The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-12-21
Montana Making
ia Did Strides

RAND strides are being made by Mon
tana in an agricultural way. The close
of the year sees a larger acreage under
cultivation than II months ago ana
several large irrigation schemes are IN
embryo, that will in the future give
new impetus to the several grain pro-
ducing localities of the state. NO attempt
has ever been made by the state to COL
lect figures upon the crops of Montana.
but plans are now being made by Labor
Commissioner ferguson to collect as
complete statistics possible upon next
years crop.
At no period has thu agricultural in
terests Of the state been in as promising
condition as at present. Every avail
able acre of farm land has either been
taken by homestead. purchased from
the railroad or from the state. 1t is
safe to say that nearly every acre of
farm land in Montana is under cultiva-
ton. OF necessity a large amount of
the land is sown to alfalfa, but from
one to four crops are raised, according
to the conditions and the locality, so
the farmer receives an excellent return
floy his crop.
zach of Montana's fertile valleys
Bloom like a rose during the harvesting
season, and within a few years the
farming interests of Montana will cas-
ln - doubled by the increase in farm
lnad nueage brought about through ir-
ptk1lnh
teVop IN institute work among the
YaymuDh :, fortnight ago the institute
sovuA 0nns1sting of the staff of the
ONA dWnr5ment station, held the first
fn1ilFnIu ~ Kalispell. 1t was decided
AVceAun ana while an innovation the
sessions were we'll attended and the flu
ture Of the work looks bright.
An effort will be made to organize
those interested in agriculture next
year. The institute corps will talk the
matter up, and sometime during 1902
a farmers convention will be held In
Montana that the agriculturists may
have an opportunity to exchange ideas
upon topics of pertinent interest.
| In the asst the agricultural interests
| have been segregated. The products
were confined chiefly to raising alfalfa.
| OF late years conditions have radically
! changed and several of the best known
agricultural authorities in the state
| declare that the time is ripe for the or
! ganizat alton of the farm interests. They
| urge that the farmers should get to-
| gether as they do in other states and
| improve their crops and herds If posi-
! BILE through intelligent, up-to-date
| methods.
DR., M. E. Knowles has interested
| the officers of the experiment station
| in a plan to hold a state fair near Hell
| ena annually. For the past 10 years
there has been no state fair in Montana.
| At one time there was a fair associa-
| ton, but it passed out of existence. DR..
| Knowles has secured the subscription
| of $4,000 and expects to be able to secure
the remaining $4,000 necessary to buy the
| old fair grounds from the defunct asso-
citation and present them to the state.
contingent, Of course upon the making
Of an annual appropriation by the state
to support the fair.
In Flathead valley great progress has
been made by those interested in the
| fruit raising industry. which, while still
in it's infancy, portends well for the flu
ture. The fruit growers by the appli-
| cation of the latest and most intelli-
! gent methods have laid foundation for
an industry that will make Flathead
| county one Of the richest fruit-produc-
ing counties in the West before many
| years.
AS estimate of the fruit-producing