Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1909-10-08

has a branch line from Harlowton to
Lewistown.
The installation of the grain eleva-
tor has added greatly to the con-
veniences of the farmer in marketing
his crop. Three years ago the first
one was constructed and SO success
full did the venture prove that now
there are 20 elevators in the basin.
Even these are insufficient. With
the exception of one elevator at
Moore, which has a capacity of $4,000
bushels, the average capacity of the
Judith basin elevator is 81, 600 bushels.
Every Bushel Worth A Dollar.
every bushel worth dollar" is
the slogan of the wheat raisers of the
basin. This year the wheat crop will
come close to 1,5OO,OO bushels, the
greater part of which is Turkey Red.
Some Scotch Fife and Grail Fife are
also grown. Several years ago the
millers of the middle West fought the
Turkey Red wheat because it would
not mill as well as other brands, but
now, with improved methods, this
brand ranks among the best milling
wheat.
No. hard, Minnesota and Dakota
product, is the highest-grade wheat
grown and sells for but 2 cents a
bushel more than Turkey Red and
No. 1 Northern. An old-timer in
Fergus county said the probable rea-
son for the discrepancy was that in
Montana much more wheat is grown
to the acre, causing it to contain
more starch.
ITO Bushels to Acre.
The wonderful oats crops is another
remarkable feature Of the basins
prOductlveness. In not a few cases,
oats have grown to a height of five
feet within two months after seed
time. The heaviest crop known in
the basin went 10 bushels to the
acre. Earlier in the season all esti-
mate of 80 bushels per acre was given
the railroad companies in order that
sufficient number of cars might be
furnished for transportation, but Sec
rotary Croft of the Lewistown Com
mercial club says the average will be
between so and 80 bushels.
Like the wheat, the oats raised in
Judith basin have attracted national
attention. The government standard
weight for oats is 81 pounds per BUSH
ell, but here oats have frequently
weighed 81 pounds. This grain was
scarce the past winter and farmers
sold their oats ON the ranch for 81. 25
per hundredweight. On account of
their extreme weight the Quaker
Oats people each year make an effort
to secure the crop. This cereal COM
pany has considered the ACCESSIBILITY
of building branch factory in the
basin.
Money In Barley.
The barley crop ranks third in size.
This year it will approximate 100000
bushels. Three species of barley are
grown IN the basin-ball, bearded
and beardless. The latter two are
excellent for mailing purposes and
much of it is sent to the Manhattan
brewery. The ball variety is raised
more for stock feeding. A year age
this summer the Quaker Oats people
offered S1.25 a bushel before it was
threshed.
While the average potato yield il
225 bushels, in rare instances All acre
has produced 600 bushels. Not many
potatoes are exported, owing to TIN
home consumption, but those tina
have been shipped out have created {
demand for more. An experiment
this past summer has demonstrated
that tobacco can be successful.
grown.
Alfalfa is one of the principal crop
and is raised on non-irrigated land
1t yields three to five tons per acr
and sells from S. to So a ton. 1t i
perennial and there are fields tina
have produced yearly for 20 years
Rye, speltz, flax. timothy and Glove
also do exceptionally well.
But little attention has been givel
to growing fruit and berries. How
ever, when strict attention is givel
and proper species are planted. sue
cess in almost every instance has fol
lowed. Several large apple orchard
have been set out in the basin wit
profitable results.
There are no sugar factories in tn
basin and no immediate prospects c
one, but some attention has bee
given to growing sugar beets. Chen
zeal analyses have demonstrated tina
the beets grown from the benchland
are as rich in saccharin as thOs
urOwu in ut har M rtS IF tho ctata