The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-04
FARMING AND STOCK RAISING.
Portions of Park County That Are Fertile
and Productive.

Portions of Park County That Are Fertile
and Productive.
Big Timber is small station short dis
tame. east of Livingston, which is the ship
ping point for a great stock-raising section.
The Musselshell cattle country is tributary
to it. Last year Big Timber shipped 1884,
635 pounds of wool, 50 cars of mutton
sheep and q cars of cattle and horses. The
Boulder river, which passes through Big
Timber, furnishes great water power, and
it has the Yellowstone as we'll. The annual
trade of Big Timber If over $4,000.
The Shields River valley, about 80 miles
in length, is the great sheep-raising and
agricultural section of Park county. Eight
miles northeast of Livingston the Shields
river empties into the Yellowstone. This il
east, is about 20 miles in width, and is Dor
dered on the north and east
by the picturesque, but almost
inaccessible Crazy mountains, and is en-
closed in the west BY the Belt range.
Shields river as it flows through the valley
is increased in volume by the addition of
of considerable size, that have their sources
in the neighboring mountains and, by
erosion, created little valleys through the
plateaus that extend from the river to the
mountain ranges.
The valley proper of the river, bordered
by the bench lands, will average width of
one mile. This is all q rich alluvial deposit,
making it the finest kind of hay and grain
producing land. The plateaus, which flank
the bottom lands following the course of
the river, extend in a gradual incline back
ward to the mountains. The plateaus are
covered with luxuriant growth Of bunch
grass, upon which the large herds of cattle
and sheep pasture the year round. This
industry is at present the main element of
wealth to the residents of the valley, as the
ranges maintain these herds with little ex-
pense to the owner. making it q more profit
able business than any other, consequently
more attention is put to it than farming,
although the latter industry is steadily
gaining, and will in a few years rival any
valley in Montana in that respect. Shields
river valley has great possibilities as wheat
stretch of table land, fully 200, 600 acres,
between the river and the Crazy range,
where the soil has an average depth of three
feet, under which is Q sub-stratIm Of
argillaceous matter. thus retaining the
moisture and rendering irrigation hardly
necessary in most parts. The mountain
SHOWS lie till late in the spring, af-
fording protection to winter. wheat.
Near the mouth of the river farming is
given more attention than in any other por-
tion, AZ it il nearer to the Livingston mar
ket. The following season, however, will
see farming extensively carried on in all
portions. The diversified character Of the
land makes it an easy matter to grow any
variety of grain or vegetable that can be
produced at this altitude; moreover, dam
age TO crops by frost is never known in the
valley. the climate being uniformly mild
Throughout the growing seasons.
The superior character of stock bred in
this valley is a matter of pride to the resi-
dents. Special attention eis given bv
growers and the finest kind Of blooued
6orpes, cattle and sheep are introduced for