The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-07-29
DROUGHT GENERAL ALL OVER
THE STATE.
TWO VALLEYS ARE FAVORED
Conditions in Yellowstone and Mus.
seIsheII Decidedly Better
Than Elsewhere.

excessively warm days, the tempera-
ture for last week ranged about nor
mally, according to the weekly crop
bulletin issued by Section Director
Young, last Tuesday. Scattered show
ers occurred in the mountain districts,
| but covered only limited areas.
In all of the counties east OF the
main range drought is seriously al
fecting the ranges and u~nirrigated
crops. and stock water is becoming
scarce. In the Yellowstone and Mus
selshell valleys and generally west OF
the main range conditions are decid-
edly better, but in all sections rain is
needed badly.
Having was carried on under very
favorable conditions. The winter
wheat harvest has commenced in Mis-
soula county, and the second crop OF
alfalfa is being cut in Yellowstone
county. Cattle and sheep are in good
condition, but in some sections they
are showing the effects of the scarcity
of water. Much OF the dry land spring
wheat and oats will be cut for hay,
as the moisture will not be sufficient
to mature the grain. Potatoes prom
Use a fair crop, although much damage
has been done by bugs.
Reported by Correspondents.
Following are extracts from reports
by correspondents in the different
counties:
Decentralization: Another dry
week, only a few light showers; a
good week for haying and a large
quantity was put up; oats will not be
up to the normal yield. Dewey: We
are still having heavy rains, which
are bad for haying, but much needed
for the range.
Broadwater-Canton: Very dry and
hot, some light showers, but did little
good; crops in general look fair; first
crop of hay about all up; range all
dried up; new potatoes coming in.
fleetwood: Hot and dry; clover AMI
timothy being cut; both of these crops
, and alfalfa extra good; oats coming
out very we'll; very little fruit in this
, section. Winston: Early sown irri-
gated crops look fine; a much needed
rain the 23rd; first cutting Of alfalfa
all in stack and a fine crop; grain
s will be short unless we have heavy
rains.
Carbon-Joliet: Very dry, grass on
the range pretty well cured and win
: ter feed ought to be good; crops look
ing we'll where we'll attended to and
irrigated; harvesting will begin very
: soon; many will begin cutting the sec
ond crop of alfalfa next week; {
fine shower 23rd, the first for weeks
Chouteau-Hays: Drying winds
e. crops doing fairly we'll; range dr.!
e. and brown. Coberg: Hot and dry
O. unirrigated grain will not mature
u water for stock getting scarce; cattl'
at present a great deal better IL
-. flesh than last season, but will no
continue so unless We get rain soon
garden stuff all dried up. Steele
Crops hardly worth cutting for hay
haying general, crop very short; bot
feed and water scarce and stock SUI.
i'd fering. Hayre: There will not be hal
II, crop of oats o. other grains.
ge Custer-Ericson: Crops need rain
* haying in progress, best in sever
years, alfalfa all up; stock doing we'll
grass ripening fast. Midland: Ha
GO. some rain and crops and grass ar
Looking well.
rs Dawson-Blackmon: Severe hal
~, storm last week comparatively RUNE
.ss oats, wheat and millet, and damage
I'd other crops. Springbrook: Grass hs
all headed and is rapidly drying w
scarcity of water for stock.
Fergus-Elso: No relief fro
ty. drought; between this and grassho
gn pers the range is getting in bad co
re- dition; stock hardly holding the
les own; second crop of alfalfa abo1
Sc. ready to cut; all irrigated crops doir
well.
RY Flathead-Montford: Has been h
!. and dry. favorable for harvesting
.on hay, which is now in progress; til
es. othy will be about one-fourth crt
ok on old upland and one-half crop {
air- newly seeded land.
md Gallatin-Sexton: There have be,
inc three soaking rains which have do
nty great good to the parching fall whe
do and other crops and was beneici
cal by cooling the atmosphere; wind al
hail have been destructive to appl
and small fruit.
St. Jefferson-Wickes: Another We,