The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-08-17
MONTANA CROPS, SOILS AND
METHODS.

MONTANA CROPS, SOILS AND
METHODS.
W. Muzzy of this city writes of the re-
suits of some Of his observations and ex-9
perience in soil culture in this section to
the Minneapolis Farm, Stock and Home
of Aug. 10Th, from which we make few
extracts that will be of interest to our
readers:
Visiting Montana as you lately did, and
in your brief visit becoming aware of the
excessive drouth this region is exper-
icncing, you will do doubt be interested
to learn how the crops of wheat and oats
have done here under the unfavorable
conditions you saw existing. The wheat
fields of Paris Gibson, which, l believe
you visited, are at this time July 23d, be-
ing harvested, and, by the way, were in
prime condition to cut week ago, and
if it had been done then better grain
would have been the result, for 1t is now
over-ripe. These fields were sown early
and the work fairly we'll done. The field
| visited yesterday bore q crop that
would have been satisfactory to Min
ncsota farmer, for the yield will be eigh-
teen or twenty bushels to the acre, pos
sibly more. i
Fields of oats have visited are a sur
prise to me (all the crops have visited,
both wheat and oats, are on "bench
lands"-that is, the high lands back from
streams or "coulees'D; they are good
color, are we'll headed and filling salts
factorily, although the rain fall since
April Goth to this date has not exceeded
~ inches. Early sown oats will yield
40 Or 50 bushels to the acre.
Nearly all late sown and badly put in
crops are, as might be expected,a failure.
The soils here appear to he of sedi-
mentary nature, giving evidence of this
region having been at some early period
under water, consequently are very pro-
ductive and show remarkable change
for the better when cultivated, and are
well adapted to the growth of the va
rious farm crops, as we'll as that most de-
sirable quality, ability to retain moisture
and sustain vegetable life during pro.
tracted drouth,
In order to bring this soil to its best
condition, breaking should be done deep
ly, say four or five inches, and the sod
laid fiat SO that all vegetation is deeply
covered and the surface thoroughly pull
verified, which tends to smother and ro
the sod, thus securing tirst-rate resor
for the roots of crops.
Crops here should be sown as soon a.
the weather will ptrmit; even in this dry
year the crops that were early sown OF
only half prepared lands are producing
a paying yield.
There appears at this time abundan
evidence that bench lands suffer less from
drouth than do the valley lands, and 81
far this season the bench lands have re
ceived greater rainfall than the vale,
: lands.
Herds have "short commons" now ant
} will have still shorter unless the rainfall
comes soon sufficient to encourage a fal
growth Of grass. Without this there car
he no sustaining winter grazing for til
too numerous herds. The hay crop
, not more than twenty five per cent Of las
? years cut. Owners of stock will have t
unload or suffer disastrous loss.
1t gave me great pleasure to meet you
allie correspondent, q. l.. Smith, here j
> Great Falls, and feel certain that wit
his wide experience and careful invest
cation he will he able to discover the re:
: facts regarding the adaptibility of thes
lands to diversified farming pGd being {
y widely known anong the readers OF Far
Stock and Home, such reports as he ms
n make will bc read with interest.
! People desiring to settle on these lan'
s must expect and be prepared to ada
I themselves to this soil and climate in Q
II der 10 succeed, and pocket, Or what
u better, leave behind their whins nj
e theories, as all such will have to be revi
'e ed and brought into harmony with lie
u conditions and surroundings.
- Accompanying the letter Mr.. Muir
- =, sent some aamplc heads Of wheat, Il
~ ~ field from which they were taken, N
~ Muzzy states, bearing fair yield Of fiji
> plump of strictly No. hard wheat:
!. grown without irrigation. The editor
" ~ Stock aud Home, ronlarklng upon the
~: ~ says, ''rhey evidence a most wonderf
:" production for country which, accor
ing to the assertions of certain ranchm
-. - of that region, won't grow kushel OF an
's' a thing without lrriigatie1:' |'e might
'e ' so have coupled with the ranchmen ace
~ tain so-oalled agricultural outfit he
-, aall!ng under the tlgureAead of Husha1
man.
,c- Innate Depravity Discounted.
-, AS usual, the fire eating, blatant kick
~ -. round the corner prints screed OF st;
matter and tries to palm lt OF upon
corporal's guard of readers as news. I
LEADER, more than a week ago, publi'
81 IJo,,.,uj 1T;+rholl:c 1otfor anfira (r