Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1910-01-21

of Montana. The acreage planted to
crops largely increased over the pre-
ceeding year and all conditions have
been favorable for the growth and
ripening of all agricultural products.
Unfortunately system of gathering
statistics Of tine acreage of the various
crops and the yields has not been
perfected by the state. However,
we'll Informed observers of the de-
velopment of Montana which is pro-
ceeding rapidly in every country,
men engaged in the purchase or trans
portation of grain and the sale of ag-
ricultural implements, those who
have reckoned up the number of
threshing machines III use, unite in
the opinion that the total value of
farm products in 1900 exceeds in value
those produced in 1907 by fifty per
cent. This is very large percentage
OF increase but next year promises
similar one, owing to the very large
number Of new farms which will be
put into crops for the first time.
These new farmers will be found In
all sections but more numerously in
eastern Montana than elsewhere.
The range country has been invaded
by the homesteader and in many
eases stock ranches have been sold
and subdivitled into small farms.
Then, too, the area of land under ir-
rigatiOn has been increased by the
opening to settlement of the lands in
Dawson county watered by the lower
Yellowstone project. by the taking
up Of the lands in the Sun river pro-
ject near Great Fails and by two
Carey act projects. those Of the
Sweet Grass Land company near Big
Timber and of the Conrads Invest
ment company at Waller. Other
Carey act projects are in various
stages Of advancement and eastern
Montana expects to derive great bene-
tit from the Milk river project. work
OH which has been delayed in a dis
appointing manner but Of which it is
expected that the Dodson unit will be
opened for settlement next spring.
The opening of the Fort Peck Indian
reservation and possibly further ces-
si0ns by the Crow Indians will add to
the area of land available for the
homeseeker. In the western part Of
the state some five thousand new
homes will be started in the spring
by those who were successful in the
drawing for the right to enter lands
III the Flathead reservation. In the
Bitter Root valley very large priv
ate irrigation ditch has been con-
structed to provide water. for large
areas of fruit lands and many tracts
have been sold to intending settlers.
The famous Bitter Root ranch of the
late Marcus DAILY near Hamilton has,
with the exception of the home place,
been placed on the market and many
small tracts have been sold.
In the southern part of the state,
not only has there been an increase
in the area cultivated, with remark
able success, by the drv farming sys-
tenn, but in Beaverhead and Madison
counties work has begun on irrigation
projects which will supply water for
thousands of acres of land. In Gala
tin county many of the large farms
in this granery of Montana have been
divided; and the enterprise of the
people of the Gallatin valley has
been shown in the construction of the
first electric railway to be built in
rural portion of the state. This road,
which was built by local capital, was
begun in May and the first section
was completed in time to move por-
tion of the crops. 1t is said to be a
success and to have enabled many
farmers to ship grain by the electric
road at time when the condition of
the wagon roads made hauling to
distant elevators or steam railroad
shipping points difficult and expen-
sive. This road may prove the fore
runner of others in the state. AL
ready plans are under way for the
construction of electric lines from
Helena to Butte, from MissOula to
Hamilton, from Billings to Laurel
and from Great Falls to the sun
river region.
A large influx of settlers followed
the construction of the Chicago, Mil
waukee & Puget Sound and the Bill
lings \ Northern railways. In the
fertile sections which they traverse
farming was not pursued before they
came for the reason that there was no
means of getting products to market.
This condition has changed and the
stock ranges have been converted in