Daily inter mountain., 1900-12-21

farm yielding three crops and enough
afterwards for grazing for some time. 1t
produces in this valley from four to sew.
en- tons per acre. This looks like start
ding statement but it is amply corrobor-
ated by the experience of our farmers.
In 1898, c. M. Bair raised 1920 tons Of
alfalfa hay on 200 acres. about four miles
from Billings. On the Hesper farm, some
alfalfa measured 8 feet inches in length
1t was on this farm that 81 900 head OF
lambs were fed on the alfalfa hay for the
winter market year ago, realizing a
handsome profit. In all, about 10000
head of sheep We're fed in this valley last
winter, and every farmer sold or fed all
his hay. This winter, at least 10000
head of sheep are being fed on alfalfa
in this county alone. most of them hav-
ing been brought into the county from
other counties.
HAY BETTER THAN GOLD.
Probably one Of the mainstays of the
farmer in this valley will always be the
raising of hay to feed from the stack,
either to his own stock of that Of the
neighboring range stockmen. This has
proven highly profitable in the past, and
will become general as the ranges be-
come circumscribed by settlement.
All grain crops abundantly reward the
labors of the husbandmen in this valley.
Oats weigh from 40 to - pounds to the
bushel, though the Montana standard of
measurement is 81 pounds. The yield
ranges from 40 to $50 bushels to the acre.
The Hesper farm won the John A. Salzer
premium in 1897 by an actual record of
lto bushels to the acre, in a contest open
to the United States and Canada.
valley, and farmers find ready market
and good prices for wheat. BY the es-
tablishment of the brewery at Billings,
with 10000 barrels capacity, new ave-
nue. of profit for the farmer has been
opened to the growing of barley. Here
tofore barley has been grown only for
feed. but enough has been raised to DEM
onstrate that 40 to so bushels to the acre
can be counted on. AS rain in harvest
time is unknown here, the barley is all
ways bright and fit for brewers use.
Potatoes yield from 300 to 600 bushels
to the acre. Charles King. of Park City,
has an actual record of 1,213 bushels to
the acre, and is the record breaker of the
United States. Fred w. Schauer of
Laurel is one of the most successful po-
tatoe growers and can give further infor-
nation on application All small fruits,
Such as CurrantS, raSpDerries, blackber-
RES, deWberries, etc. produce abundant-
~, and the Yellowstone valley strawber-
ry is the best of all that comes into the
market. Apples, cherries and plums
yield abundantly and the fruit is of the
finest quality and flavor. The displays of
Bailey & ODonnell, Olney Taylor and
other fruit growers at the Yellowstone
county fair are greatly admired by east
ern visitors. Indeed, three Of the eight
cen premiums for fruit displays at the
Omaha ns-Missssippi exposition last
year We're awarded to Yellowstone coun.
ty exhibitors.
AT the last exhibition of the Yellow-
stone falf association the fruit and vege-
table displays We're the greatest sur
prise and subject for favorable comment
from not only outside visitors but those
IN the county who know not what ia
raised in their own county,
10 HARNESS THE WATERS.
The proposition of irrigation is one Of
vital interest and Importance to the set
tiers of this county. At present there
are five systems of irrigation, viz, the
Big Ditch, the High Line, the Canyon
Creek, the Italian and the Old Mill. hay-
ing combined length of about 14O miles
and cover some 10000 acres These
bitches are all supplied by the Yellow
stone river source which is practically
ineXhaustible.
This land is all cultivated but about
$1,000 acres, 5000 of which is in pasture.
the other 10000 being for sale at from 81
TO $lo an acre on easy payments. The
Cultivated land is divided to crops in
about the following proportions Thirty
I'VE thousand acres in alfalfa, blue joint
and timothy, the alfalfa yielding from
1--WE to seven tons to the acre and the
blue joint and timothy two tons; 5000
acres in wheat, oats and barley the
wheat producing from 25 to 80 bushels,
and barley and oats 40 to so; 5000 acres
in truck farms, orchards and small
fruits, the yield from which is almost
beyond belief.
The climate of the Yellowstone valley,
taken the year round, is as healthful as
in any portion of the United States The
reports of the signal service observers
show that this section of Montana en-
joys more sunshine than any section Of
country in the world. Contagious dis
eases are unknown here, and in this VAL
ley the altitude is low enough-about
1900 feet-not to have an unpleasant ef-
feet on persons who have been accus-
toned to living at sea level The winters
are usually cold, but they rarely set in
until Christmas, and it is more comfor-
table in this valley at 80 degrees below
zero than in the eastern and middle
states at a few degrees below freezing.
1t gets extremely warm during the sum-
mer, but the heat is not of that debil-
itating character and, by reason of the
altitude and close proximity to the
mountains, the nights are always cool.
The climate in the fall is delightful. The
springs are short, but not disagreeable,
and. all things considered. a more pleas
ant place of residence cannot be found
for person enjoying fairly good health.
TEN YEARS GROWTH.
county to have population of 2065. At
that time the county was much larger
than at present for since then 4 por-
ion lNaS Slicai off tn make Park Ca rh0n