The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-01
PUTTING In CROPS
A Few More Nice Days Will
Materially Aid In the Planting.
PRICE OF WHEAT AND FLAX
The Soil of Callatin Is Adapted
to the Cultivation OF This Grain
and the Experiment Station
VIII Put In a Test Lott


| Special Correspondence OF the Standard -
Bozeman. April 2s.-The crops of the
Gallatin valley are now about hall
in and 10 days of pleasant weather
will finish the seeding. The crops are
going to be half barley this year. The
other half being about equally divided
between wheat and oats, but favoring
oats somewhat 1t has been reported
that much of the winter wheat
had winter killed in this valley. but
this is not true of the soft wheat,
while the fife wheat is not seriously
damaged by winter killing. This grain
can be sown in either the spring or
fall. so that which winter kills. IL re-
sown. ripens nicely, ripening only a
few days later than the grain sown in
the fall.
Wheat is expected to go slow this
fall, as the Gallatin valley millers
bought up all they could lay hands on
during the past winter, and will have
wheat on hand for many months after
the harvesting of the '95 crop.
When wheat started up last week
these millers thought this a nice world
to live in. When some one would re-
mark that wheat was going up they
would look pleased and say Yes. Let
her go, let her CO." q
Oats save gone from IS cents last
fall to IS and 80 cents for the last
few days, with a good prospect for
a dollar in the next 80 days. The pros
pect for water is not as favorable as
for some years past, as there is only
a small amount of snow left in the
mountains. The usual body OF snow
did not fall the past winter. and IL Is
feared that by the time irrigation COM
mences the smaller mountain streams
will not be running sufficient water
for the purposes of the ranchmen.
Gallatin valley sees new and better
means of irrigation every year. in
new bitches and canals. with the dam
ming back of some of the streams
early in the season. thereby obtaining
a store of water for use during the
hot, dry days. which cause shortage
of water later in the season. and suffi-
cient water may be found to answer
for the needs of all when the days
for its use are at hand.
A new and promising industry in
this valley is believed to be with us
in the wonderful success obtained in
the raising of fax here. In the East
ern states Is bushels of flax seed to
the acre is about the average yield,
while IL is estimated that the average
yield per acre here will be 2S bushels.
Add to this the fact that Gallatin val
ley flax seed has been found to con-
tain 10 per cent. more oil than the
Eastern product, and there is every in
dication of flax becoming one OF. If
not the. principal crop of this section
in the next few years. Again, fax has
jumped in the last six months from
$1.15. at which IL has stood for years
past. to the almost phenomenal figure
of s1.43 to $780, and 1t looks as IL
there was money in fax for our Mon
tana farmers. 1t takes a strong soil
to raise good fax. and the soil is here.
Flax straw is used but little where flax
is raised the most. and probably would
find no market in this country. The
harvesting is done at q much less fig
ure than in any of the grains now
raised here, however, so that this
would not be reason forsmaking this
crop Improbable. - 49,
The agricultural experiment station
will put In Is TO 20 acres OF FAX. and
the careful analysis which will be Civ
en- to flax by Director Emery will be
watched with interest by the farmers
of Montana. this experiment being of
great value to Montana when conduct
ed In the careful manner which will
be accorded to II by the station man.
agement. When IL comes to a diversi-
ty OF crops for the farmers here the
limit has not yet been reached. Flax
will no doubt be an established crop in
Montana in a few years from now, and
although peaches andLoranges may
never be raised here, there Is much TO
be tried upon Montana soil which will
add to the farming interests OF this
great state. 1SEIf-
1t is said that Colorado mines pro-
duced SS0,000.00. precious metals in
1894. which was heralded about with
flourish OF trumpets. while although
IL Is claimed that the Agricultural and
farm products of the state for the
same period of time were more than
double that amount. this fact received
but little attention. and may not the
same condition OF affairs be approach
ing I'm Montana?