Time Capsule: From the archives of local weeklies
Ronan Pioneer, Oct. 24, 1924
Staff predicts the 1925 wool clip will yield 50 cents on market
That eastern wool buyers are endeavoring to contract for Montana 1925 wool clips at 40 cents a pound and that the sheep men should receive 50 cents for these same clips if properly marketed, is set forth in a telegram recently received by the Montana Wool Growers’ Association from Matt Staff, president of the National Wool Warehouse and Storage Company of Chicago, which has handled much of the Montana product in recent years.
His wire follows: “Dealers are now attempting to contract Montana 1925 clips at 40 cents. In view of the fact that 1924 clips are now easily marketable at well above 50 cents in Boston and fine staple territory is quoted at $1.50 clean and is steadily advancing and in view of short supply, activity of dealers and larger tonnage being taken by manufacturers on increasing orders for finished product, our judgment is that the next clip will bring 50 cents or better, and that contracting at this time would be indefensible.æ
“As indicating the trend of the market we have sold the J.L. Rapstead, Big Timber, 1924 clip at 54 cents, delivered in Boston, netting him around 10 cents more that he could have sold for at contract.”
Alfalfa Hay worth $10 or $30
Method and speed make a lot of difference in the value of the alfalfa hay being harvested. If it is put up right, it is the most valuable feed there is, the leaves being equal in feeding value to bran. But if it is not handled right, and the leaves shatter off and the color fades and bleaches, it is worth comparatively little.
Bale your alfalfa and send it to market and you quickly get the rating that means a difference of as much as $20 a ton in alfalfa hay from the method of harvesting you deploy.
The markets want that green color that denotes just enough wilting without bleaching before the hay went into the mower or the baler. It also wants all the leaves on it, which means a concentration of well-managed machinery methods that are used in the harvest.
Goes east to pick car of Guernseys
The Valley View Guernseys Breeders Association held a meeting Monday evening of last week at the Ray Chapman home. C.H. Lyman, local secretary of the Agricultural Credit Corporation, and M.T. Buras, of Polson attended the meeting.
Several members of the association have arranged to buy a carload of Guernsey dairy cattle through the Agricultural Credit Corporation, and Ray Chapman was selected to go to Waukesha, Wisc. to represent the local purchasers in the selection of the stock.
He left last week for the east, and the car of dairy stock will be shipped as soon as the selection is made.
Community News
J.C. CURTIS went to Missoula last Sunday where he will enter a hospital for an operation. The operation, it is said, in on account of an injury received over a year ago when Mr. Curtis was shot by a moonshiner near Arlee. Mrs. Curtis accompanied him to Missoula.
C.N. RICH, RONAN, and Miss Kathleen Eganof of Ronan were the lucky winners in the prize foxtrot given by Sheridan’s Orchestra at Charlo last Saturday.
FOUND — a fur coat on the Round Butte Road, a quarter of a mile west of Ronan. Owner can have same by calling at the Pioneer Office and paying for this ad.