The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-09-22
AGRICULTURAL FUTURE Of MONTANA

ever race, when given possession OF
q tract OF land from which he grows
subsistence for himeslf and family.
he and his family become reliable
members Of society and loyal citizens
Of the government Of their adoption.
Market for Products.
The fact OF Montana's great mineral
resources, including its manufacture
ing possibilities, makes q home market
for agricultural products, OF enormous
capacity, and, because Of practically
no transportation costs, the most prof
liable possible for the farmer pro-
ducer.
Manufacturing.
Little manufacturing has yet been
done in the state, but the states nat
ural source OF water power availa-
BILE for manufacturing, and fuel, will
soon be utilized. creating q demand Of
enormous proportions for subsistence
supplies.
Agricultural Development.
Agriculture has been going forward
more rapidly during the last decade
than any other science-for . true
science it is and Of the first proper
tons.
Experiment Stations.
The agricultural experiment stations
being conducted by the government
throughout the states, and by the
states themselves, are proving Of the
greatest practical benefit and utility
to the entire farming population.
Montana is particularly fortunate in
having for the director of It's expert
ment station, Professor F. B. Lin1eld
OF Bozeman, who is producing a big
crop Of results, both in demonstrating
what should be done and in actually
doing it with financial profit to the
state.
Population per Acre.
Montana today has only one inhabi-
tant to every 200 acres Of land. If its
population per square mile was Of the
same density rs Ohio's. Montana
would have today a population Of over
fifteen million people, and there not
only is no reason why she should not
have that population, but there is ev-
cry reason to EXPECT she will have,
and more too.
Irrigation in Southern idaho and Utah.
The highest population per acre of
irrigated farms in the United States
today owe any considerable area is in
southern Idaho and northern Utah,
where, within a continuous distance
of 175 miles, there is under irrigation
approximately 100000 acres Of land,
within which e there is a total pop
ulation of Z 5000 people, which is OF
course equivalent to n inhabitant for
every two acres Of land irrigated.
Laborers' Wages.
Montana today is paying q higher
average wage to its laborers than any
other portion of the United States,
and the United States leads the world
in wages. Big wages mean big de
mand for products, both materials OF
subsistence and fruits.
Fruit Growing.
Montana has demonstrated her posi-
ton as one of the fruit growing states
and this industry is being rapidly
extended. Encouragement is being
given by the government to the set.
tiers Of the reclamation projects ia
plant trees and fruit shrubs when first
taking possession of their lands, and
the settlers are already making a con
spicuous success in growing their trees.
Crops Best Adapted.
The department is also making
every effort to assist the settlers in
determining the crops best adapted to
the local conditions and which will
yield the largest net returns per acre
for the money and labor involved in
their production.
Montana leads by a large margin,
and in some case actually doubles the
yield in bushels per acre as grown
throughout the United Staes, Of wheat,
rye, barley, oats, hay, potatoes, fax,
Commission to Investigate Farming
Conditions.
President Roosevelt, always a leader
in recognizing opportunities and re.
quirements, has recently created a
commission to which he has appointed
a number Of the recognized leading
men in the United States and directed
them to investigate and determine the
conditions of the farming population
of the United States and recommend
any and all things which will tend
to improve present conditions and
lead to their betterment. The presi
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