The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-08-03
BBNCHLANDFARM
Hon. Paris Gibson Has Raised This
Season 1900 Bushels Of No. 1
Hard Wheat on 100 Acres.
WITHOUT IRRIGATION
The Field of Grain IL on the Fast
Side Of the City Limits and
Is Now Harvested.

On the east side Of the Boston & Great
Falls addition is a field Of wheat on the
bench land now being harvested belong
ing to Hon. Paris Gibson, which is an
object lesson for the whole Of Northern
Montana.
The field contains 12O acres, the whole
area Of which was seeded down in No. l
hard fife wheat; has obtained it's growth,
ripened and been harvested by July 81.
On invitation a TRIBUNE representa-
tive visited the field aud found three
harvesters at work cutting the last patch
of the grain, and saw as clean, full
headed grain. with the finest kind OF
straw, as can be raised in the western
states.
NO IRRIGATION.
In answer to an inquiry Mr.. Gibson
stated in substance that no part Of the
field had been irrigated, mol WAS it re-
quired il cultivation suitable for the Sec
| ton is performed. He always had his
ground fully prepared the year before, 30
that at the earliest possible moment in
the spring the seed was put in the
ground, and by the grain having this
early start, before the June rams are
over the grain is high and thick enough
to protect the ground from the hot rays
of the July sun. In preparing new
ground he stated that be never broke
sod after the Goth of June, thus allowing
the ground to remain fallow the whole Of
the remaining part of the summer, that
fall and winter.
Referring to the six weeks hot, dry
weather which has been experienced
here lately, Mr.. Gibson stated that IL the
field of wheat had been in Minnesots
this weather would have ruined the crop.
but here in Northern Montana, with the
cool nights, it helped it, and the only re-
suit was the crop ripened earlier without
ipjuring the quality of the grain.
Examining the grain it was found tC
be plump, very clean, free from smut
blight, or weeds. MIR. Gibson estimated
there would be a yield Of at least 3,00(
bushels Of No. l hard wheat. He stated
emphatically that the secret Of growing
grain on the bench lands OF northern
Montana without irrigation was: First
in properly preparing the land the veal
before seeding, and second, in sowing thu
grain as early as possible; also that II
the majority Of years seeding can b.
done in February or very early in March
The field referred to is not on the bes'
lands found in this vicinity. There ar
thousands of acres within a few miles o
Great Falls of better quality, 80 tina
what has been done by Mr.. Gibson cal
be duplicated by other landowners. Blu
it is the same old story. First it wa
Minnesota, then Dakota, and now Nor
tana-you can't grow grain without ir
rigation. There is a very good answe
to this: II advantage is taken of tn
seasons as found in the various section
a remunerative crop can be raised, but i
seeding is allowed to go, as it often il
till the month of June, when the we
season is nearly over, the seed is wasted
the crop is a failure, and the farmer dis
gusted, and then the cry is, "You can
raise anything without irrigation
AS stated before, Mr.. Gibson's field
an object lesson-the wheat is there, tn
straw is there, and all this in a dry sea
son without any irrigation whatever
and what has been done once can unde
the same conditions be done again. ]
will pay we'll to ride out and look at thi
field before the grain is thrashed.