Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-04-12
MINNESOTA vs.. MOYTAva

out Its entire length, is hemmed in or
each side by high, rough hills. which arc
almost invariably covered with scattering
oaks. Almost all the available ground in
it and the alleys of its branches is de-
voted to wheat raising; still, there is not
enough raised to keep the many mills
along the river supplied, and the millers
have to ship wheat from the prairies
west.
Going west on the s. NJ. X. r., we
leave the valley of Root river soon after
passing Lanesboro, and cot.e up on the
broad prsiries of Southern Mnnesota.
whtre the wind has splendid place to
show its power. and often. accepts the
opportunity of giving t6 the inhabitants
Minnesota Blizzard" which is second
only to the "Washoe Zephyr, of which
Mark Twain has written. Here, where
fifteen years ago the nejghbors were five
TO ten miles apart, there is now no valua
blc ground but what is occuDied-houses.
fences, and other signs of civilization
abound:ng On every side. Almost all
tnis extensive country is devoted to
wheat raising-even the oats used as feed
are Imported and when the wheat crop
fails the farmers have nothing to fall
back on. Minnesota is celebrated as be-
ing the best wheat raising State in the
Union; but she cannot stand comparison
for a moment III this respect with Monta-
na. The majority of your farmers are
not aware Of the many advantages they
have over even the acknowledged Queen
Of wheat raising States. Here the wheat
crop is almost, if not wholly, a failure
unless the ground is p'owed the fall be-
fore p!antfnkS while in Montana you pre-
pare the ground whenever most conven-
lent. and no apparent difference Ii the
result mas been detected between fall and
spring plowing.
Again, it is stated on good authority
that the soil in this State is ''too light to
stand the continuous production of wheat
as remnnerstive crops" it is feared she
will soon 60 the way ct her older sister
States, and will be compelled to choose
some other grain as her staple. This
statement is founded on the fact that the
average crop in the greater part of the
State-not suffering from grasshoppers-
last year was only q little over eight
bushels per acre. The soil is gradually
growing weaker, the climate not as favor
able as In form'r years. aid the amount
received per acre is consequently lighter,
though the supply is kept up BY an in
creased number Of acres being put under
cultivation. A gentleman who has been
engaged In wheat raising here for the pat
fifteen years informs me that new ground
10 day will not raise as much wheat per
acre as it would ten to fourteen years
ago. He attributes the decline to the
climate rather than to the soil. 1t has
been observed that, 40 country becomes
more thickly settled the rain. fall is great
er. Minnesota has not proven an excep
ton to this rule, the rain fall here being
heavier now than in former
years, especially during the harvesting
seasoh, when it does the greatest damage.
II Montana pass through the same ex
perience as the Eastern and older settled
States in this respect. the high dry land
which is covered with deep, heavy soil
and which at present IL not considered
your hest grain raising soil, will eveptu
ally prove the most valuable for this pur-
pose, and you will have to devote your
iiEht -soiled bottoms to grass culture.
MATT. w. ALDERSON.
Austin, Mimi, March 10, ~. ]