The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-04-09
c.. H. Williams Has Been Connected
With Montana Sheep Industry More
Than so Years; Lives at Deer Lodge

Improving the breeding quality OF
flocks and providing plenty OF feed
reserves are two OF the most important
williams of Deer Lodge, pioneer Mon.
lama sheepman and senior member OF
the Williams & Pauly firm.
Two other essentials OF particular
Importance to the state now, he says,
are regrassing the range and conserv-
ing and using all water resources.
raising sing in 1882 he has been identified
with practically every movement to i'm
prove his industry for the last SO
years. He is a charter member of h
Montana WoolgrowerS association, was
its president for 26 years and n 1884
was named honorary president. He was
as active when he represented his
county as state senator.
Owes Success to State Itself
Looking back now, MI. Williams says
much of the success of sheep raising
in this state is due to the state itself.
In his opinion the native range grasses
of Montana are better than in n
section of the United States. Sparse
ness of rainfall and a rigorous climate
have combined to concentrate to a
high degree all the necessary food ele-
ments in the range grasses so that
sheep thrive N them surprisingly.
Montana also has disadvantages, such
as high freight rates and hard win
tiers, he points out. The high freight
rates can be minimized by raising only
that they will command a premium.
Providing plenty of feed in reserve
will overcome the hard winter obstacle.
Shortly after Mr.. Williams started
sheep raising he found that a scrub
eve ate as much feed as a purebred.
WI --~- -, fhN irnNr,n Tho
purebred eve had a heavier fleece,
producing bigger, better and more
lambs. That was so evident that he
decided to keep only well-bred stock.
Pauly Picks Good Stock
Much of the credit for the fine sheep
that are owned by the firm now is
largely due to the uncanny ability of
Peter Pauly, Mr.. Williams partner 1oI
the last "A years, to spot the good
points in the original purebreds. 1t was
Mr.. Pauly who secured the country
looking for the best in sheep. The
hand-picked lot he selected formed
the foundation for the present flock.
They justified Mr.. Pauly's ability. al
selection by winning numerous prizes
at state, regional and national shows.
Blood from the Williams and Pauly
flocks is in the Montana State college
flock from which three grand cham
pionS, a champion, a reserve champion
and eleven first place n several other
winners have been selected at major
shows of the United States during the
last three years.
The winnings made by descendants
of the foundation flock are sufficient
proof for Mr.. Williams of the quality
of sheep that can be produced in Mon
Jana.
have purebred stock" MI. Williams
says. This is particularly true now,
for good purebreds can be purchased
for a third of the price I paid for my
first shipment. If every sheepman IN
the state had purebred stock, the
give Montana a reputation that would
be an advantage to every sheep pro-
Queer"
Never Sells Feed
MI. Williams policy in the matter
of feed has been to buy but never sell.
Good hay years always found him pur-
chasing. His normal reserve is a whole
high as 400 tons put up in large stacks
in which the spoilage was negligible
compared to the safety provided. He
averages about 10000 head of sheep.
Impressed with the need of ample,
home-produced feed, Mr.. Williams
probably wa the first individual in
the state to inoculate alfalfa seed. The
1SSu1C "do aA1oA4o - eHS 0SSo SoAo1
and materially heavier yields. To spread
the results of the incubation he hauled
surface soil from the inoculated field
to other fields and saw those fields
do as well as the original.
Il believe in producing all my own
hay. I will buy if necessary but have
never paid more than $40 a ton" he
says. You canno make money with
sheep and pay $40 for hay"
After inoculating his alfalfa with a
method already determined, expert
mentally, Mr.. Williams says he at
tempted an experiment of his own in
cross breeding of sheep. The first gen.
Grafton was encouraging but the second
was so much worse that he said never
again."
Does Not Experiment
Recalling the incident recently, Mr..
Williams said his croSsbreeding at
tempt wa a good experience and that
it taught him to leave all experiment.
ing to the experiment stations. He
indorses the work of the Montana ag-
ricultural experiment station and feels
that its cautious policy of not making
recommendations until sufficient period
of time has elapsed to prove the point
is c~ommendable. His own experiment,
favorable at first but so convincingly
u~nfavorable later, prompted his belief
in cautious announcement of results.
Every Sheepman should keep up