The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-17
PRICE FIVE CENTS

showing 1T would seem that tho farmer
ought to make money, and he does. But
horse raising, with the comparative tree
dom from labor, exerts a controlling fasoi-
nation on the old settlers, while the mining
industry is holding ont always tho open
cornucopia OF rich bounties in the shape OF
possible bonanzas; 40 that even the temp
comparison seem tame recompense. The
market Tor farm products is in the rapidly
growing cities of Helena, Butte, MissOuln,
Great Falls and others which subaist on the
profits OF mining. The opening Of new
mines ana the Development of old ones ia
OF dependent population faster than the
local production OF supplies, 80 that large
importations OF flour, potatoes, oats. hay
ana other necessities are being made not
withsthnding the heavy freight charge from
Minnesota and other states in the east,
The Chinese were early to use tho oppor-
tunities for realizing quick fortunes by en-
gaRing III the raising OF small fruits and
vegetables near the cities. There are sew
eral small truck farms near this city
owned and worked by Cinnamon. They
raise nothing but vegetables and small
fruits, the hardy varieties of which grow to
perfection and bring good prices on n
market which is never fully supplied.
The Cinnamon, however, have no monopoly
of thie business.
The so-called arid lands are located prin-
cipally on the eastern slope of the Rocky
mountain divide, and extend from the
British possessions to the Gulf of Mexico.
They are arid because of an inequality,
and not because of scarcity of natural
PRECIPITATION. At certain seasons favor
able winds prevail to blow the watery vapor
generated on the Pacific ocean, over the
coast of California, Oregon and Wash
ington. In natural course this va
por would be deposited with
some degree of evenness over
the land as far as the Missouri river, but
for the barriers inteiposed by mountain
| ranges which. III the northwest, consist of
the coast range, the Bitter Root and the
Rockies, with many intervening spurs. The
yapor clouds when they reach the coast are
warm, but while drifting eastward and
passing over the successive mountain
by the cold of the high attitudes, thus rob-
bing the clouds of portion OF their moist
ure. Directly on the coast and tor nearly
hundred miles inland before the coast
range is reacheds the winter season is one
of almost lncessant VAIN rain. East of the
coast range the fall is somewhat reduced
and comes frequently In the shape Of
slushy snow. Between the Bitter Root and
the Rocky mountains a condition OF dry
ness begins to appear, which on the eastern
| slope of the Rockies becomes very pro-
nounced. The clonds which reached the
fectly dry as the result of the en-
forced deposits, in the shape Of
snow, on each mountain ranges and snow or
| rain IN reduced quantities. Hence. the vast
plain extending from the Rockies eastward.
| and embracing eastern Montana, Wyom-
ing, and North and South Dakota, herefs
of their natural share of the moisture
which started at the coast, experience the
necessity of obtaining their water by other
means than from the clouds. The winds
which move these clouds eastward origi-
nate in the far off Indies and Japan and
tropics. They are the wonderful chinook.
SO often told of, which gives Portland. Or
| egon, the winter climate of New Orleans;
| Spokane Falls that of Memphis, Missoula
that of st. Louis, and Helena that of Chi
cago, without it's penetrating dampness, it,
influence of the chinook is experienced IN q
feeble manner in the longitude of Bismarck
east of which the frigid blasts Of Manitoba
reign supreme. There are, therefore, four
distinct winter climates in the north
western states, which, taking the prin-
basins, gives a January at Portland like a
Chicago May; Mt Spokane it ia April; at
Missoula March and at Helena much like
an Illinois November. Eastward from the
coast the rule is to get colder but dryer.
From rare sight of the sun at Portland.
Ill StehOily increasing uekIee ~ Coueb tC
nearly continuous sunshine at Helena. This
influence is shown conspicuously in the
timber growth which surrounds Puget
sound with an almost impenetrable jungle
and gradually fades away into the treeless
plains of the Dakotas.
The climatic influences of the elevated
ranges are better compEehended in the
statement that were they leveled, or in
other words, ii continuous plain existed
from the Mississippi river to the Pacific
coast the effect of the Japan current, which
corresponds to the gulf stream of the At
lantlo in sweep and warmth. would be felt
as far as Chicago. The great plains would
become densely wooded and North Dakota
as reliable for fruit culture as Arkansas.