The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-01-10
AN OBJECT LESSON IN IRRIGATION.

An interesting object lesson which
shows the remarkable results that may
be obtained by a properly constructed
system Of irrigation, is presented in q
description Of the ranch of j. E.
Morse, in Beaverhead county, which
appears in the Anaconda Standard.
Mr.. Morse's ranch is locally known
as the Birchd ale farm. It is situat
eight miles northwest of Dillon on the
line Of the Oregon Short Line railway.
Upon this ranch MIR. Morse has de-
monstrated most effectively the possi.
bilities that exist 10 the arid bench
lands Of the state If water can be put
upon them. His crops of oats aud al.
falfa have for years attr more
than passing attention and have
gained for the owner of these acres
the reputation of being the largest
producer Of oats in the country.
The Birchd ale farm consists of 5, 100
acres: there are larger farms in the
country, but none more thoroughly
GUILTY. ated. OF the farms acreage,
1900 acres are titled and each year
produce abundant crops. Mr.. Morse
leases about IL, 1000 acres of school
lands, which are used as pasture for
the cattle and sheep which he feeds for
the market. The 1900 acres which
are under cultivation are carefully
titled and the results which are OBJ
tanned from this extensive system of
farming are the best argument that
could possibly be advanced in support
of the claims OF the irrig ationists.
1t should be remembered that ten
years ago this land was in the 'des.
ert" class; it produced but sage brush
and bunch grass and nobody would
have selected it as promising farm
land except q man like Mr.. Morse,
whose confidence in the possibilities
OF the land was great enough to war.
rant him in the development of his
system OF water. storage and irriga.
ton which has accomplished the COM
plete Transformation of the extensive
bench which now comprises his farm.
When he undertook his plan, the eff.
fort was regarded with doubt. The
land was believed to be worthless for
anything but grazing.
1t was possible to secure water for
some few hundred acres from the
streams Of that section, but it was not
possible to secure anything like
enough water to carry out the great
scheme that was undertaken. Mr..
Morse set about constructing reser.
voirs in the mountains above, where
several natural lakes nestled. Today
he has five splendid reservoirs that
supply water for irrigation, in addi-
raj flow of the mountain streams. The
reservoirs are located at the head Of
Birch creek. Dams have been con.
structed, the largest of which is 12O
feet wide at the base and 400 feet long.
These five reservoirs store up water
enough during the winter months to
supply 1900 acre-feet of water, and
should it be deemed necessary the
dams may easily be enlarged and the
capacity of the reservoirs greatly in.
creased.
This year. crop was, by far, the
largest of any year. The acreage put
in grain amounted to 1880, from which
lOl, 347 bushels were threshed, or 1 ,2j6,
ga pounds Of grain. This was an av-
eragc yield Of over IS bushels to the
acre. There were many acres of grain
that went considerable over 100 bush.
els to the acre, while, of course, there
were patches where the yield was much
under the average. The hay crop
amounted to 1000 tons in alfalfa, of
which product two crops were raised.
The above figures would satisfy the
average man, but j.. Z. Morse has
seen fit to carry on an extensive live
stock business in conjunction with his
grain and hay raising. In connection
about 10000 head of breeding ewes
have been run on the surrounding
range. These are run for about ten
months of the year on the adjacent
government domain. During the
greater part OF the winter they arc
grazed on the natural grounds out
side the inclosed fields and during the
months Of March and April are
brought inside the inclosed leased
state lands.
About 600 head Of cattle are gener'
ally run in connection with the Birch
dale stock farm, about 200 Of which
are breeding cows and each fall O,
winter some 100 to 200 head OF young
steers are generally bought and wher
these steers aud the increase from thu
breeding COWS attain sufficient az,
they are put 10 close feeding yards OF