The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-17
Farmers Not Dependant Either On
the Clouds or Rain
Producers.
Abundant Crops AS Regular And
Certain AS the Sun
Shines.
1t II No Trouble to Turn On the Water
And Nature Does all
the Rest.

OF u vast stretch OF sandy waste, it's desola-
tion enhanced by scrubby growth of sage
brush and it's silence broken only by the
lonesome bark of the coyote or the sough
of the wind as it blows through the
whitened skeletons of such animals as had
unwisely ventured within its fatal pre-
cincts. That the plan of putting water on
such desert was one only instigated by
theorists, who aspired to serve the govern
ment for a consideration, and who were not
at all serious in their predictions of bene-
fetal results is an idea that has no doubt
obtained with many. The farmer who de-
pends on the clouds has naturally con-
cluded that agriculture by irrigation wes
beset with obstacles involving first, a large
outlay of money to construct the works,
and second great force of expert labor to
properly distribute the water over the
crops. Under these circumstances opposi-
tion to any scheme of the sort, particularly
if government aid was an essential feature,
would not be surprising.
In Montana irrigation is almost a neces-
sity to seeded vegetable production in any
shape. Yet the situations are entirely diff
ferent from the general belief. The irri-
gable lands of the state are located in val
leys and not in plains; the soil is not sand,
but as black and as rich az any in Illinois,
without the slightest appearance of being a
desert instead of water being scarce it is
more abundant than any other section can
boast of, and in constant supply; while the
scheme of irriga1on is one of the simplest
imaginable, and any farm hand can in a
few days get the whole subject within the
range Of successful operation. Irrigation
reduced to practical basis, is, as employed
in Montana, an absolute assurance of
bounteous crops. With the conditions of a
fertile soil, reliable growth and harvest
seasons, with plenty of water to be used as
needed every year will see certain crop
which is fully up, in size of yield, to
the capacity of the ground to produce. Add
ed to this is the fact that in Montana is a
home market for all that is raised at prices
that would make an eastern farmer think
that in some manner he had been trans
ported into the lands of Eldorado.
Montana has twenty valleys which put
the Shenandoah to shame. There are 9TH
81 9 as good as that of the Connecticut river
which do not even receive mention. There
are level parks in the mountains, any one
large enough to make county, and hun
dreds of small mountain streams tumble
through grassy lands Of surprising beauty.
The spring season, contrary to the general
impression opens early in Montana. The
first of April finds land ready for seeding,
and thenceforward the bright sun is an
evSf ready encouragement to growth, ma
turity, and II successful harvest 1t only
remains for man to supply water in proper
quantities. 1t is scientific farming in de-
gree not dreamed of by him who depends
for success on the capricious clouds.
It is faith in the results of irrigation that
has induced eastern capitalists to put their
money into works of the kind in this state.
Several large systems are in full operation
and others are in course of construction.
About fifty miles north of Helena and in
this (Lewis and Clarke) county, is one of
most extensive in the west. Its source of
supply is the Dearborn river, which heads
high up in the main range of the Rocky
mountains, therefore assuring heavy sup
ply at all seasons. 1t runs through mar
row rock canyon of the widest and rarest
beauty of scenery, to the point of cont1u-
ence with the Missouri river. Having no
valley of its own to irrigate. the waters of
the Dearborn would be wasted were it not
for fortunate break in one bank, which
allowed the construction of an immense
valleys, which would otherwise be deficient
of any supply. The lands of Orchard,
Sims, Flat and Dry creeks are equals of
any in the country, and their four
valleys head near a common point. To
throw water into all of them about five
miles of main canal, twenty feet wide at
the bottom, thirty eight feet at the top
and six feet deep, with a fall of three and
one-tenth feet to the mile, was built on the
mountain side. 1t defects the waters OF
the Dearborn from their natural bed in
steady flow toward the four valleys which
lie to one side and on a lower lever. The
average fall of the Dearborn is forty feet to
hn wi yol rYIVa u rup
sequent large carrying capacity to the canal
The natural beds of Orchard, Sims, Flat
and Dry creeks are made to run full at all
seasons. when without the aid of the canal
they would be perfectly dry in summer, at
the time when water is most needed. The
versally called in Montana) are derived
FROM the creek beds by means of smaller
bitches taken out considerably above the
point of use. Here again the fail of the creeks
assures large carrying capacity to the
bitches, SO that delivery of water ls easily
made on the highest cultivated land. From
the supply bitches tho water flows in plowed
furrows to all crows. The labor of making
these lateral bitches is tritling and few
days work with the hoe i'll the spring is
sufficient to keep them i'll good order. With
an absolutely reliable supply OF water
turned to any part of his field at any time
by simply lifting wooden gate, the farmer
can make n calculation iii the spring of how
much he will realize at given prices for his
years work just as reliably AS he can in the
fall. He has Il certainty that the sun will
shine to sprout the seed and insure its
steady growth. He knows hs will have no
by bad weather i'll harvest time
aud can, if called away by other business,
leave his grain or gIass unprotected i'll
the field until it is convenient to haul or
stack. He never once looks anxiously at the
sky to detect the signs of n wished for oes-
sntion of rain, nor does he pray that tho
clouds may open to save his parched crops.
There is an utter elimination of doubt as to
whether providence is favoring or attlicting
him. and it never occurs to him to see
whether tho new moon is wet or dry. Nor
has he any interest in the success Of the
experiments now being conducted for the
artificial production of rain storms by
means of dynamite balloons.
With an ample supply of water 1t Ia ex-
peoted in Montana. according to the fertili-
ty of soil and attention to crops, to realize
per aero from three hundred to five
hundred bushels of Irish potatoes,
forty to sixty bushels of wheat, |
eighty to one hundred bushels OF
,ats and two to three tons of hay. The
prices are one cent per pound
Tor potatoes. though often going higher,
,ne aud one-half cents per pound for wheat,
md from ono to two and one |
lalf cents per pound for oats. Hay |