Great Falls tribune., 1889-03-23
MORE LIGHT.
FOR THOSE WHO NEED FACTS ABOUT
NORTHERN MONTANA.
Opinions of Military officer on the
New Wheat Belt-Good Crops of
Oats Raised Even by
Indians.

The veteran agricultural editor, Orange
Judd. prints in the Orange Judd Farmer
of Chicago letter from military officer
stationed at Fort Assinnaboine. The in
formation therein applies to the country
around Great Falls and confirms the opin-
ions which MI Gibson has expressed up
on their fertility. The officer speaks Of
the prairie lying to the west Of Assinna-
loine, whence it extends for over a hun
dred miles to the Rocky Ridge foothills
of the main Rocky mountain range. He
says that sit is intersected by several
creeks issuing from the Sweet Grass
hills, has an average of about 1900 feet
above the sea and is destined to become
as fair a wheat country as any part OF
Dakota"
"WATER-I travelling overt the prairie
and bench lands see more indications
Of water close to the surface than | used
to see five or six years ago on some Of the
uninhabited prairies Of Kansas which are
now covered with farms. Last summer
saw well dug on one Of the benches
near Milk River at II point about 1876 feet
above the bed, and a supply of good
water was struck between 12 and 10 feet
below the general level. "The effect of
plowing in previously untouched coun-
try, in producing plentiful rainfall, is too
we'll known to need mention here. In 1886
this country shared in the great drouth
which spread throughout the states, and
the broad unplowed acres promoted tn
dryness. In 1887 and 1883, however, there
was more rain than was needed for gar
dens, and those out of the creek bottoms
did the best. There are such large areas
Of bottom lands, that those who come in
the first year or two will all be able to Sc
cure such locations. In them there is no
danger from drouth. When these bottom
lands are plowed up there will be no
more danger from drouth than in the
eastern states, and the benches will make
the finest grain fields, as they now fur
nish the best grazing in ordinary years.
You have the figures with regard to the
rainfall, so l do not give them here. The
effect Of plowlng is plainly visible along
some of the old frei ght roads now abun-
dant on account of the new direction Civ
en- to travel by the advent of the railroad.
These roads cut into the rich soil can be
traced for miles by the heavier growth of
grass along them.'
The gardens at the post are very pro
ductive, and better than we used to have
in Kansas, the Indian territory or Texas.
The potato is similar in all respects to the
Colorado product, and preferred to use
that potato in Kansas at dollar per
bushel to the native article at so cents.
1t was not only meafy and better favored,
but taking the winter through and consid
ering their relative keeping qualities, was
more economical. The past two years on
some of the high land near the post the
average yield has been about ITO bushels
per acre. This is bench land and is in all
respects like hundreds of miles of the
bench land of the district. The bottom
gardens give large yield. A patch of
wheat in 1887, sown in one of the high
gardens, gave good yield, but it was put
in too late and no record kept. We do
not raise oats, purchasing by contract;
but the Indian fields look as well as any
l ever saw. do not remember the yield
per acre. We have not cultivated the
apple tree, but there is no reason why
the hardy varieties should not do as we'll
as in Michigan. Melons, cabbages, tur-
nips, celery and in fact everything we
have tried, has succeeded entirely The
rains cease early in August and the harvest
season is so dry that the crops are not af-
feCteQ by the frOStS