Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-04-18
PEN NOTES ABOUT THE FARM.

PEN NOTES ABOUT THE FARM.
GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
Recent articles on the subject Of produc-
ing Montana pork and bacon suggest few
pen notes about the same. A few Montana
farmers have already introduced this branch
of agriculture, and | may state that major
ity have found it profitable in a small way.
that is to say, in producing pork and bacon
for their own use. The principal reason
why this industry has not been more UNI
yersaly adopted is that the first farms We're
made with but three or four rails to the
panel Of fence. The settlers, then having III
view the project of amassing an early tor
tune and abandoning the country i'll short
time, did not take the pains to make them
secure against logs; and the meddling OF
the Legislature, who undertook to- make
these fences lawful, tended to retafd rather
than advance this Industry. Lam glad,
however. Ito note that the farmers through
out the country are generally encouraged
by the little success already attained, and
are making improvements of-their facilities
for the enlargement of the business.
The belief that bacon cannot be profitably
raised where there is no mast Or wild feed
is fast being oyercome''by the results of'ex-
perirnents. 1t is true that the best success
ret attained was upon the Bitter Root val
lev. where the hogs had the benefit OF good
range, feeding in summer on the bltter-root
plant peculiar to that section, and which
is claimed to be as good hog food as the
acorns and nut food of the States. But this
does not justify the conclusion that bacon
cannot be produced in other parts OF Mon
tana. Besides the field pea, which is COM
cetled to beas strong food as corn, it is found
that barley.is also excellent food for hogs,
and equally as reliable a crop. Themixture
of barley with peas and. other food is advan-
tagnous, since it gives the animal greater
variety. A great advantage in producing
barley is that it can be used for other pur-
poses. The six-roW barley is especially
preferable. for the reason that it IS one OF
the few cereals which are not so liable to be
destroyed blythe grasshoppers. 10 many
this may seem quite unreasonable, but It IS
nevertheless true. The grasshoppers Will
sinnle out and cut Off the bud OF the
two-rowed barley and leave the six-roWed
variety standing on the same land. This
was well demonstrated on the fields OF 4
!. number OF Galatin county farmers last
summer, of whom may mention 20. L.
Il HAYS, II. c. Retling and the Street Bros, OF
East Gallatin valley. On the farms OF these
gentlemen / noticed crops of siN-roWed bar
lev being harvested which yielded falr hall
CROP, after the two-rowed variety had oeen
cut down before ripening by the 'hoppers'
When first the 'hoppers arrived they aes-
troyed the soat field, and then went into the
barley field. / walked through one OF tllese
!, fields OF mixed barley at harvest tihle' ana
!. Notwithstanding the ground was literally
j covered with barley heads, cut down by Tue
pests, | noticed that the six-roWed variety
: was standing, while the two-rowed was
, nearly all cut down. This convinced nle
that the six-rowed variety is the pest aho
' safest crop. 1t yields fully as weii1as any
! other grain. and since it can be USED iol
/ other purposes than hog feed. 1t Is u soo'
, crop to sow. The season is still good iol
t tlsowing barley for hogs. "ia'''''