Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-02-27
PREPARING
FOR SPRING
Montana Sheep Were Never In Better
Condition at This Season Than
They Are Now.
LAMBS ARE WORTH BIG MONEY
They viii Receive Unusual Care
WyIIys Hedges Thinks Clip viii
Show Marked Decrease.

SUOW M0CKS0 decrease,
Two months from now lambing
will be in progress in Fergus county,
and at this time, the outlook for the
wool industry in this section of the
state was never better. The sheep are
in splendid condition, owing to the al.
most unprecedented mild winter, and
the abundance of feed. The only thing
that makes the flockmasters uneasy
Is the lack of moisture. Very little
snow has fallen in this county, and un-
less this made up for during the
coming month, the ranges will suffer
much in consequence next summer.
Preparing for Spring Work.
The Montana correspondent of the
American Sheep Breeder, describing
conditions in this state, says:
M1d-winter, SO to speak, finds the
sheepmen of Montana smiling and hap
py. Well indeed may they rejoice
Tor has not the present winter. thus
~ss~S OS0A AAOoV A0vO40U10 W tu0 Uaus
ner industry of the treasure state?
Barring few sections Of the state,
Montana has had an ideal winter thus
far and with spring only six weeks
away the fiockmasters feel themselv-
es well fitted to stand almost any
kind of winter weather that may
come. Speaking of the sheep, it may
be said that they are in excellent
nesh for this season of the year. In
fact they are strong and only in the
event of long continued cold and snow
Will there be any great losses sus-
tanned. Sheepmen are already max
ing preparations for spring. Lambing
sheds are being constructed, over
hauled or renovated; corrals are being
repaired and everything put in shape
for a successful and prosperous lamb
ing season. Where, however, lambing
is done in the sage brush, as is the
case in eastern Montana or Wyoming.
but little preparations are made, the
hockmasters preferring to take their
chances than to go to the expense of
constructing lambing sheds. Howev-
er, they, too, are learning their lesson
and it may be said that there are
more sheds in evidence for lambing at
present than for years and greater pre-
cautions are being taken to insure a
splendid lamb crop. With every lamb
worth $3.50, sheepmen can i'll afford
TO sustain losses, especially when by
the expenditure of a few hundred dol
lars they can buy insurance by erect
ing sheds and procuring hay with
which to feed in case of storm.
But little wool buying is being done
at present, as buyers realize they will
have to pay practically as much for
wool now as they will a few months
hence.
This may be said to be the dull sea-
son with sheepmen. They are all ly-
ing low, so to speak, awaiting to reay
the golden harvest that is sure to come
with the arrival of spring, summer and
fall.
Wyllis Hedges, a we'll known sheep.
man of Montana, is of the opinion that
the wool clip of the state this year
will be considerably less than a year
ago.
II believe that there will be one
fifth less wool sheared in Montana
this year than last" said he. "This is
due to the fact that so many sheep
were shipped out last fall. Thousands
upon thousands of head went to other
states for feeding purposes"
Review Of the Markets.
Following Is the American Sheep
Breeders current review of the wool
market:
"BOston-There is little pressure to
unload wool of any kind, meanwhile
consumers have been looking around,
but they have not taken any large
lots and may not do so until the fu-
ture OF the goods market shall be more
clearly determined. Dealers as we'll
as consumers are willing to wait for
developments, meanwhile the prices
for many descriptions of wool have
been only nominal for some time. and
1t is said that some holders might be
induced to take less than current rates
for part of their stock. In washed
feecs only small quantity changed
. hands in any grade, but dealers ex-
pect a demand for all they have in
store before the new wool is on the
market. Fine unwashed feeces sold
in small way, as did some coarse
domestic wool, but the medium grades
were more in evidence and these last
grades brought a third of a dollar when
the lots were choice and in good con-
dition. Sinai parcels of domestic mo-
hair were sold at a third of dollar
pOuuu when CHOICE, anu the D0St lot
eign at half dollar. Scarcely any
thing was done in the old lots of Aus
tralian. but some manufacturers are
getting interested in the new woods
which are arriving and while little has
really been done the merchants feel
that late importations are pretty sure
to show profit when sold. Import
ers of South American woods say they
are satisfied with the wools they have
brought here, for they are much bet
ter every way than last seasons i'm
portations. A quiet market prevails
in carpet woods since last report al
though quite lately sample bags are
going out to the mills that may result
in sales. During the closing days of
the recent auction series of sales at
London, which we're the first for the
present year. there was q noted i'm
provement in some lines Of wool on
the medium cross-bred order. The fin
er grades. especially when heavy, were
neglected while all along through the
sales there was a ready demand at
full prices for any good medium wool,
closing at an advance of s per cent
n,~~ bot