The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-04-02
NEW WOOL POOLS
FORMED In STATE
SMALL SHEEP FLOCKs SHOW A
BIG INCREASE, SAYS M. E.
STEBBTNS

BIG INCREASE, SAYS M. E.
STEBBINS
Secretary Of Montana W-OOIgrOwers
Association Asserts Consistent Fi-
nancial Assistance is Given to the
Farmers Engaging in Industry
A pronounced increase in the
number Of small flOcks of sheep on
Montana farms this season was
forecast in Great Falls by Murray
e. Stebbins, secretary of the Mon
tana WOOlgrOWers' association.
New wool pools, usually the basis
of the successful smaIl-farm flock,
are being organized in different
parts of the state and the financ-
ing of the small flock is becoming
increasingly easier.
Consistent financial assistance for
the farmer who wants to raise sheep
on a comparatively small scale, or
the farmer who already owns a
small band, is possible from various
sources this spring, Mr.. Stebbins
said. The Agricultural Credit cor
pOratiOn and the Montana Livestock
Credit corporation both are making
loans to the small sheep grower.
Through the Montana organization 81
a head is being advanced to sheep
men to meet the expense of Landing
and shearing and Mr.. Stebbins thinks
it probable that the larger body will
advance $40 a head for the purchase
of sheep.
1.-THE Montana WOolgrOwers' assO-
citation is encouraging the introduce
ton of small-farm flOcks of Sheep"
Mr.. Stebbins said. "The system has
proved universally successful where
it has been tried and demonstrations
makes it possible to encourage the
plan wheCe it can be consistently ap-
piled.
Success in Saltwater
zone of the outstanding illustra-
tons of the success of the small-farm
flock can be observed in Saltwater
county. The organization there is
known as the Columbus pool, the Sc
cond largest in the United States.
/ This spring the pool will handle 95,-
900 f~leeces, and the average flock
numbers about $50 head of sheep.
"Since 1921 the members of the
Columbus pool have received five
cents a pound above the average mar
ket price for their wool, and when it
is remembered that the pool has 200
members and will this year market
100000 pounds of wool the benefit
resulting from the combination OF
the small flock and the wool pool is
easily recognized"
Commenting on the wool market
|, Mr.. Stebbins said that although the
tendency of the quotations now is
+ slightly bearish, there is no occasion
for growers to be stampeded into dis
posing of their clips permaturely
The secretary thinks that no WOO
should be sold for less than 40 cents
D., "There does not appear to be an!
good fundamental reason for thu
= bearish tendency of the wool marke
at the present time" he stated
: There are strong indications that tn
e present situation results from al
= agreement between the mills and tn.
wool buyer by which the buyer will
stay out of the field until shearini
= time. Few, if any buyers have appear
ed in Montana as yet, but there is n
doubt but that they will be on tn
e ground as the sheartng season ap
d proaches and gets under way.
e Foreign wool sales have show.
o Iprices to be stronger in the big over
IS seas wool centers. The fact is tina
in every instance with which I al
familiar the wool sales have faile
to Justify the downward tendency G
n the American prices. This is espeC
d tally true of the quality of woo
II grown in Montana"
.6 ROOm for Exhaustion
n MI. Stebbins quoted G. H. Wi
j. liams Of Deer Lodge, president Of th
Montana WOOlgrOwers' association, g
saying that Montana should regularl
run 10000, 900 head Of sheep,
large proportion Of which should b
embraced in small flOcks. There no
Oh are in the state 2,839,OOO sheep an
the largest number ever owned ]
Montana was 100000 head, j
= 1901.
} Mr.. Stebbins was at LewistoWn r
, GENTLY to attend the Organizatio
, meeting of the Central Montana wo.
pool, one of the local bodies bei1
t formed by sheepmen Of the state tn
, spring. c.. p. Long was elected pres
p dent Of the LewistOwn pool an
, George Fitzpatrick was named vii
president and Frank Smith, seer
tary-treasurer.
+, Prospects for the organization Of
wool pool in Cascade county duriI
< the present year are very good, a
cOrding to County Agent r. E.-Car
erOn. Inquiries from interests
farmers are being received at Il
be EcOunty agents office and the NOV
in ment apparently is gaining nome
3, tum rapidly.
ed The Montana WOOlgroWers' ass
of iatiOn functions as the parent boo
of the local pools and actively inte
Id ests itself in matters through viii,
n the best interests of the states wo
industry can be advanced. The sta
ce organization represents the shee
ed men in connection with the publ
3r- domain, freight rates and other ms
nd tiers Of consequence to wool grower
lis