STOCK-GROWING OUT WEST. 167 



berries are sometimes pounded up with buffalo meat 

 and fat, making a sort of " pemmican/' which is packed 

 in skins and called "towro." 



I have been thus particular in describing the natural 

 and agricultural resources of Montana, because it is 

 only known to the outside world as a mining region. 

 The commonly received idea of it is that it is a wild, 

 rugged, and unproductive territory, valuable only for 

 its gold and silver. Could it once be made known that 

 for agricultural purposes it will some day be as valua- 

 ble as Nebraska, Iowa, or Minnesota, new life would 

 be given to this rock-bound land, and its valleys would 

 soon fill up with thrifty farmers. 



It is, however, as a stock-growing region Montana 

 surpasses all other sections of our great West. Its 

 grasses cure naturally on the ground, and even in win- 

 ter cattle and sheep, which run out all the year round, 

 are found fat and fit for the butcher's block. 



In 1877 the whole number and value of live stock 

 in Montana was set down by the assessors as follows : 



Number. Yalue. 



Cattle . . . . . . . 160,647 $1,812,920 



Horses . .' 26,496 851,674 



Mules 1,688 105,648 



Sheep . . . . . . . 51,558 148,894 



Hogs 4,642 20,598 



Total . . . , . . 245,031 $2,989,734 



Since then the stock in Montana has more than 

 doubled, Gallatin County alone returning, in 1879, 

 30,333 head of cattle and 8033 head of horses. Among 

 the owners of herds in Gallatin are the following : 



