HORSES 



Montana's horse population in 1929 continued the downward trend that 

 has been apparent since 1923. The present numbers of horses at 500,000 head 

 represents the smallest horse inventory since 1915. Breeding of Montana horses 

 for export from the state has practically ceased with the collapse of the demand 

 that developed during the World war. Breeding for replacement of work stock 

 has also decreased in recent years as the automobile and the tractor have been 

 displacing the horse in Montana's crop production. Large numbers of unclaimed 

 horses still run on the range in Montana, but these horses have been declared a 

 nuisance by state law and are gradually being eliminated by both natural de- 

 crease in winter seasons and by slaughter for canning. 



NUMBER OF HORSES IN MONTANA 



1870 5.300 1920 669,000 



1880 36 . 000 1925 590 . 000 



1890 216 . 000 1928 531 . 000 



1900 347 . 000 1929 515 , 000 



1910 319.000 1930 500.000 



BEES AND HONEY 



Both production and value of honey and wax in Montana in 1929 were lower 

 than in 1928. 



BEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION 



BEES 



Year No. Farms Ni 



1909 795 



1919 1.199 



1926 (est) 1,800 



1927 1.800 



1928 1.800 



1929 1,800 



CATTLE EXPORTS 1920-1929 



Records of the Montana office of brand inspection show the following classi- 

 fication of Montana cattle exports as steers, cows, calves and bulls for the 

 period 1920 to 1929 inclusive. 



FUR FARMING IN MONTANA 



Fur trapping, which in the ante-territorial days of the early part of the 

 19th century, drew to Montana hundreds of adventuresome frontiersmen in their 

 ambition to profit by the taking of the pelts of the beaver and other fur bearing 

 animals with which the northwest teemed, is rapidly being replaced by the fur 

 farming industry in which hundreds of thousands of dollars have been invested 

 and from which more than a half million dollars was derived in pelts during 1929. 



The climatic conditions of Montana and its freedom from the diseases which 

 affect wild animals in captivity has proved it to be a state offering the very 



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