The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-11-03
Montana Letter.

| EDITOR TIMES: We are having flne
weather in Montana now. The first
of the month [ went down to Chin
ook for few days. 1t is about 81
miles from the ranch where l am
staying. A long drive, you think
But we made the trip in about three
hours and the horses scarcely showed
wet hair. These range horses are
remarkably tough and swift. Some of
them never tasted grain. 1t looks
cruel to one accustomed to seeing
horses fed, to see team brought in at
noon and picketed on the grass while
the men eat their dinner, and then
put to work again. No grain. and
still they keep in good flesh and look
as we'll as any grain fed team on the
farms in Kansas.
AS we went down to Chinook we
saw hundreds of cattle from the gener-
al roundup. 1t was sight long to
be remembered that immense herd
of fat steers, the cowboys on their
heet-footed horses, the tents and sup
ply wagons. altogether make lively
scene.
The Sth and 9th we had snow
storm. About three inches fell here,
but few miles east of here there was
a foot of the beautiful" but in a
few days the Chinook wind came aid
the snow rapidly disappeared. The
cattle and sheep were then taken out
to pasture, just as though there was
no snow. The ground did not freeze,
so potatoes were not injured. | went
out to-day where the men had been
blowing potatoes. never saw any
thing like it. l really think one
could sit down in one place and pick
up a bushel. They yield about six.
hundred bushels to the acre, weigh
from one to five pounds apiece, and
are of finest quality.
The threshe:s have been in and
gone again. l have been inquiring
about the yield of grain. Oats run
from 81 to 10 bushels and wheat about
81 bushels TO the acre, without irriga-
tion. Oats weigh 3S to 45 pounds to
the bushel. When irrigated the yield
is much greater.
Grain is sown on grain stubble, then
the ground is plowed and narrowed,
and the work is done. Potatoes are
planted in sod by opening furrow,
dropping the seed, and then turning
another furrow upon edge. l am 90
ing this week to see them harvest a
crop planted in this way. Perhaps
III report the yield. / have not seen
cultivator here and very little cul-
tivating is done. A stirring pillow is
run between the rows once or twice.
No one works hard here, no one ,hur-
ries, wages are good-two dollars a
day for day laborers. Hands by the
month get s35 and board, but furnish
their own bed. Sheep herders got
S4O month and D0ard.
Last week l had occasion to 60 t.
Yantic. 1t is a town about like
Odense, only no post-office. My road
lay along the railroad. right in the
Milk River Valley. The land is leve
like Kansas River bottom land. Here
Is where the famous blue Joint hay
that took first premium at Worlds
Fair is raised. Only for the noun
tains in the distance, 1 could imagine
/ was in Kansas. The frame houses
barns, great stacks Of hay, etc., looked
very home like.
There are very few county roads
nearly all roads leading into some
ones field or dooryard, but am get
ting used to it now and find nv wa
about the country very well.
, The longer / am here the better
. like it. The people are kind, free
: hearted, and the must OF them ar
well educated. The man with a small
ranch and few cattle is as mucl
thought OF as the large rancher wit
hundreds OF cattle. There are man,
things one wishes were different; 70
instance, liquar is as Common as wa
; ter, and dancing and cards are tn
principal amusements, but a kinder