Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1898-05-14


From the Canadian line to the coast
line of the Gulf OF Mexico Is broad
strip OF territory that has Afforded q
more or less uncertain support to the
people that inhabit It. Before the
advent OF the white man this section
OF country was the feeding ground OF
millions of buffaloes. which emigrated
from section to section as the feed
failed. This should have indicated the
use to which the land should be put
by its new owners. But for long
time the whites tried to raise grain on
these old pasturages. That the land
was rich is not to be disputed, but
the water for the crops came not at
all or came at the wrong time of year
In most cases. Sometimes. however.
Il came at the right time. resulting
in most abundant harvests OF high
quality grain. At last the farmers in
that region have awakened to the fact
that the cow is the best friend OF that
part Of the country and the best sup
port on which the Inhabitants can
lean. This will continue to be the
case until the time comes that the
region in question can be properly ir-
rigated. when 1t win again be used
for the growing of grain, orchards
and vegetables. Till that time we may
expect to see dairying the most re-
liable branch of farming possible to
the great semi-arid strip.
view report that the facilities for that
industry are unbounded. Much OF the
land is of such a character that plow-
ing is positive injury. The corre-
spondent in Ellis county. Kansas, says
that he has been blowing his land for
twenty years, and believes that IL has
resulted in great injury. He has
known years when the entire plowed
soil blew away to the depth of the
blowing. A tenant of his has since
followed the plan Of drilling in the
seed In the unplowed stubble and gets
better results than had been possible
by blowing. In harvesting. only the
header Is used, the stubble being thus
left almost as high as the grain had
been. This protects the soil from the
work Of the winds.
This Is another Indication that. the
land should be used for dairy pur-
poses. wherever railroad facilities are
sufficient to make a market possible.
The blowing away of the soil will be
prevented by the, grasses OF the per-
manent pasture. In this case the num-
Der OF permanent pasture grasses
would necessarily be small. Alfalfa
would In some cases be the only one
that would stand through ali the vary
ing conditions of the year. with a
root th-t reaches sometimes 25 feet
into the soil for moisture 1t will be
able to stand the most severe drouth.
This plant is already being very ex-
tensively grown over much of this re-
gion. It Is the forerunner OF the dairy
COW. The cloudless skies Of the semi
arid strip are agreeable to the Develop
ment Of the plant. Kaffir corn also
stands as prominent factor in the
dairy development Of this section. It
will grow where Indian corn will fail,
as has been demonstrated in preceding
years.
The windmill stands as third fac
tor In the list. Many farmers are us
ing 1t to irrigate few acres each, for
the growing of vegetables. even when
they have no reservoirs. Some that
have reservoirs have been able to ir-
rigate as many as 20 acres. As irri-
gated land will sustain a greater num-
Der of pasturing stock than most any
other land. 1t is readily seen that there
are great possibilities before the small
dairyman in the far west