Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1909-12-31

and yet retains close, compact sod !.
ought to grow generous crops OF
grain IT cultivated and handled so AZ
to take up and retain all the rainfall
that comes.
The rainfall IN NJ Ontana places the
state IN the sen4i-arM belt. The
average annual rainfall for the state
is about II inches. This average
varies for various parts Of the state.
however, from eleven to ~ inches.
There are, 81 course, seasonal varia.
tons from tfis,- but the lowest yearly
rainfall l havs heard of in say one
year was about six inches.
But the amount of annual rsal,fall
does not tell all the story. Observa-
tions show that OH the average the
larger portion of tlnis rainfall is con-
centrated inIa!few months of the year.
One-third Of the rainfall of the season
generally comes in May and June and
one-half of it in April. May, June
and July. Again, these rains come in
long continued showers and not as
torrential storms, so that they readily
soak into the ground. ALL these con-
ditiOns are favorable t.s the dry
farmer. The rainfall is above the av-
erage for the dry country: it comes at
the season favorable to the growth of
the crop, and comes in Il way that
permits of the water soaking into the
ground with a minimum of loss
through run off.
Finally, because of the usually cool
weather and the generally light
winds, the losses due to evaporation
from the soil are reduced to 4 mini--
mum. Thus an average Of II inches
Of rainfall in Montana is as valuable
for crop growth as rs to 80 per cent
more than this in districts further to.
the south.
But the evidence is not alone con-
fined to these favorable natural con--
ditions. Montana has been growing
crops successfully without irrigation
in several parts Of the state for many
years. The agricultural wealth of
Flathead county, one Of the rich,
farming counties Of the state, has
been built wholly on the natural pre-
cipitation. There are as many, it,.
not more, prosperous and well equip
ped farms and farm houses in this
county as in any other district in the
state and built wholly on the dry
farm during the last 20 to 25 years.
In the Gallatin valley the bench
lands all around the valley have been
cropped successfully for Is years or
more and frequently but little atten7
ton has been paid to correct dry farm.
methods of cultivation. Some of the
most prosperous farmers in the Gall
latin valley made their wealth from
the farm above the ditch.
Cascade county for some 10 to- Is.
years has been cropping the bench
lands to the south and east of Great
Falls. Here Senator Gibson worked
out 4 demonstration on his own farm
that farming without irrigation was
profitable undertaking.. His. ex-
perience made him an early and per-
sistant advocate OF bench farming.
Some five or more years ago some
farmers thought they sax, possiaIli-
ties OF successful cropping on the
Rock Greek bench in Fergus county.
The "old-timer" scotfetl,. bnt the
farmer stayed on, plowed.. cultivated
and grew crops. They are stila at it
and prospecting and as a result OF their
example the whole valley lis being
settled and profitable crops; grown on
lands that few yeaals aga were
thought good for pastures only.
Within the last f0un. Oh hve years a
start has been made i'm many other
localities in the. st:tte-in Dawson
county, north Of: &.leittive: in Custer
county south of MihaNx. IN tho