The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-28
FARMING IN JUDITH BASIN.

All MOntan1an6 nave neard OF the judith
Basin. and Of the adjoining portions of the
state which together make Fergus county.
Many OF them have some general idea of
TINT section of thu state bounded on the
north by tho Missouri river. on the east and
eouta by the Musselshell, and on the west
by the Belt and Hollywood mountains.
But because of the !emoteness of that sec
ton from oil lines of railroad c~ommunica-
tion, comparatively few people in the state
appreciate, or even know. the great G owth,
prosperity and prospects of Fergus county.
which ia destined to he one of the lichest and
most po?ulous counties of the state. The
Judith Basin pro: er comprises the western
end of the county. and contains within its
limits more tilnble lands thar any other
equal area of the state. During the last
few years this section of the county has
changed G eatly, and for the better.
1t is but a few years since the
heris of buffalo. which once pas
tured over oil the lands Of the county,
gave place to the large and scarcely loss
wild herds of the large cattle owners.
which, for a number of years held as undis.
puted sway as the buffalo had done. These
in turn have zone. driven oat by the ever
enc-oaching ranchman, with his little
bunch of cattle and his barbed wire fences.
SO that to-day the Judith Basin. once the
finest range country in the world, with
plenty Of water and grass, has very few
range cattle within it's bounds, the cattle
men having vacated. yielding to the higher
power, the unconquerab!e instinct of every
American to own n home. Every stream,
of which the e are many. is fenced from
source to mouth; and happy homes along
the rich bottom lands every where greet the
eye of the traveller.
The eastern portion of the county is less
adapted to agriculture. and here the stock
interest continues TO flourish; and here
punches of cattle and horses. and bands OF
sheep are as frequently seen as are homes
and ranches in the western part. Sh ep
raising is carried on in all parts OF the
county, and has increased during the
past five years to such an extent
that it. has become the lending
industry. and the mainstay of the county.
A few fgu, es will give some idea of the in
crease of this branch of stock rnising dur
ing that period. In 1888 this county had
205, 4S4 sheep; in 1892 the number had in
crossed to 35G, 919. Tho increase for the
year ending March /. 1892. was 81, 353, and
this year will undoubtedly show n CORE
spending increase. Under the great de-
mand for sheep for breeding purposes,
stimulated by an ever increasing demand
for mutton sheep TO- eastern markets, the
price of sheep has range very high for a
number of yelrs. and nothing as yet has
had an appreciable effect in depressing th
market. The growth of cattle and ho Sc
raising has by no means kept pace with that
of woolgfowina. When tho horsemen OF
Fergus county learn the demands of the
horse ma kot there is no reason why tina,
county. as fine n horse country as the noble
animal ever graz:d over. should not be the
day for sheep. Already some of the
growers are beginning to nppreciat,
that q horse. to sell well, must be q horse il
something more than the name; and in {
few yesrs the running and ~trotting tur.
will know the speed and endurance o
Fergus county ho SEES as we'll az those O
old Madison and other counties of til,
state.
Owing to the remoteness OF this count,
from n line of transportation, except tn,
primitive %freighting outfits. the farming
Industry has never been developed to any
where near its full capacity. and only t.
the extent of supplying a very limitsd hom,
market. The capabilities OF the Ju!i,l
Basin for the production Of all kinds O