The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-04-09
Il WAY TO WIN.
Stock-Farm1ng the Secret of Extracting
Gold from Montana Soil.

In no other part of the United States
is the live stock industry so closely iden-
tilted with the interests of all the people
as in Montana. The evil of having vast
grazing areas enclosed by cattle compa-
MES does not exist, nor have titled moo
dies and foreign syndicates yet acquired
a grip upon our lands and herds. In
particular the ranges of northern Mon
ANA are occupied by a multitude of
resident cattle owners, nine-tenths of
whom are engaged in cattle raising as
an auxiliary to farming and other pur-
suits. The great majority of these W
no more land than the 100 acres that is
their home. With a few exceptions
LAND SPECTATORS
are the only persons who have availed
themselves of the privilege of placing
scrip and locating desert claims. In
fact the stockmen are SO apathetic that
they are not exercising common pru-
dence for the protection of their business
and are permitting ever their corral
sites to be taken up by outsiders.
The Importance of the live stock in
dustry to a town situated in the midst
of a region the greater part of which is
more favorable to herds than to farming
can scarcely be overestimated. Such
important centers as Fort Worth and
Cheyenne have been built up in that
way. Miles City is striving for similar
prestige, and if Fort Benton were de-
prived of every other advantage it could
obtain prominence by carefully fostering
the same pursuit.
1t is enormously supposed by many
that heaven natures the gains of the
stockmen without any expense to them.
Aside from the great labor necessary at
certain seasons of the year and the risk
that is incurred beyond that in any or
binary forms of investment,
THE ANNUAL OUTLAY
of money by the stockmen is in the ag-
gregate enormous. Upon n of the
smallest ranges in this vicinity the ex-
pense for hired men and grub during
the spring and fall round-ups was last
year nearly $1,000, every cent of which
found it's way into the circulation Of the
town.
Of the eighteen cattle owners repre-
sented all but three live upon and cult
vate ranches and thereby still further
benefit the country the same as farmers
that do not own range stock. 1t is the
experience Of these farming stockmen
that the mere raising of crops is not
likely to make anybody rich. In times
past the returns from farming were
large in proportion to the area cultiyat-
ed, but now that the railroads are bring
ing eastern products into competition
with those of this territory a different
system will have to be generally adopted
to insure prosperity.
IT IS SAFE TO "a
that not one-hundredth part of this ter
ritory can be brought under irrigation,
which is the only means of insuring an
unfailing crop of cereals; and not one
fftieth part will produce a crop one year
in three by relying upon the rainfall.
The remainder is adapted only to graz
ing, but for that purpose is unsurpassed
because Of the character Of the grasses,
the climatic conditions and the topogra-
ply of the country.
These statements standing by them
selves might not PROPOSES agriculturists
in favor of the territory, but they really
reveal a condition of things that if un-
derstood will people our fertile valleys
with a class of hardy, energetic stock
men-farmers. Even at the east where
land is worth $50 per acre upwards it is
far more profitable to feed the grain
raised to stock than to market it in other
ways.
AGRICULTURALISTS
will here find an opportunity not en-
joyed by their class elsewhere. Upon
the areas that are susceptible to cultiva-
ton they can establish homes, and en-
gage in the raising of limited numbers
of live stock, making farming an aux
iliary to insure the success of the former
that is, they can raise bands of tame
horses of a high class, or domestic cattle
of the best breeds. These can be sent
out upon the surrounding free range in
charge of herders, to be returned to the
ranch when necessary, and the products
that can be raised upon the ranch should
be reserved to feed such stock during
winter storms and to fit them for the
market. OF cattle, only the best breeds
- --l u. Io4l. JO:r-:Y - III ~ h,rf0I