Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1905-09-07

What Williams County People
Saw in Relation to Irrigation
in Montana. f.
The valley lying to the west of Billings
has been irrigated more or less for twen-
ty years. There is great contrast be-
tween this valley and tho bench irriga-
ted land of which I wrote last week.
The soil is a light gravely and sandy
mixture which without irrigation pro-
duces very little vegetation besides Cac-
ii. Under careful system of irrigation
this valley for twenty miles has been
made to produce thousands of tons Of
Alfalfa every year, besides an immense
acreage of oats. wheat and barley.
Some of these fields were sown to Alta
ia twenty one years ago and very pro-
ftable crop has been cut from the land
every year for the twenty one years. At
the beginning this valley was treeless
tract and now there are hugh trees two
and three feet in diameter. There are:
groves and nearly every farm house is
surrounded by a number of fine shade
trees.
The question arises at this point, Of
how can we dispose Of so much hay. if
we should raise it in and about Willis
ton? That condition will solve itself.
At Billings when they had only few
few tons of hay to sell they could not
dispose of it. Now, when they have
thousands of tons to dispose of it is even
contracted for three to five yearsin ad-
vance provided farmer chooses to
make such contract. The large stock
raisers must have hay for the winter
months and they have found that they
can increase the selling price of their
cattle enough more to make it profit
to them to ship their cattle to Billings
winter them on alfalfa hay and ship
them on in the spring. This is done
year after year and the residents of this
valley informed Us that there were very
few stacks of alfalfa left over during
any year.
Billings ia also great sheep feeding
station and has the distinction Of being
the greatest inland wool market in the
world. After three crops of alfalfa has
been cut farmer considers his field
worth at least s1.OO per acre for feeding
purposes, that is they turn the sheep in
on these fields and allow them to graze
as long as the weather may permit and
then begin feeding them alfalfa from
the stacks. As stated before, Billings
has nearly the same climate and condi.
tions as Williston and can sec no rea-
son why, we as community could not
enjoy the same benefits derived from IT.
rigation that they do at Billings. The
cashier of the First National Bank at
Billings, Mr.. J. B. Arnold, stated to me
that their deposits had increased nearly
one million dollars in the last year and
thata very large part of it came from
the farmers who were using irrigation.
The Gelatin Valley 10 which Boze.
man is located is 5000 feet above the
sea level and is nearly surrounded by
mountains. This valley is wholly irri.
gated. The conditions vary somewhat
from those of the Valley at Billings:
Itlseems that clover and timothy do
better than alfalfa. Everywhere stacks
of this hay may be seen. The value of
this a. compared with alfalfa for feed
ing purposes, is about the same. The
best returns are derived by feeding the
hay.
Mr.. T. s. Kirk of Bozeman has solved
the trade question. He feeds both cat
tie and sheep. Buyers for the eastern
and the western markets meet at Bose.
man, and bidding for his fat stock is
spirited. Last year. he shipped west
for the Oriental trade.
The position of Williston for feeding
purposes is superior to that Of either
Billings or Bozeman.
We are in easy reach Of stock for
feeding. Az soon as it 10 known that
Williston is producing locality,
stock owners will be here bidding for
hay. Very few Of the readers of this
article know that sheep now ranging
within fifty miles of Williston are
tax en- to Billings to be fattened. We
could easily secure this trade.
Land is worth what it will produce.
Our lands are assessed from 81 to S. per
acre. At Bozeman, it is assessed at
from $40 to $50 per acre and they do not
pretend to assess the land in excess Of
SO per cent of it's real value. The SELL
ing price of land around Bozemsn varies
from $50 to $500 per acre. The last
price being very unusual. but $l25 per
acre is common price for land.
If We can sell our lands for $50 to $40
nor acro uo will thon ho makino a nico