Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-04-15
WILL BE GOOD
WOOL SEASON
Len Lewis, the Meagher County
Sheepman, Predicts Increase
OF Three Cents Per Pound.
PRICES ARE STEADILY RISING
Most Satisfactory Conditions Prevail
for Wool Growers-Successful
Feeding in Montana.

Len Lewis. one OF the prominent
sheepmen OF Meagher county, ex-
poets to see Montana wool bring IS
cents a pound this season.
"The price of wool is getting bet
ter right along said he, "and look
for an advance over what we received
last year. Wool is bringing cents
a pound more at the shearing places
now than II was a year ago, and when
the buyers come next month we can
look for a substantial advance. | re-
cetved l5h cents for my clip last sea-
son and expect Is cents this year.
We have had a splendid winter In our
section of the country and sheep will
be in good condition this spring"
"Will your loss be as high as 4 or 8
per cent?" Mr.. Lewis was asked.
Losses are Light.
No" he replied. II do not think
il will be even as high as that. We
have fed many OF our sheep and are
well prepared for almost any kind OF
weather so that unless the winter is
especially severe we do not sustain
much loss. Other sections of the
country. however, have not Jared SO
well and the loss will foot up con-
siderable"
Mr.. Lewis is preparing to commence
lambing. He is one of the few sheep
men I'm the state who lamb in April.
II have one band which will begin
about April 18TH" said Mr.. Lewis.
"The rest from the first week in May
on. am well prepared to withstand
cold and storms or II would not be
profitable to have lambs so early In
the season. ! have warm sheds and
plenty OF feed and help. and so should
get along well with them"
During the past two years Mr.. Lew
is has been a sheep feeder This year
he shipped 5000 head to South st.
Paul and fed them on screenings for
two months. took them to Chicago
and received a most satisfactory price.
Feeding is Profitable.
"Sheep feeding in this state is pro-
| fitable," said Mr.. Lewis. Better
prices are being paid for sheep this
year than has ever before been known.
This is due. Of course. to the small
number of animals which were on
feed Everyone was disappointed.
From the way sheep were going into
Chicago last fall II was thought that
the country was full of feeders, and
that the profits would be small. So
many stayed out and as the result
everyone has been surprised at the
small number that were actually In
the feeding states. This accounts for
the high prices that are being paid at
the present time.
As has been demonstrated this year.
Montana is a great feeding state, al
though people are just beginning to
awaken to the fact. The sheep fed
by the Montana experiment station
at Bozeman broug-- the highest figure
ever paid for fed sheep in Chicago.
| why, sheep were fed at a great
er profit right in the Gallatin valley
than in st. Paul. the freight thrown
in. This was because OF the high
price of feed there. They feed on
screenings. The way TO feed here is
with alfalfa and grain. Let them eat
a lot OF alfalfa and allow them so
much measure of grain a day each.
A person must be prepared to feed,
and have bins and sheds.
The range in our section OF the coun-
try is good for this season OF the
year and the grass is already COM
mencing to come up. There was no
snow there to amount to anything
when left. but this last storm may
/ A. 1.al fT.. 1rx.
tiful supply of water this season and
everything points to a prosperous
year."