Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1910-09-30
MONTANA LEADS NATION IN
CROP RETURNS PER
ACRE TITLED

by Edwin l.. Norris. Governor Of Montana:
Among the half dozen states whose
yearly crop yields are the greatest
or even in the next group, or the
neXt-you will not now find Montana.
yet it is the expectation of those in
formed of her resources that in de-
cade or two Montana's annual yield
Of farm products will he surpassed in
value only by those of four or five
states.
This belief is based on the fact that
Montana has as many acres of fertile
farm lands that have never been titled
as are under cultivation in either of
the principal agricultural states and
every bit as productive. The only
reason Montana is not now among
the first of the states in the annual
value Of crops is because so few acres
are cultivated.
I;lis condition cannot long continue.
People who must derive food from
the products Of the soil are born every
minute, and no new land is being
created to meet their needs. Know
ledge that millions Of acres Of fertile
farm lands are lying unoccupied and
uncultivated in Montana has brought
about Il movement Of .,ettlers into it
which has already assumed large pro-
portions and will speedily people the
empty place; an bring mil ions OF
acres Of land into cultivation to sup
ply the world with food.
The era of cheap land has passed in
the Older states, as it will soon have
passed in the entire United States.
People are land hungry and eager to
own homes OF their own. Improved
trans nspOrtatiOn facilities have brought
Places once remote within reach of
the markets of the world. In old
days when people were few, land
plentiful, transportation facilities
imperfect or absent, and when there
were hostile Indians to dispute the
extension of settlement, it took Il half
century to develop Il region to the eN-
tent that it can be settled and devel-
Oped under the conditions existing at
present in Il decade. Therefore it is
not improbable that Montana will de-
velop in twenty years as much as
Iowa or Illinois did in fifty.
Chance to Own Your Home.
What does Montana offer to the
homeseeker? 1t offers land, free gov
ernment land and cheap decided land,
the opportunity to acquire Il home. an
independence and a competence to
every man possessing industry and
ability to work and means enough to
equip a farm and support himself
until he Is the first crop.
Montana is the third state in size.
Within its boundaries are 03, 500, ,OSO
acres, of which $4,000, ,229 acres were
unappropriated and unreserved gov
ernm ent lands June 30, 1909. The sur
veyed public lands were 2O,6S5, ,Os,;
and the unsurveyed 22,2l5,l43 acres
Forest reserves occupy more than 2o,-
O0O.0M acres, and there are extern
sive Indian and military reservations.
Of the total about 80, ,OOO, 900 acres
are agricultural lands, the remain
ing being grazing, forest or noun
famous. About 5000, 900 acres are
susceptible OF irrigation.
Large grants Of public lands were
made to the Northern Pacific Rail
way company to aid inrits construc-
tiOn, and to the state OF Montana for
educational and other public pur-
poses, much of which has passed into
private ownership.
In 1909 the acreage in hay, wheat
oats and barley, the principal crops
was only 3l2,7s3, according to the
year book Of the Department Of Agri
culture.
In 1910 the acreage in the principa
crops were rs follows: Spring whea!
$4,000, winter wheat 25S 900, Oat,
34o, 900, barley 52 900, flax 2O,G00 ant
corn 5000, a total of SG2 900 exclusiv,
OF hay and sugar beets which increas,
the total several hundred thOusant
acres. The increase over 1909 in til.
acreage of the crops named was l5o
900. Land planted for the first tim,
in the fall of 1909 and spring of 1911
should bring the acreage in cultiva
tiOn next year to l,5OO,OOO acres o
more.
These figures show how vast is th
area of arabic land not in cultivation
If there are 3O,OOO, 600 acres of farm
land in the state and only ,:Oo, ,Oo
in cultivation, there remain 2S, 800,
600 waiting for the plow. Some o
this is in private ownership, hut til
Urpater M IT il 1rnxarlIn ont ln,.l ..ul