Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1909-06-04
REGARDING new SETTLERS
They Should Adopt Scientific Methods In
Farming.


They Should Adopt Scientific Methods In
Farming.
At the publicity meeting held in
Helena, which formed the Montana
Development League, the greater
part of the discussion was in relation
to encouraging settlers to come to
this state and engage in dry land
farming.
1t has been demonstrated during
recent years that farming without the
aid of irrigation can be carried OH
successfully under scientific methods
of cultivation.
The railroads have co-operated in
advertising the possibilities of this
state and in getting eastern citizens
to come here and throw in their lot
with us.
Already in Montana there has been
a large amount of speculation in
lands and great ranches III the eastern
part Of the state, in particular, have
been organized for the purpose, and
these big bodies of land have been
cut up into small areas Of sufficient
size to make good farms.
The only danger that the Miner can
see in the matter is that not sufficient
attention may be paid by the new
settlers to the scientific methods of
farming this dry land.
The agricultural experiment station
in BOzeman is doing splendid work
through the holding of farmers insti-
tutes and the publication of bulletins
giving the results of the stations ex-
perience in this character of farming,
and it would seem to be the duty of
business mems and other like Organi-
cations, in the towns near where these
new home builders settle, to see to it
that these new corners get in touch
with the work ut the experimental
station, SO that they will adopt the
approved methods of farming this
land, instead of following the system
which they have become accustomed
to in the East.
1t will not do this state any good,
but OH the contrary great harm, to
bring horde Of people here who
through want of familiarity with the
scientific methods of dry farming, fail
to make success of their agricultural
efforts in this state.
No one desires to see in Montana a
repetition Of the early efforts at set
thing western Kansas, Nebraska and
North Dakota.
There appears to be nc question
from the experiments conducted by
the Bozeman college, that dry land
farming can be made to pay hand
somely in almost every section of this
state If the system devised by the col
lege for the cultivation of this land is
carried out to the letter.
On the other hand, if the new set
tiers pay no attention to the expert
ence of others, and farm here as they
have done in the East, the result of
their action is not only certain to
prove disastrous to themselves but
most damaging to the reputation of
the state as All agricultural common
wealth.
The other thing that should never
be lost sight of is that it is far more
important to the people of this state
that the new settler here should be
successful than it is he should be in
duced to pay some company good
price for land upon which to farm.
Every settler who, through ignor-
ance of the proper methods of Guilt
waiting the soil under the conditions
here makes failure of his endeavors,
will do this commonwealth an injury.
What is needed is to make certain,
as far as possible, that every home
builder will do well and prosper, and
in order to accomplish this it is neces-
sary that he should be taught how to
farm his land SO as to obtain the best
results and run the least risk of fail
ure.-Butte Miner.