The semi-weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1891, 1890-05-31
Favorable Reports From Many Parts
of Cascade
County.
GRASS AND GRAIN GROWING NICELY.
The Experiment of Growing Flax to
he Tried Near Red
Buttes.
New Irrigation Enterprises in Various
Portions of the
County.

County Surveyor H. l.. Mcintyre has
returned from an extended trip of obser.
walton through the country west and
north of Great Falls and gave to a
TRIBUNE representative a summary of
the crop prospects and condition Of the
country in general which shows the pros
perity of our varied interests.
At Fort Shaw and on the bench lands
oward the Tim fl ats the rains and warm
weather have produced a grood growth
of grass, on which many cattle and horses
are feeding. There has been more rain
there than close to town and what grain
has been sown is looking we'll. Several
ranchmen have taken land on this bench
and a large amount of prairie is being
plowed. The Crown Butte canal, which
will be built this season, will cover near
ly all of this land with water and then
the farmers may defy the seasons. Tur.
ner & Grimes, sheepmen, northwest OF
Sun rlverl are taking up land and will
soon be situated SO that the influx of set.
tiers will work no detriment to their
business. On the bench lands between
Upper Sun river and Choteau, the grass
is already tall and green and hundreds Of
cattle and horses are drifting in from the
northern country to take advantage of it
MI. Spencer, who has a large ranch on
the Teton is taking out a ditch
four and a half miles long, which will
furnish abundant water for his hay lands
His spring shipment of cattle, numbering
90 head, were taken from the Marias
range in March and were pronounced
prime beef cattle at Chicago. This 10,
was selected from the herds, but all the
cattle of this section were in fairly good
condition and are fattening every day on
the young succulent grasses. Along the
Teton a large number of new settlers are
still blowing and sowing grain. Where
ever there is q spring and good water
for house use may be had there IL now to
be found a settlers shack. In a year or
two the markets of Great Falls will be
fully supplied with grain and produce
grown by these hardy settlers.
A match dropped by a careless smoker
started a prairie fire which burned over
about 100 acres near the Marlas, but was
finally put out after five hours hard fight.
ing.
THE CHESTNUT VALLEY.
Dan Mumbrine, has ljust complet.
ed the survey of about IS miles of laterals
tapping the Chestnut valley at various
places. These latterals will cover nearly
the entire valley and will be commenced
at once. Water is flowing through the
canal now and the waste is lrrigating a
large area of the lower part of the valley.
The farmers being assured of an album
dant supply of water are putting in an
increased acreage and good reports are
expected from these fields next fall.
HOUND CREEK AND SMITH RIVER,
Settlers are pushing out on the tribu-
taries of Hound creek and other tribu-
taries of Smith river and locating on ev-
cry choice bit of land, not on the creek
bottoms but the bench and foot hills lands
are being fenced and titled. The soil of
this region Is a loose black loan very rich,
pllable and covered with a luxuriant
growth of bunch grass. The range stock
here is in good beef condition and stock
men smiling. Wherever an attempt has
been made at grain or vegetable growing
the m )st fattering success has followed
Several farmers in this section have put
cut an extra large garden patch, looking
to Great Falls for a profitable market,
while nearly every settler has planted
some grain.
FLAX ON. RE- BUTTE.
The Red buttes comprise the highest
lands on the bench between Smith river
and Sand Coulee. Here wild flax is
found growing luxuriantly. One year
ago Mr. G. Jacket was almost the only
settler on this bench and he is an exclu
slve breeder of horses. Today a home
may be found on nearly every quarter
section. The new corners have ploughed
n planted a goodly acreage IF grain
and one man has sowed five acres of flax
as an experiment. The early sown wheat
is up, looking well, and in some fields the
stalks are six inches high. Mr.. Wilde,
who has sown the flax, expects TO thresh
out the seed and use the stalks for hay.
is a practical flax grower from Iowa
and says the conditions here are more
favorable than in his native state,
AN EARNEST OF FAITH,
Mr.. j. G. Banding, an old-timer and at
present in business at Sand Coulee, is
putting out a biz crop of grain on the
high bench land between Sand Coulee
and Tiger butte. He is a practical man
and does not throw money away. HIS
action is one of the best evidences that he
believes in the success of farming on the
bench lands.
H GRAIN GROWERS.
Among those who have sown large
crops along Upper Sand Coulee, both in
the valley and on the bench, are VIM,
Warner, j. II. Evans, Brown brothers, A.
Campbell, A. B. Elklns and a large mum.
Der of new s%ettlers. Like other inviting
the choice lands of this region
are being rapidly settled. Before another
season passes a settlers cabin may be
found by every sparkling spring, or
bunch of bending willows and a large
amount of the land will be brought under
On Box Elder David Graham Is per-
laps the largest grain grower. Last year
turing the severe drought his crop was
1890 bushels, and this year he has
put in over 100 acres. Various other
farmers, encouraged by his success, have
put In large grain crops
TIE UPPER BEL REGION,
which has been so we'll described by
he TR1BUNE's special correspondent, is
represented in town by W. D. Delphy, A..
1all and c. 7, Ogden. These gentlemen
re actively engaged in farming and
heir report of the outlook is very fatter.
ng. Stock is in good condition, grain is
nicely, and the grass is already
enough to insure a fair crop of hay.
:. N. Wilson has sown nearly 100 acres
f grain and is still at it. David Thomson
lso has put in a large crop. Every
on this bench is doing something
nd it is safe to say that ten acres Of
rain will be grown this year, where
My one was sown last year. Rams have
cen frequent for the past month in tins
eglen and all nature is smiling.