The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-02-20
NORTHERN MONTANA SHEEP.
MAN BANcHING OUT.
new SOURCES OF WEALTH
Convert to Diversity in Stock Rails
ing Experimenting With Hogs
and Geese.
From Thursdays Daily Gazette.

From Thursdays Daily Gazette.
Diversity is beginning to mark the
stock raising business Of northern
Montana and the time appears to be
fast arriving when cattle; sheep and
horses will not be the only animals
raised for profit by the enterprising
ranchers of that section. A veraci-
Gus chronicler of events reports that
Maurice G. Price, a we'll known sheep
man Of Whitlash, in the Sweet Grass
hills, located in northwestern Choteau
county, has embarked in the business
of growing pork and feathers for the
market.
AS a starter for his hog industry he
last fall imported a lot of thorough
bred Chester White brood animals.
These he pastured in a 4O-acre tract of
alfalfa, enclosed by a woven wire
fence, and constructed proper build
ings for their shelter and is now
waiting for nature to do her share to-
ward making him a hog king" AS
he has figured it his herd should in
crease about 1000 per cent by next
that a hog should fatten and mature
much quicker, than a sheep, and un-
less he is sadly mistaken he should
be able to market pigs next Deem
her that will dress from 800 to 400
pounds, for which he ought to get
from 8 to 10 cents a pound. AS he
contemplates these figures Mr.. Price
wonders why 81 many persons will
persist in combining themselves to
sheep, while all the while hoping that
his competitors will not be too many,
at least not for a few years to come,
or until he can retire from the bust.
ness. 2
And Feathers Also.
Great as are the anticipated profits
on his pigs, Mr.. Price is of the opin-
ion that he has even a better source
of revenue in prospect in a goose
ranch" that he has made an adjunct
to the pork raising branch.
He has a large, living spring on his
land, much of the waters OF which
have practically been allowed to- &C
urnutilized. His attention having beer
repeatedly called by the agricultural
newspapers he takes to the immense
profits that are to be made growing
feathers and the constantly eXpand
ing demand for them, he hit upon g
happy idea and is now putting it into
execution. After building the neces
saly quarters for the accommodation
of a large sized flock of the quackers
he sent east for q carload OF geese
He was unable to secure more than
so of the birds, which arrived a WeeE
or two ago and are now becoming
acclimated. Not yet having become
familiar with the idiosyncrasies OF
northern Montana weather, the geese
occasionally make the serious mis-
take of taking their baths when the
uAS
mercury is trying to reach he bottom
of the tube, and as a result cause
more or less trouble to themselves
and their owner. 70 prevent loss
Mr.. Price has fitted up a shed ovel
the spring in which he keeps a stove
so that the geese may dry and warm
themselves after emerging from the
water.
AS good goose feathers sell readily
for from 40 to 60 cents a pound, MI
Price is al a loss to figure ou nov
his venture can possibly prove a fail
ure, especially if the natural lncreast
comes to his flock that he may reason
ably expect. The expense attached
to a goose ranch" is nominal, al
that is required being plenty OF waite
and rough fodder, both OF which NJ
has in abundance, and between hi
pork and feathers Mr.. Price is con
templating the future with a conslo
cradle degree of complacency.