The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-09-14
DOES MONTANA FARMING PAY?
A Practical Farmers Experience with 9
Bench Land Farm.

A Practical Farmers Experience with "a
Bench Land Farm.
C. F. Stork, who is the owner of a fine
bench land claim near this city, and who
has always taken a lively interest in the
agricultural development of this section
of the country, called at The TRIBUNE
Friday. Speaking Of the wonderful
adaptability of Montana soil for raising
small grain and the practicability Of
cultivating the surrounding bench lands
aver without irrigation, Mr.. Stork said:
"At the farmers convention held in
Great Falls in March last ! gave my
opinion on farming, presenting figures
for three years showing ar average of
twenty-nine bushels of hard wheat to
the acre on my bench farm without irri-
CATION. ] have just finished t%hrashing
another fine crop of the best quality Of
grain ever grown in any state and can
bring once more conclusive proof by
facts of the profits of farming in Mon
tana.
II have produced from 80 acres the
following crops this summer: On so
dCIt6 VI RIOuuu bOWh W WuCut l. Bob u
| yield of 1900 bushels of No. l, hard
wheat, or 27H bushels to the acre. On
| 80 acres sown to oats | received 1,50O
bushels, or an average yield OF about 40
bushels. Much of this land was late
spring breaking, having no rain to ma
ture the crop. Land plowed last fall
yielded me 80 bushels of oats. From IL
acres of barley / received 600 bushels. or
an average yield of over 30 bushels to
the acre. On II acres sown to winter
rye | received 400 bushels of very fine
and heavy rye, or over 2623 bushels to
the acre. Now on 80 acres ! have a to.
tai yield of grain amounting to 4,1OC
bushels valued, even at the present low
prices at S2,795. Besides this / have Gu,
this year from about 200 acres hay
amounting to 300 tons, which, at s. pei
ton, a low valuation, will add $500 tC
the revenue of the farm. l have also
raised % hogs, which will sell
for $500, and have produced
Timothy seed, flax, dairy products
and poultry to the value of $500 more
This makes a total revenue from thu
farm of S5,O95. The expense Of running
the farm, exclusive Of the veal and teal
of machinery and my own time wal
about 5000, which leaves d net revenue
from the farm Of s4,495. l will add tina
the present wheat crop will make
yearly average of wheat for four success
i've years of nearly twenty-nine bushels
Now, where can such a fine showing b,
found in any other state. l claim To-
wheat growing on our bench lands with
out irrigation that no state in the unioi
promises such grand results as doe
Montana. The above grain was threshet
by the we'll known firm Of Swilling 4
Gillett of Upper Sand Coulee, assisted
by Messrs. Williams and Wilson, ant
these gentlemen can all testify to thu
correctness of the figures. The yielt
this year would have been better ha'
not some of it been wasted In the fell
by the wind scattering the grain befor'
it reached the machine. To raise goo'
crops the land should be ploughed earl
the fall before and we'll narrowed, The
seeded as early as possible. Harrowe'
again and gone over thoroughly with
roller. If this method is followed | be
lieve that an abundant crop will almos
, invariably be secured"