Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-12-17
TWENTY CENT WOOL.
o. E. Folsom Predicts Top Notch Fig.
ures for Next Years Clip.

Helena, Dec. lit would not sur.
prise David e. Folsom, the veteran
Meagher county sheepmaD, who is in
the city, should 20 cents a pound be
paid for choice clips Of next years
wool. Mr.. Folsom stated last night
that 1t was evident that the prices to
be paid for wool next season will be
much higher than the prevailing prices
during the season Just closed.
This statement is self-evident," ("
said the Meagher county man. "In
the first place, ruinous droughts have
been experienced in Australia, while
diseases have carried of many thous.
ands of sheep in South America. 1t
Is only in the northwestern part of
the United States that sheepmen are
experiencing a successful fall and
winter.
in addition to this, the worlds
wool supply at the present time is
short, very short, and prices are
bound to go up. In view of all the
circumstances, | would not be at all
surprised to see some of the choicest
Montana clips bring twenty cents a
pound. This would be a record
breaking price for recent years.
Montana sheepmen who shipped
their stock to the Chicago market late
this season were not little disap-
pointed in the price they received.
II was not generally known that what
virtually amounted to q drought ex-
listed south of the Yellowstone river
and clear down into New Mexico In
these sections the hay crop failed and
sheepmen realized that 1t would be out
OF the question to attempt to keep
anything like full sized focks through
the winter. There was only one thing
for them to do and that was to ship
to the market, and car load after car
load of sheep we're shipped into Chi.
cago and sold for practically nothing.
A large portion Of the shipments were
very poor stock In poor condition and
did not warrant anything but a poor
price. but while this was going on
the law Of supply and demand oper-
ated, and first-class shipments from
this and other states suffered In con.
sequence. know that there we're
thousands OF sheep sold on the Chi.
cago market that did not more than
pay the freight.
You might ask why 1t was that
Montana sheepmen shipped under
these conditions. The answer is that
they simply had to. The Montana
range Is full and more tnan full, and
it is utterly impossible for flock mas
ter to keep all of his increase during
the winter. He must ship. and II he
cant sell for fancy prices he must
sell for what he can get. Speaking
of this, might add that the wool
growing industry in Montana is, in
my estimation. reached its high water
mark as far as the number of sheep
the state can support Is concerned
We now have more sheep than any
other state and in my opinion this
number will never be materially in
creased.
"Sheepmen over In my section are
well prepared for hard winter.
continued Mr.. Folsom. "The hay
crop was above the average and there
is plenty of feed and shelter for the
fiocks."
Mr.. Folsom. accompanied by Mrs
Folsom, is at the Helena, he having
orrived yesterday to attend a meet
ing of the board Of sheep commits
sioners. This morning Mr.. and Mrs
Folsom will leave for California
where they will spend the winter.