Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-10-07
movement Of western sheep"
Feeders Are Stronu.

A year ago now corn feeders were
buying feeding cattle regardless of
cost. This year most OF the fpedars
will not buy them AT any price. and
those who want stock are waiting for
the market to break from 81 cents to
81 a hundred before they will touch
any old thing. The old comparison of
people being like a flock OF sheen
holds good in this instance. as last
real they were all crazy one way.
and this year they are JUST as looney
the other. II is always pretty safe
10 watch the crowd and then act ex.
actly opposite. No matter how the
corn crop turns out that grain will be
expensive and the small corn belt
feeders will not be heavy operators
this year. The regulars will, Of course.
keep on the ever tenor OF their way,
but it is the great army OF small feed.
ers that create an active market for
our stockers and feeders, and they
are not nibbling this year.-Field and
Farm.
General Notes.
Il don't understand why eastern
feeder buyers don't take hold Of these
fair rang steers that can be- bought
at about $3.4093.60," said a trader on
the Chicago market. They can be
bought a good deal cheaper than the
good native feeders that. when fat.
will not sell at anything like such q
spread above them as there Is In the
present feeder prices. Natives of the
same quality as these $3.40I3.6O
rangers are costing si,l0G420, a
spread of 60 cents, yet when they
J come back finished. If given the same
feed lot treatment, the spread will not
exceed 20 cents If present values are
any criterion"
Suppose we do have 10000 sheer
a week go out for six weeks to feed
ers, what will that amount to? This
country is getting TO eat more NUT
ton all the time and needs more of il
every year" said a sheep salesman il
Chicago.
The quality OF western sheep ant
lambs which arrived on the Chicago
market last week were the best since
the range season opened. but in the
general opinion among flockmaster!
10 lHdJ llcIc Will De a utNiutu utltI
ioration in quality from now on an(
that the supply OF feeders next montl
will be heavier.
c. c. Courtney, of Wayerly. III.
says there has been a good deal o
discussion in that locality about tn,
heaviest fleece ever taken from am
breed of sheep. The heaviest flecc,
on record Is that of Baby Lord, F;
Merino, bred by Reynolds & David
Mulvane. Kan. Weight of fleece, 5.
pounds, at thirteen months growth.
Owners of sheep should let theiI
stuff come forward" said a trader il
Chicago, "and not hold them back IN
til later. when they will all get herr
at about the same time"
The West Texas Stockman say.
ranchmen in the southwest are pre-
dieting a hard winter down that way
Already frost has materialiZed an
as grass is green a bad freeze woul'
be disastrous. The Stockman. whicl
is published at Colorado City, says
In nearly all the range country tribu
tary to this city from two to tire,
inches of rain has fallen during tn,
first half of the month of September
and while the earth was very dry, |
was pretty thoroughly saturated, a
much of the rain was slow and soak
ed into the earth. Grass has mad
a rapid responsive growth, and tn
cattle of this section are f~attenin
now every day. If frost stays Off IN
, til the usual time our cattle will b
, in fine shape by cold weather an
there has been sufficient forage crop
produced in the country to furnis
all the feed necessary this winter
This is a very gratifying state of a
!, fairs so far, as our immediat
, interests are concerned, but the fee
: ing of satisfaction Is marred to a col
> siderable extent by a knowledge c
, the fact that farther west the stu;
ton Is not so favorable"