mission charges"
Speaking of the Great Falls and
Billings markets the board says: SAT
Great Fall last summer there was
such an amount of wool one time that
it had to be loaded in cars on side
tracks for miles, and at one time the
insurance companies refused to take
any more wool for insurance.
"Some estimates place the amount
of wool marketed at that point at
z 1000, 900 to 5000, 900 pounds, while
at Billings as high as IL, 900, 900
pounds were estimated to have been
received, but this includes a large
amount of northern Wyoming wool"
The report, speaking of machine
shearlng. says: "Some few individ-
uals and companies have supplied
themselves with plants of their own
for this purpose. One advantage of
this is a check upon sheep %shearers,
who sometimes strike for more pay
after making contracts. It is claimed
for machine work that it shears
cleaner and without cutting the sheep
much. Of course TO those who
have plants of their own, another
great advantage is that they a
choose their own time for the work.
The board says hat the sheep in
Montana are healthy and in better
condition than those of any other
state.
Concluding the board says: Dur
ing the past season the sheepmen of
Montana were favored with a mild
spring and sufficient rain to give grass
early start. This resulted in a
better lambing season than usual.
But as the season progressed the early
promise for a large growth of grass
was sadly disappointed. The feed on
the ranges is closely cropped, and the
Of hay and other feed is. not
equal to a long, hard winter. Fortu
SO far through December the
weather has been mild and favor
From the report concerning the
Billings market it is plainly seen that
the board of commissioners was not
fully acquainted with the conditions
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