The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-28
MONTANA MATTERS.
At WASHINGTON
OFFICIAL HAPPENINGS AT THE
CAPITAL WHICH CONCERN
MiSSOULiAN READERS.

Washington. Nov. - Especially In
his annual report to the var depart
ment. Adjutant General Ainsworth Of
the army says that last year one Off
Ger of the Montana national guard at
tended a course of instruction at the
army service school. He says that
but one military prisoner escaped from
the forts in Montana, and that one
from Fort Missoula.
Fort Harrison. in Montana, has the
largest percentage of desertions of SOL
diers. the figure being 2405 for the
last fiscal year.
At Helena during tho year the army
obtained through recruiting 21i soldiers
out of 614 who applied Twelce SOL
diers We're accepted who did not en-
list At Fort Harrison 230 soldiers
were enlisted and rs We're rejected
Local Enlistnnents.
Orders have been issued by the war
department detailing 80 officers and
enlisted men. to consist of non-com
missioned officers. a cook and a mu-
stefan. from Fort Assinniboine to Fort
Missouia, on December IS To garrison
Fort Missoula until March % when
the troops recently ordered from the
L
troops now at Fort Missoula are or
dered to leave on December 80 so as
to arrive not later than January at
San Francisco. where they will take
transport for the Philippines the fol-
lowing day. A medical officer, n non
commissioned officer and a private of
the hospital corps with proper medical
supplies will accompany the troops
from Fort Missoula on their journey
to the Philippines, after which they
will return to their former station.
When the troops from the Philippines
arrive at Fort Missoula In March the
temporary troops from Fort Assinni-
boine Will take their former station.
The war department has ordered a sim
liar detail from Fort Assinniboine to
Fort Harrison to take the place of
troops which will leave there the first
OF the year for the Philippines. to re-
turn To Fort Assinniboine when those
from the Philippines reach Fort Har-
rison next March.
Health Reports.
According to n report of the public /
health service tierc have been 16i
cases of smallpox in Montana from
May | to October 81. Six of these /
cases We're In Missoula from June l /
To August 81. The distribution of the .
other cases was as follows:
Livingston. la Park county. 2l: Car /
bon county. 6: Great Falls. /; Chou /
teau. Custer, Deer Lodge Fergus San
ders. Teton and Valley counties. I
each; Dawson county, Z: F1athead and
Gallatin counties. 4 each: jefferson
county, ?: Helena. /; Silver Bow coun- |
n asNJ
To Buy Horses.
The war department has detailed
Second Lieut. Dorsey II. Rodney. from
Fort Yellowstone, Wyo.. to points in
Montana and Wyoming to purchase 10 .
horses required for the troops of the
Fifth cavalry at Fort Yellowstone He
is authorized to pay not more than
$l65 for each horse
New Postoffee.
The postofnce at Satchwell, Rose
bud county, has been ordered dscon-
tinued.
Irrigation.
An interesting report on IRRIGATION
of Alfalfa data for which was sun
piled. among Others. by III. l. Moore
OF Montana, special agent has been
issued by the agricultural department.
Alfalfa thriSes in the soil and climate
of arid and semi-arid regions. and the
report says there is comparatively lit
tie cultisable land in the West on
which IL cannot be grown. The field
agents of the department have found
that alfalfa is rarely injured by cold
In Montana. Montana is reported by
the department as one of the best
yielding states for the crop seven tons
OF cured hay at three cuttings being
obtained from the best fields in the
Treasure state.
OF interest To the Montana farmers
is the statement that i'm growing al
Iaifa In localities covered by native
grasses nothing more il necessary than
ploMing and thorough cultivation As
an instance. the report points to the
fact that the native grass lands of
Montana are usually plowcd two In
five inches deep in the fall. In the
spring the surface is double dfskea.
perhaps cross double disked. narrowed
and iereied. and then seeded tn grain
rather than alfalfa. in order to prop
erly prepare the surface of the ground
for the later crop.
Differing Methods.
Describing the various methods of
irrigating alfalfa. the report speaks ~
the border wethad. which H. used tn
some extent in Montana. Idaho and
other mountain states. This method
consists Of the division of field e.:
tract into long. narrow strips ur lands
by low. flat feyees extending i'm the
direction Of the steepest slope. which
eonftne the water In "a single strip.
The report also speaks of the flood
ing method from field bitches or lat
erals. OF irrigating alfalfa. clover ma
tive meadows and grain i'm Montana
and the other western states. This
plan il regarded as the best suited To
the conditions under which il is prac-
ticed. SAYS the report. In flooding
clover and alfalfa fields i'm Montana.
SAYS the report. the field bitches usu-
ally run across the field on a grade
Of a.5 10 o-s5 inch to the rod. The
spacing between bitches varies with
the s'opes, the sn.oothness of the sur
faeR and the stpInpna nf Hy.tar -,