The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-10-25
MoNTANA's TREASURES CON.
TANNED IN ITS FARMS.
NONE OTHER so PRODUCTIVE
Yield OF States Acres Wonder of the
Eastern Agricultural World
Duty That Remains.

OF course, the people OF Montana
are aware OF the immense possible
ties possessed by the state in the way
of agricultural development, but those
of the east do not. Back there Mon.
tana is still largely regarded as a
mining region and practically moth
ing is known as to its wonderful re-
sources of the soil. Speaking about
this. Guy e. Mitchell, secretary OF
the National Irrigation association,
who, with w. IN. Woodbridge, Montana
representative in that organization, at
Helena, a few days ago said:
Montana, the Treasure State a
name gained through great mineral
wealth, will be known in this genera
ton, even in this day, as Montana,
the Treasure Farm state
1.-THE yield OF Montana acres is
today the wonder of the agricultural-
lists OF the east. Take the great
wheat states and Montana's yields OF
sW1A0oL bCdI JuClu lVU pei CGuI, lake
the oat producing centres, Montana
beats them in yields by even a greater
percentage; take the average OF the
United States for potatoes and even
corn, the latter supposed to be a
southern crop, and Montana's yields
SO far exceed them as to indicate that
there must be some mistake in the
figures. Take the income from an
acre of Montana apples, peaches or
small fruits and it will exceed the
most productive acre to be found in
1.-The entire east,
IT'S Future Bright.
is not then Montana's agricultural
future a bright one? Surely it is,
when sage brush shall have given
place to the grain field, when noun
tain valley grass shall have been
supplanted by orchard, and, lastly,
when crude agricultural and large
farm holdings shall have been sue
ceeded by careful culture and inten-
sive methods under which each acre
shall be made to produce it's maxi
mum of yield. There are here and
there many somewhat isolated in
stances of what Montana farmers
may accomplish it they will set them
selves to cooperate with nature and
work their soil nationally as an intel
ligent man treats his dumb beasts
from which he desires to secure the
greatest e%ndeavor. Here is a single
instance of what a be found today
in the centre Of the state:
IN. H. Allen, living five miles out
of Bozeman, took up a 100 acre home
stead 20 years ago. He is a compare
lively recent convert to crop rotation,
having practiced summer following
until five years ago. His practice
is to grow clover for two years
and then break up and SOW to grain
for three years, then revert to clover.
The blowing under OF this clover
stubble and root system has increased
Mr.. Aliens grain yield almost double.
His showing for 1904 is as follows:
80 acres wheat, 80 bu. to the
acre., at SOC per $4,000
s:338 acres oats, 80 blu. to the
acre. at 4Oc per bu........ 1,36Y.OO
$50 acres timothy and clover,
100 tons hay sold for Sc ton $4,000
Second crop of clover, sold
for pasture q. .......... 10000
Chickens sold 800, butter
500, potatoes 500 ...... 10000
- OIdl -. . y. 4,lJS.
EXPENSES.
s'Hire for one man, Z mos,
$50 per mo-; board SIS IS 315.OU
Credit for labor performed
by Mr.. Allen . F.. ........ 500. 90
Incidental expenses, 5000;
taxes, $50 :. ............ $4,000
Irrigation maintenance, $21;
insurance, $40 >. -. ...... 4l.OO
Total :. =. ........... 81 ,146.OO
Balance, net profit ...... s. 1862. 90
Let the East Know,
"Now, put this before the people OF
the east, the thousands OF eastern
men who know how to farm we'll and
have a few hundred or thousands OF
dollars saved up, but do not know
just where to invest it or where to
look for a new home, such information
as this and see what will be the re.