Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-03-06

raised here TO the amount consumed 10
very sma II, owingchitiy to the fact
thai We have but very few farmers In
the country and hitherto but little irri-
cation. then, too, most Of the desirable
locations on streams and in bottoms
were taken up In early days By men
who knew nothing about farming and
who have held on chiefly 10 the hope
Of selling out. These people are now
ready to sell at reasonable figures and
open the way for those who know how
to farm.
WHAT IRRIGATION WILL DO.
The Tongue River ~Irrigsting Ditch,
the largest and only public ditch in
the county, will be completed this
spring, and a. 1t may be Of some In
terest to the readers Of this article to
know something about IL, I have
made IN approximate estimate Of the
land that 1t will put under cultivation
and the probable yield. The distance
from the dam, where the ditch takes
its water, to Miles City, 10 about
twelve miles and the bottom will sv-
ersge one third OF q mile In width,
this gives about 2l3 acres to the mile
or $500 acres Ia the Tongue river
valley; from Miles City the ditch is
continued down the Yellowstone val
ley to Buffalo Rapids, about twelve
miles mole; this bottom averages two
miles In width. giving twenty-four
square miles, or Is, $50 acres, making
In all nearly $1,000 acres that will
be put under cultivation by
this ditch. Now let US
suppose that only half Of this land. or
1000 acres, is put under cultivation.
This gives us ninety farmers Of 100
acres each, and with the usual divi.
sion of crops practiced in the states,
say 80 acres TO wheat. 80 acres to oats.
25 acres to hay, 10 acres to corn. aud 5
aTes to vegetables, we would have
200 acres Of wheat at say twenty
bushels to the acre or 81, 1000 bushels.
This l think is very low estimate for
our SOIL We would have {, ZOO acres of
oats, which can safely be estimated at
go bushels to the acre; 1872. 900 bushels
at 35 pounds TO the bUshel amounting
to $3.50, 900 pounds Of oats. Then We
have 1850 acres iu hay at two toni to
the acre, or 1880 tons. and IL some OF
the many forage plants such ss alfalfa
or millet be put in. the yield will be
much more. With 900 acres In corn,
and plenty Of water there 10 no trouble
in getting 70 bushels TO the acre, which
gives $500 bushels or 1850, 900 pounds
and about twice that amount Of fodder,
which is OF course good feed for all
kinds of stock. Then We have 450
acres In vegetables Of various kinds,
the yield of which can scarcely be
computed, so prolific 10 the growth OF
roots and tubers in this soil.
1t may be said, this looks very well
on paper. but I have made no state.
ments that 1 have not data for, based
on what has been done in Custer
county without irrigation, and have
been careful to put the estimate low.
Now II certsinly does seem strange
that In such q country As this we
should have TO ship In all Of our -four,
oats, corn, mill products aud occasion.
ally our hay and vegetables, all OF
which takes money out of she country
that might rs well be kept at home.
II We raised wheat here we should
soon have a Touring mill that would
supply all our wants In this line, be.
sides giving employment to number
Of men directly and indirectly, and
other industries would be fostered and
encouraged when 1t was seen that we
were self.supporting. What has been
said Of this country applies alike 10
the Yellowstone bottoms from the
mouth Of the Big Horn TO the mouth
Of the Yellowstone, and In the three
hundred miles between these points
there is a world of good land, plenty oI
cottonwood timber, plenty OF coal, and
along the river, the means OF cheap ir-
rigatiou In sight for whoever wantsit
The possibilities for success 10 the far
mer, who will at the same time go in
TO stock growing In a small way Is moi
sxcelled anywhere within the scope oI
my experience. When / speak Of far
mers / mean men who understand
their business and will work with G
will and not spend their time waiting
for the increased value Of their land.
to make them rich. When we get a
few.men like those who have settled
on the bllzzard.cursed p%rairies Of Da.
) kota, miles away from fuel Of any