The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1907-07-31

In an interesting letter from the pen
of Paris Gibson, the great possibilities
of Montana as an agricultural state
and in which dry farming is described
as being not only feasible, but in
many cases advantageous, are fore
IDLY brought to the attention of the
careful reader and the man seeking
profitable investment.
So long has Montana been treated
only as district valuable chiefly for
it's mineral production that anything
authentic as to it's possibilities in other
lines of investment is eagerly con-
suited and by the wise and far-seeing
man with homestead desires and seek
ing an opportunity for increasing his
fortunes in new and profitable fields,
Montana is rapidly becoming, along
with other portions of the north west,
a much desired portion of the gen.
eral Mecca of the homeseeker.
Mr.. Gibson says:
''That splendid agricultural future
awaits Montana can no longer he dis
puted by unprejudiced persons. We
see evidences in every direction that
the days of the range stock business
are numbered and that this millions of
acres of rich land now only affording
subsistence for less than 100000 cat
tie and 100000 sheep, the annual rev.
enue from which does not exceed $15,-
000 400 will ha coruarted rt farms
whose products will ere long reach
$500, 900, 900 annually.
I'm place of the scattered gramma
grass will be seen almost unlimited
fields of alfalfa and the cereals, which
will not only insure for Montana a
great dairy interest and a f1our-m aking
industry second only to that of Mime
apolis, but will place the state next to
Texas in the production of live stock.
The wealth that will come from our
lands when converted into farms will
esta blish L solid foundation tor man
ufacturing that will place Montana in
the forefront of the industrial states
of the union. For where else in the
country can you find the wealth or
useful minerals that are found in the
mountains and hills of Montana?
When agriculture becomes firmly es-
tablished in our state there will be no
limit to our industrial achievements,
for in addition to our common miner
ais, Montana leads all other states in
it's coal supply and in water power,
which together constitute the sinews
Of war in the struggle for industrial
supremacy.
Dry Farming Possible.
"My belief in the coming wealth and
power of Montana is derived largely
from the magnificent development
that 1 have seen while living in the
west the past so years. But some one
will say the arid climate of Montana
precludes the possibility of agriculture
here on a large scale. This assertion
brings us face to face with the pos
sibilities of dry farming in our state
There are 5000, 600 acres of land il
Montana. If we deduct 45,OOO, ,O0(
acres of lands that cannot be classet
as agricultural, we will still have 48,
OOO,OOO acres, or 10000, 900 acres in ex
cess of the whole state of Illinois o
Iowa.
Proclamation engineers and mel
who, like Professor Linfeld, hav
given the subject of irrigation in ou
state much attention, claim that W
have about 5000, 900 acres IN Montan;
that can be irrigated; but assuming
that the area that can be brought un
der ditch will reach a total of 5000
900 acres, we will have 40,0OO,0O0 acre
of non-irrigable land. Now, will an
unprejudiced person who has givel
dry farming any attention, believ
that this vast area of rich land, who's
rainfall is scarcely less that IS inche
a-yw here, will continue to be used f.
pastoral purposes only?
Results Shoud Satisfy.
The results of dry farming alread
obtained in Colorado, Wyoming. tn
Columbia basin and during the recer
drouuht in ,napy narts of M,utan;