The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-08-17
Grain Without Irrigation
In the Dryest Season Ever krOwn il,
North Montana
Grain and Vegetable Crops Grown
Without Irrigation.
NJ. r. Ridout and W. MuzZy Dis
close the Facts.

NJ. i. klOOut anu W. MuZZ! iuS-
close the Facts.
A Voice From Milk River.
NJ. I. Ridout, resident of Chinook
and formerly Of Minneapolis, where he
has wide circle of acquaintances. writes
to the Farm, Stock and Home as follows
concerning the Milk River valley:
The post trader near here, Mr.. O'IIan
Ian, admits this to be the dyyest season
experienced i'll northern Montana for the
past 1S years, and yet there is field of
spring wheat two miles from Chinook,
sown i'll April, that stands on an average
five feet and ten inches high, some stalks
measure six feet, with heads of from five
to seven inches in length, and this with
out irrigation. A field Of oats adjoining
stands nearly as high, with heads of tre-
mendous length, all heavily filled with
grain This to me is sufficient evidence
that crops can be grown successfully in
northern Montana without irrigation.
have this day sent you samples of
wheat, oats and flax, to prove my asser-
tions. The flax sent was found growing
wild upon the "worthless(?)" bench
lands adjacent to the Milk river bottom
lands, and measures three feet aud four
inches in hight. Flax in the states is
an annual plant, but here it is either ~
biennial or perennial, can not say
which, but you will discover that the
samples sent grew from the old roots
that produced Il crop last season. Flax
growing will evidently become one of
the future industries of northern Mon
tana.
| The sample sent grew on unbroken
sod, SO you can fairly judge what would
be its growth upon cultivated land. Po-
tatocs will be Il heavy crop notwithstand
ing the dry season. Garden truck was
nearly all put in on the sod, merely us ali
experiment, which has been emincntly
successful. Onions do splendidly on this
soil, and all other vegetables grow most
profusely; sod crops arc looking fairly
| VIGIL, " uIlC AAl SAol'p l'hI AA oAA o4NA AAAN'
are O. X. I wish the readers OF Iarm,
Stock and Home to understand that
northern and southern Montana are wide
ly different in both soil and climate. 1t
has never been claimed for southern
Montana that tho cereals could he grown
successfully without irrigation, while in
the northern portion the rainfall Is suf-
ficient to maintain crops without irriga-
tion. This is evidenced by the fact that
the ranchmen OF southern Montana are
driving their stock into this section by
the thousands where grass and hay can
be had in abundance.
helieve this to be one Of the most de
sirable climates on earth, rain and shine
coming just when most needed. Day:
arc warm and lights cool. People troub
led with insomnia arc readily cured here
The climate too is a specific for rheuma
tism. Taken all in all, don't believe .
more healthful climate can lie ioun'!
The county south Of Chinook is hoin!
pretty we'll filed up by ranchmnn an:
the small farme. will no, Lave TO 9
= far FOR Il market, for all the hay lie c;ll
grow. Baile;, hay is worth 'ls'!c ii ,H'
y present time $15 per ton and belle"
three tons of timothy can be Gu! from Hn,
:, of the bottom lands along Til" stream
: when properly seeded lho','.til,s, q
sheen and cattle roam over t:::.';.:. plain
i, and yet mutton sells 1t from twi',"" t
!, riAiltccl cents per pound aud beef sell
= by the quarter at from eight I" nine cent
', n pound. As rule the ralluhnc:i try t
discourage agriculture; and | can't s'
that blame them, for stock ranc
, means heavy bank deposits.
e The class of settlers here are snmethiu
- - to hc proud Of: AS {, rule people comm
y, here from the east bring along revolvs
- or two and sundry other weapons OF 1t
= fense,b but let mo ,ss,re the rs:s.eE tA:
p" they are not only needless but almost va
- ucless here; leave them at home or trad
them for hoes or pitch forks, which al
needed.
}, FREQ homes oan yet be- had within
=. few miles Of Chinook, but every day fins
the chances for making selections fl
:, homes growing less. A claim of 100 acr
" within mile and half Of Chinook w
lately sold for $1,000; 500 would la'
paid for all the Improvements Oh Il
- :, place.
ilG, Wdout says that thousands OF to
~ ~ of hay will be cut on the Milk and
:, tributaries and cites an instance Of a 81
" tier having sowe,l II few pints of timot]
" on the native sod last spring, without {
'n r,. dragging It In, the yield ther"ironl !
IN ing extraordinary one stool product
as many as I'D stalks aud some Of I
>. heads measuring seven inches i; i:ng
u Clover and alfalfa also flourish here.
It.
-u;, ~