726 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UMTED STATES 



David Hilger, Christina, Fergus County: 



The sliecp business of Montana is one of the most profitable and safest of any 

 stock investment that can be engaged in. It requires good judgment and experi- 

 ence to manage it successfully. One man makes from 20 to 35 per cent on his invest- 

 ment, while his neighbor may lose money. 



John S. Sharp, Glendive, Dawson County: 



The outlook for the sheep industry is fairly good. We cannot produce wool alone 

 for the present prices, but wool and mutton at present prices make the business 

 reasonably profitable as long as we have free range. 



Sabine E. Grindall, Glendive, Dawson County: 



My experience is of short duration, but I think there is no better place in the 

 United States to raise sheep. The ground being very dry, we never have foot-rot. 

 Not having much snow, the sheep can feed some every day in the winter. 



Sears & Davidson, Tokua, Dawson County : 



There are probably 20,000 head of sheep within 50 miles of us hero, most of which 

 have come in within two or three years. They are mostly let out on shares to 

 ranchmen who have no capital; terms, one-half wool, one-half increase; let on three 

 years' time, lessor and lessee paying one-half of taxes each. Most sheepmen make 

 money. If sheep-raising is conducted aright there is good money in the business, 

 more so than in horses or cattle. 



E. C. Crosby, Meyersburg, Park County: 



We keep our sheep in sheds in winter during the night, and feed them on the 

 range during the day, except in severe storms, when We feed hay. A good strong 

 band of sheep usually winter well by being fed from 10 to 30 days during the win- 

 ter, but lambs should be fed much more than old sheep, say from 30 to 90 days. Hay 

 only is fed. Until the past few years wool Avas our whole object, as there was no 

 market for mutton except a small local one; but since we have railroads and can 

 ship mutton to Eastern markets, it has grown to be fully as much of an object as 

 wool, and rams of the mutton breeds are taking the place of Merino rams in many 

 herds. 



James Davidson, Stacy, Custer County: 



The sheep business has had to contend with the prejudice of the people against it, 

 and those who are engaged in cattle raising have in some cases encouraged their 

 cowboys to drive and destroy the sheepmen's property, such as burning their hay 

 and sheds and killing their sheep, and beating, abusing, and sometimes shooting the 

 shepherds, who are without any defense. This prejudice is so great against the 

 sheepmen that to be a sheepman is to be ostracised from society in some places, and 

 few people dare to be so bold as to face the prejudice which is founded on the false 

 idea that the business is debasing, and that sheep injure the range permanently, 

 which is a mistake. The people who come from Texas or Missouri are not familiar 

 with the business, but those who come here from California, or the Western men 

 and the Scotch people have been very successful in the business. 



Paris Gibson, Great Falls, Cascade County: 



Be well prepared with shelter and feed. Hay may not be required during a period 

 of several years, but occasionally there is a winter when for a month or more the 

 snow is deep and the weather exceedingly cold. At such times the flockmaster with- 

 out hay and proper shelter is likely to sustain great losses. The memorable winters 

 of 1880 and 1881 taught the wool-growers of Montana that they must always be pre- 



