The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-09-23

a ten davs' visit to the famous Flat
head valley of Montana. The trip
was made for the purpose of inves-
tigating the agricultural advantages
of that region, a brief account of
which will be of general interest. 1t
should be clearly understood in the
beginning that we do not wish to
boom that country. We are not work
ing for any real estate firm or immi-
grafton bureau nor have we an" de-
sire or interest whatever to induce
people to move to the region de-
scribed. This statement is made so
the reader will know that the inform
alton contained in this article comes
from a disinterested source and is
the result of observations of an I'M
biased, unprecedented observer.
Advertisements of farm lands in
the newer portions of the United
States are read by farmers in the cen
trail and eastern states, and they are
puzzled to believe of the glowing de-
scriptions and enumeration of mani
fold advantages. They are inclined
to believe that the good things are
overdrawn and many drawbacks not
mentioned. Advertisers are prone to
over estimate the value of their
wares, whether it be patent medi-
cine or farm lands. Conflicting re-
ports from various sources lead .he
farmer to conclude that the only way
to learn the exact truth about the
advertised country is to visit it in
person. This is seldom, because the
cost of travel is so great. Occasional
ly one will go and spy out the land
and report to his neighbors and &C
quaintances On his return. The writer
has made such trip and is now MAX
ing the first report.
The Flathead valley is so new that
few people are aware of it's exist
ence A dozen years ago it was an
uncultivated, uninhabited wilderness.
it's remoteness from the center of pop
ulation, 600 miles from Seattle and
1900 miles from st. Paul, is another
reason why it is so little known. Flat
west corner of Montana and is larger
than Connecticut, Delaware and
Rhode Island combined. 1t is bound
ed on the north by British Columbia
on the east by the main range Of the
Rocky mountains, on the south by
the Flathead Indian reservation and
on the west by Idaho. The eastern
part is drained by the Flathead river
and the western part by the Koote
mai river, both being headwaters o.
the Columbia The Great Northern
railway crosses the country from
east to west, giving direct communi
cation with ST. Paul, Minneapolis
Chicago and Duluth on the east ant
Spokane, Seattle, Portland and Tia
coma on the west.
The Flathead river rises in the
Rocky mountains and flows south in
to Flathead lake, which is the lare
est body of fresh water ir the west
ern part of the United States. 1t i
ten to fifteen miles wide and thirt
miles long, the lower part lying Il
the Indian reservation. 1t is draine
by the Pend d'Oreille river, whic
flows from the southwark and wes
ward into the mighty Columbia. TIL
Flathead river attains a width of so
feet and navigated by steamships t
within three miles of Kalispell, whic
is fifteen miles above the lake. TIL
saltwater and Whitefish rivers ente
s-Az M
The Flathead valley is situate
north of Flathead lake and is l
miles wide and 35 miles long. 1t
bounded on the north and east by tn
foothills of the Rocky mountains an
on the west by the Cabinet moul
tains. The elevation is 1900 fee
and annual rainfall Is to % inche
Irrigation is unnecessary. About on
half of the valley is covered with 70
ests of pine, fir and tamarack. Pa,
of the land is level and part gent
rolling. The general aspect is thu
of river bottom, but most of it
diversed by slight depressions an
rolling swells rather than a dead u
broken level The timber lies most
along the rivers and foothills, b,
strips of trees may be found in q
parts of the valley, alternating wi
open stretches from a few rods
seven miles across.
The soil is light alluvial depos
and is supposed to have been Il
bottom of lake at one time. 1t
free from rock and gravel, except
the foothills and few, high ridge
In some parts there is considerat
alkali, mainly west of the river. t
soil is remarkable for its richne'
eub-irrigating power and ease wi
which it can be cultivated.
Wheat and oats are the princiI
crops grown at present. The av
age WELD of hard wheat is 80 bush