The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-04-07
FARMING IN MONTANA.

Perhaps the chief advantage Of farm
ing in Montana is the large return pc
acre which is almost always realized
and which can be absolutely assured
where one has good irrigation facilities
1t is IA curious fact that the lands along
the river bottoms need irrigation more
than those on the high benches, anc
whereas crops may be raised without ir
rigation on the latter lands it is difficult
or impossible to secure good crops with
out irrigation IN the river bottoms.
The immense richness Of tho soil
whether on the bottoms or on the bench
lands, has become proverbial, and it is
now well known to those who have taken
any trouble to inquire into the matter
that about double the quantity of grain
is raised to the acre here, either with OF
without irrigation, than in other parts OF
the country. Forty bushe. Of wheat to
the acre isregardcd as An ordinary thing,
while barley and oats run as high as
from sixty to eighty bushels per acre.
The vegetable crop is also immense and
Of excellent quality, the potatoes berg
the finest known, and the growth OF tur-
nips, rutabagas, cabbages. and other
..ardy vegetables being SC ,rcely equaled
in any other part OF the country.
Those who have had the most expert
cnce in farming in Montana give it as
their opinion that d special system of
agriculture would have to be adopted
hero to secure the best results. it would
not do to farm here under the impress
ion that the rainfall and seasons of Hi
nois were to be expected, and in other
respects the system would have to be
adapted TO the conditions and circum-
stances existing here, and all cmbarking
in the business would have to make up
their minds to modify their views and
practices in conformity with these
things.
Taken in connection with the cnorm-
u production of the soil, the high
prices that may be commanded for all
farm products place tho farmer in this
country in Il position OF advantage such
as is not now enjoyed by many people in
any country, and certainly not by those
engaged in farming.
The opening therefore for practical
flrnlnrG Il. ana Of thn i,npt - ; -
day. They would have here practically
IA clear field for their operations, and by
availing themselves of the experience of
men who have preceded them in the
field they could make sure success from
the start, without any risk Of drawbacks
which attend the Efforts of farmers else
where.
In the neighborhood Of Great Falls lie
many thousand acres of as fine land as
exists on the earth. A large portion OF
it cannot be irrigated, other portions will
soon be covered by irrigating bitches,
while tho rest Of it may not be reached
10y irrigation for some time to come. 1t
Is to be doubted, however, in view of the
experience OF Hon. Paris Gibson and
other practical farmers that the irrigated
land possesses any advantage over that
which can not be irrigated. The system
farming which succeeds best with
these non-irrigated lands is the summer
following and winter planting of cereals.
The results obtained 10y this system are
conclusive proof OF lis success, and there
is no reason why it should not prove an
advantageous kind of agriculture from
every point of Wow. We believe that it
will be found to possess one permanent
advantage which every farmer will ap-
preciate- namely, that the greatest pos
sible returns can be assured from the
least possible amount of labor. \ coun.
try which can offer this advantage to
the agriculturist is IA country which he
will seek as soon as he becomes aware of
its existence, and we may therefore look
a great agricultural population in
just as soon as the farmers of
the east realize what we have to offer
them here.