The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-11
CROPS ON BENCH LANDS
Successful Cultivation in the
Plains Valley.
EXCELLENT WATER SUPPLY
The Lynch Ranch Splendid Illustration
OF an Upland Farm-It Shows
the Possibilities OF the
Bench Lands

ception of the Upper Bitter Root val
ley, there is no place in Western Mon
tana where the cultivation of the bench
lands has been as successfully carried
on as it is in the vicinity of Plains.
The Plains valley, itself, is thoroughly
cultivated. Ten years ago there were but
two or three ranches there and the VAL
ley was regarded as Of little import
ance. But its remarkable fertility hav-
ing been demonstrated, the remaining
land in the valley was speedily select.
ed by settlers and is now divided into
productive farms. AS the low land was
taken up it was only natural that the
later settlers and purchasers should
look to the bench lands for locations.
This they have done and this year there
is no finer crop of grain or hay in Mon
tana than that which has been grown
on these high lands that four or five
years ago were completely diSregardad.
There Is little necessity of irrigatio
on the high ranches and the farming
goes on there much as it does in the
East, where the principle of irrigation is
not known There are none of these
high ranches, however, that are with
out water. The supply from streams
and springs Is excellent and all of the
houses that have been built on this
higher ground are we'll furnished with
domestic water supply. In addition to
this there is enough for irrigation in
case that il should be deemed neces-
sary. This has not been done, as yet,
to any extent
A prominent business man of West
ern Montana, who is familiar with most
of this country. said to a Standard re-
porter, in speaking of the ranch bust
ness: Il will tell you what | consider
the best ranch in Missoula county. 1t is
one that you do not hear much about,
perhaps, but it is to my mind, the very
best ranch in the county. 1t is tn.
Lynch ranch just northeast of Plains"
The Standard man visited this ranch
the other day, more out of curiosity
than anything else, simply to see what
was the speakers idea of the best
ranch in the county There is not much
doubt that the opinion of this man, as
quoted above. would be sustained by
the majority of those who have looked
over this ranch. 1t is splendid illus
tration of the upland farm. 1t is located
favorably and is productive of immense
crops of hay and grain. There has not
been much work done on the ranch as
yet and lot of the land is still in the
wild state, but the stacks of hay and
grain that are piled up in the fields
SHOW It's Inc camp Ol TIE
mineral land commissioners is located
near this ranch and the members of
the commission have watched the farm
closely this season. One of them said
to reporter yesterday: This is the
finest ranch that | know of anywhere
in this country" There are many other
ranches similar to this one which may
prove to be as good when they have
been developed more thoroughly. The
t.vnrh ranch iG naptinnal m show tha
possibilities of the bench land farm.
Near the Lynch ranch are others that
are producing their first crop this year.
Winter wheat and spring wheat have
been sown on this rolling bench land,
which was plowed last year for the first
time, and the results have been remark
able. The shocks of harvested grain
lie thick on the slopes of these fields
and indicate that the beginning has
only been reached in this region And
this is on land that two or three years
ago was regarded as comparatively
worthless. The splendid ranch of NJ H
Pierce, eX-county commissioner, is To-
Gated in this upland region and is one
of the best in the district. There are
many new farms on these foothills and
in year or two the grain and hay crop
of Plains will be more than doubled as
these ranches develop.
The orchards of Plains have probab
suffered less than those of any other
district in the state, unless it is the
west side of the Bitter Root valley. All
of the orchards here are thrifty and
promising and the new ones, especially,
seem to have wntered all right Not
very much attention has been paid here
as yet to the raising of small fruits,
aside from what are needed for local
consumption, but there are one or two
strawberry fields that have done we'll
this year and will do more next season.
The climate here and the soil are ad
mirably adapted to the culture of fruit
and the orchards that have been plant
ed during the last few years will soon
be shipping large quantities of fruit.
The Northern Pacific is making some
improvements at Plains in the way of
sidetracks and a new stockyard. New
steel, too is being laid near here and
the construction crews have plenty 20
do. The SLOW sign that is conspicu-
Gus near Plains station recalls the
! accidents that have occurred near the
sinkhole that has dropped out from UNI
der the track so often. The ledge of
bare rocks near this place, where En-
Sineer Relf met his tragic death, is now
we'll out of water, but with the river
at it's present low stage the eddies
swirl around the rough point in man.
ner that conveys some idea of their ter
rible force when the river was high in
| the spring.
| Plains will send an armed delegation
/ to the next meeting of the county COM
| missiOners unless something is done by
| those gentlemen to provide some sort OF
! Jail here, The Standard has made
! frequent reference to the need of such
building here and has explained why
! it is essential that the county should
| provide one at once. 1t is not the per-
| manent population of Plains that makes
! ii necessary TO have jail here, but the
. transient element and the visitors from
| the reservation, some of whom are very
/ troublesome. 1t is only a few days
| since a crowd of half-breeds came dOwr
| from the reserve and shot the windows
out of Nick Blake's place and then de-
| fled the local officers to touch them.
is easy enough to arrest these fellows
| but it is not easy to keep them. TIL,
| only secure place of detention that Their,
is here is boxcaT, when there happens
to be one on the sidetraCk. These hav,
been used to good advantage, but the,
! oil hoy blot hos