Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1905-03-21

AulStl IullSiS III UIllS S6cUlOl.
The bottom lands in this district is
even richer than that nearer the
mountains and all kinds of garden |
growth is raised. During late years
some effort has been made to grow
small fruits which has met with very
pronounced success. Crab apples,
plums, several varieties of eating ap-
pies have been picked in small guam
titles while currants, Strawberries and
tomatoes are heavy yield on some of
the river farms. j. A. Jellison raises
more currants than he knows what to
do with and also has first class straw
berry crop. From thirty-tive to forty
bushels OF grain can be raised to the
acre and it must be taken into con-
sideration that very little Of the land
Is thoroughly cultivated, little atten-
tion having been paid to the scatter
ing of manure or fertilizers in order to
enrich the soil. The entire district
will compare favorably with any farm
ing section in the northern portion OF
the United States, which fact is thor
oughly demonstrated by the excellent
results Of the scant farming operations
hiterto conducted. The strip Of land
further down the river is designated
as Pleasant Valley is we'll watered
and extremely fertile district situated
in a sheltered locality where some
first class crops, both of hay and grain
are harvested. While this entire
section is fairly we'll settled, yet the
intending settler or homeseeker can
purchase a farm or ranch on very
reasonable terms, though it is we'll to
remember the fact that the richer
homestead lands which could be filed
on are all taken up. The raising Of
winter wheat on the hitherto dispised
benchlands has proved to be very sue
cessful and even a number of the
owners Of the larger stock ranches are
conducting experiments in that line.
The country is yet in it's infancy in
the matter of irrigation and though
there is heavy natural fall from the
plentiful water supply Of the Belt
mountains, no effort has been made to
irrigate the fertile benchlands which
could be reached from such a source.
The soil on the benchlands toward
the mountains is naturally rich and
with cultivation would undoubtedly
raise winter wheat, while with irriga
{ tion would produce any kind of a crol
desired.
One of the prettiest stock districts
in the county is the region embraced
in the north slopS of the Belt noun
tains. 1t extends tro.n the east side
of the upper Judith to the headwat
ers of Ross's Fork and from thence tt
the Judith river, where it empties in
to the Missouri.
Here it. is where the larger sheel
outfits Of the upper basin run thei
outfits with the success which is 81
: prevalent in that section of the county
+ The forest reserves prevent the fenc
ing of the foothills and there is ye
) considerable open range toward TIN
l mountains on which run big herds 0
5 cattle and horses, while the sheel
5 range is fully occupied by the man,
D bands belonging to the large outfit
t located in that section.
t Antelope and Buffalo creeks, tn
) waters of Rosss fork and inumerabl
4 springs furnish water for stock Will
! the beef and mutton which fetche'
t the highest price in last seasons MAJ
h ket were fattened on the rich range il
that region. On the Southwestern
S portion of this range the Waite
t Morse sheep are run on the range ac
n jacent to Waite creeH while on Ante
lope and Buffalo creeks, the j. S. Phi
l. lips and f. r. Warren ranches are Il
e Gated. Toward Ross's fork, Thoma
d Nicholson and Patrick Nihill run Sc,
s eral fine bands of sheep while tn
J. ranch of J. c. Hauck, is located but
.s short distance from the fork. Th
is stock in this district is in good shap
n this spring and considerable hay wi
n be carried over by all these outfit
" owing to the mildness of the wintel
!. This section of the country contrib
!. utes large amount of wool and
70 the neighborhood Of 325,OO0 pounG
= are shipped from there each seasor
s The wool is high grade in charactt
II and invariably fetches good prize
in fact all the clips in the Basin al
y eagerly sought after by the buyer
+ owing to their superior quality. TT
N average sheep will shear seven pount
II while in some cases eight pounds
!. secured per head from extra tir
IT, bands. 1t is an ideal stock and agr
10 cultural country and is rapidly forj
70 ing to the front.