Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1910-11-25

districts there is never a lack of mois-
lure III the winter months. 1t is only
matter of conserving it.. In looking
up the records of the fact of snow
ana rain, the smallest amount in any
locality since the records have been
kept is fifteen inches. This only oc-
CURING once in many years. The av-
erage is over twenty inches. 1t is Il
TACT, in the extreme eastern part of
Montana and western Dakota they
nave dry winter once in several
years. but they are out OF the reach
III the climatic influence of the noun
tam districts. TO climatic contii-
ions surrounding mountain districts
lhslires moisture, outside of that they
may once in several years experience
dry winter. If such happens and
spring passes without rainfall, no
amount of effort can produce crop.
When the Montana farmer will
break his land eight inches deep. with
twelve inch bottoms, eliminating
shallow blowing with wide pillow bot
toms, he will get better results. Mar
row bottoms will be less liable to
turn ground in large chunks, and
more evenly pulverixe each turning,
thereby giving the harrow Il better
chance to dO thorough work.
Except i'm some favored sections.
hrAn l.. ~ Inn.l ~.
at the same time is not going to av-
erage good. When ground is turned
to the sun and wind there is going to
be loss on moisture, and if the sea-
son following is dry there can hardly
be expected good results from seed
planted then. The dry land farmer
OF Washington, Oregon and Idaho
breaks his land the fall and spring
following the crop, then summer fall
lows it the following summer, gets
the moisture Of the intervening win
ter and the one following the crop
year. Ii he has properly prepared
and cared for the ground, he is sure
OF a crop whether the crop year be
dry or not.
One farmer complained to the writ
rr that the banks would do nothing
for them when the drOuth came ON.
There is no wonder at this attitude
OF the banking interests. When the
farmer proves his ability to produce
crop in spite Of the dry season, that
lands handled On safe business meth
DDS will bring returns, then he will
find the banks out looking for his
business. 1t is the lack OF system,
the failure on the part Of the farmer
to get results. that causes banks to
stand alOof. The producer always
has the confidence of business inter-
ests il he is successful. The same
condition exists among merchants,
and the agriculturist could easily
learn IL lesson that would at once en-
throne reason on his part and explain
why some farmers are successful and
others not.
The merchant who is conservative
and whose customers are successful
men, never lacks for funds IN time of
need. 1t is the Indifferent, careless,
slothful, who are SO hard put to in
times OF financial distress. The Mon
tana farmer who gets an average crop
is the one who will soon be past the
need Of borrowing. no better soil is
found, no better climate for produce
ing an average crop Of small grain,
than exists in tins states boundaries.
There are favored localities that
have Il surety OF June rains, and late
spring blowing and seeding have
brought results that are surprising.
Take that part of the Judith Basin
that lies contiguous to the Snowies
and Belts. For some climatic reason
that is yet unexplained these noun
tains are storm centers. Some atmos-
pheric condition brews storms, seem
ingly coming from nowhere, eXpend-
ing their energy on the surrounding
country, crossing from one to the
other, disappear as if by magic. The
frequency of these storms insure
moisture the year round. They take
a chance on shallow breaking and
late seeding and are sure of crop,
yet the farmer there who systematic
ally farms his lands has the best quail
ity and quantity. The same cOndi-
tiOns exist in the country around
Ovando, on the Blackfoot reserva-
ton.
The Judith Basin has il soil that is
very productive. So has all of Mon
tana IL soil that is peculiarly rich in
those chemicals that are SO essential
to producing small grains and grass
eS.
The experimental farms are Il great
source Of information. if rightly fol-
lowed. They are trying, testing and
experimenting continually for the