Daily inter mountain., 1900-12-21

lege and covers 100 acres of as fine ag-
ricultural land as there is in the Gal
latin valley. Under the direction of Prof
5. Fortier, assisted by an able corps of
assistants, all sorts of experiments are
here conducted, with the idea of dissem-
mating the knowledge gained by ac-
tual and careful tests, to the ranchmen
of Montana. There seems to be nothing
that grows that does not come in for eX-
pertinent. For instance, last year test
was made on barley growing. Right
here it may be stated that barley is one
of the crops that Gallatin county farm
ers look upon as sure winner, but there
are always some farmers who fail, for
some reason or other, to get as good
crops, or as good quality of grain as
their neighbors. So the test was made
on irrigation. A portion of the field was
not watered at all; the adjoining tract
was Watered, or irrigated once, careful
record of the amount of water used be-
ing kept; the next strip was irrigated
twice, and SO on down the line, the last
patch getting enough water to almost
drown the crop. The grain was then
cut and weighed. prepared for market
and weighed: in fact everything was
done to make an exhaustive test, and
ascertain just how much irrigation was
best for the barley. The result has not
yet been published, but very interest
ing report is looked for when it does
make it's appearance. The above is only
one item of the many that constantly oc
cupy the time and attention of this de-
partment but serves to illustrate with
what painstaling care these experiments
are carried out. and the value of the
work in this line is obvious.
Cattle feeding, including the smaller
animals of the farm is a subject that
receives much thought and work from
the staff of the station, and the bulletins
of the station are in great demand
among farmers and stockmen through
out the state, flattering evidence that
the work meets with their approval.
and that they desire to benefit from the
experiences gained at the station.
THE FISH HATCHERY.
The United States Fish Hatchery, stu
ated about there miles north of town. at
the mounth of Bridger Canyon. is an
other point of interest that should by
no means be overlooked on visit to
Rozeman. The situation is an ideal one,
and the subject of fish culture is some
thing in which one becomes involuntari-
ly interested. DR.. J. A. Henshall is in
charge of the station, one of the noted
fish culturists of the country. He is
wrapped up in his work, and has fish
by the million, all kinds it seems and
sizes fish. nothing but fish, from the
little fellow who can barely wiggle to
the larger groWths that will be sent
out next year in the milk cans to be
dumped into Montana streams and later
on furnish sport to the disciples of Isaak
Walton, or meal to a hungry hunter
of grub and be near stream that
has been stocked long enough to allow
the fish to grow a little. Just now the
doctor and his assistants are treating
the fish to a dip in brine; a fungus
growth With an unpronounceable Latin
name has fastened upon the young fish
and eventually kills them if not attended
to IN time and the growth stopped To
TINS end the fish are dipped in a bucket
of prime and then returned to the
trouShs.~ On striking the fresh water the
fish roll over and over as though they
We're desirous of ridding themselves of
the salb Gas quickly as possible This
seems very funny indeed to the casual
speetator:. what the fish think about it.
Is anothef matter, though it is fair to
assume that they do not like being
"salted.' Others settle to the bottom of
when they dart away in frantic
fear of their life. Some few quietly go
out of the living business and turn
wrong side up for good
During the past year S5,OOOOO fish.
mostly trout and bass, have been shp-
ped from the Bozeman hatchery to va
rous Montana and Idaho streams, and
Will be fit for food in from two to three
years. The young fish are placed in milk
cans. in which ice is kept while the fish
remain in them. BY this means they are
Kept alive and in good condition until
their destination is reached, when they
are unceremonlously dumped into the
stream and left to shift for themselves
having arrived at an age and size which
enables them to elude their enemies and
thrive and grow large in their new
home.