Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-09-06

fnnGS QUIZ W lIlC Win N'N
and black, and produces most eAce''e'''
yrain without irrigating, except IN very orS
season.
Next upon my route was the home OF
Edwin Dukes. who. | believe, has two farms
~, the bottom land, much the same as MI.
.~ustin's. He is an early settler Of this
co,1ntv and has his farm well improved ana
in a high state of cultivation. Here we as
cended to the table land and travelled over
them several miles. The buncli-graSs was
full thirty-six inches long, very thick, ana
was us fine as | ever saw in any country.
Mr.. Austin and some other farmers were
encaned in making hay out upon the COM
mons.
Further on | come to Grass valley, a place
where the bottom land widens out some
three miles from the river, and is cut IN TWO
by IA pretty little stream from the mols'-
tains. Along here there are several farm
ers who have very desirable locations, bnt
[ have fol gotten the names of some OF them,
except Reuben Latimer whom | found in
the field. He has the largest field OF gram
| have seen in the country. In his sheds l
noticed IL variety of fine farm machinery,
among which was u steam thresher.
From here l travelled along the level val
ley some twelve miles upon most excellent
farming land. but, like many other parts OF
Montana, vacant. On my route. oWev-
er. | II noticed several farms along the edge OF
the river, but learning that they were occtt-
pied by Frenchmen who do not read I'm
glish, I did not call upon them.
Along this stretch of country which ex-
tends to F%renchtown, there Is room for
about thirty No. l farmers. The soil is deep
and good, timber is close at hand, and upon
the bench lands which border along the val
ley, is as fine grazing land us one could
wish.
Frenchtown has ~ store, blacksmith shop,
hotel and saloon, all of which belong to j.
Denars. The hotel, however, is under
charge of Geo. Henault, a very clever land
lord.
Below Frenchtown the valley continues
some six miles to where the hills narrow in
to the river. This valley is level and beau
tiful. The mountains which circle around
it on every side, rise up and are covered
with a rich growth of pine timber, much the
same as the west Bitter Root valley. The
soil is from six to ten feet deep-a black
loan, much like the bottom lands near the
mouth of the Missouri, quite as rich, and
unsurpassed tor the production Of cereals
and vegetables. Praise your Madison, Gal
latin, SUN River, Grow Creek and Missouri
valleys it you wish; | will admit that. they
are beautiful, fertile and valuable; but come
here and you will see a country that sur
passes them by far. A country which has
no superior for the raising Of grain of all
kinds, where squashes and melons grow in
profusion ana mature early, where the coIn-
mon States corn grows full six feet high
and as fine ears and as plump grain as Is
grown anywhere, and all without irrigation.
OF the names of the farmers whom I met
in this little settlement, | remember p. J.
Klein, 0. II. Mccormick, ED. Warren,
Nose Clemins, Mrs. +. Allard, VIM, Eaton,
Peter Scnatter, Henry Likely, and John
Francis. Their farms are upon open land.
while between them he country is covered
with groves OF pine timber, resembling the
bluegrass regions Of kentucky. | would
gladly make special mention of their de-
llghttul farms, but they are so near the
same that | fear | might fail to do them JUS
tee. The oldest settled places, however.
ares little i'll advance Of the others, and
some of them are us convenient as taste
could design, and as beautiful as the eye