Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1910-08-12
Prof. Linfeld.

am only going to say just word
or two on this OCCASION You did not
come here particularly to hear what
| have to say | want to say to you,
that, as representing the head of our
agricultural work in our college at
Bozeman. and as director of the cx-
pertinent station not only here but OF
Bozcn,an and i'll other pats Of the
state. | am very gratilicd indeed OF
the interest that you have shown in
coming to this station at this time
to look over our work here and to
listen to what is being said
think as l look back over this
work in the eight years that have
been connected with the work at
Bozcman. or nearly eight ycars,-wc
can sec in that time remarkable de-
vclopment. remember very we'll
when it was thought that if any per-
son--whcn ii was stated if any per-
son thought Montana was going to
be an agricultural state, such per-
son was practically laughed at re-
member very well when it was not
wise on my part to say that crops
could be grown successfully on the
dry lands of this state, particularly
III certain parts OF the state. | had
to go at the matter Of getting an ap
preparation in another way. said.
II don't know what can be done, but
from what | have seen in other parts
and in other states OF the country,
believe it is worth making the try to
ind out what ca, be done on these
dry bench lands" I want to saw to
you that during this last week this is
the fourth station that I have visited,
not as elaborate. Of course. as this is.
one at Chester. one at Roundup and
ono at Forsyth. I have also been III
other parts Of the state. and want
to say to you that there is not one
single place this year wnere we had
the cotnrol over the land last year,
where we handled the soil last year
as it should be handled, there is not
one single place in this state. dry as
it is. where we have not got crop
that will bring man out even, and
in some places. in most places. it is
better than that In one section we
were at day before yesterday. the
average rainfall since the middle OF
MAY has been less than three inches
and yet | saw wheat there which
would go from sixteen to twenty
bushels to the acre. although a hail
storm went over that land the first
week in June. and there was not
particle of crop upon the land aftc.
the hal storm went over the farm
And so as has been SAID to me, this
year is not one Of discouragcmcnt
from the standpoint of Our expert
mental work. but it shows to us that
il he does his work right the man is
boss of the farming operations, even
this year. and the man who does
maste" his occupation as farmer,
who does his work right. who handles
that work with his head rather than
his hands, using his hands and his
members to serve is brain. that man
IS going to reap Success and be SIT
perior even to adverse conditions
which we find occasionally come to
us. You have heard Judge Cheadlc.
who has lived here great many
years. say. II have not seen as dry
year in all those wears as we have
bad this year" The same story is
told of us in nearly all parts OF the
state: and yet no one single part OF
the state. even along the great Nor
thern line where it is practically the
dryest season they have had for many
many years on the farming we have
charge of. that Prof Shaw has charge
| of this year. where we prepared the
land last wear for this Years crop. It
IS the ONLY crop tfev have III that
district that is really successful.
Now | want to just call your atten
ton to another point or two. and
just to give little history. but am
going to do it very briefly. re
member very we'll when this station
was just first started, and I want to
say to you that Our friend RUFUS
Thompson is the man who located
this station through, the act OF the
legislature, at this place. and at that
beginning, something like four years
ago. it wac only possible to get the
legislature to give to us one thousand
at this place: nothing for equipment
but we were fortunate in finding some
men in this countv.-Mr. Hobson
who gave to us the land and gave to
us that building. the farm house on
this place. A year ago this past win
ter the legislature gave us two t,.ou-
sand dollars for the work of carrying
on the station and five thousand dol
lars for its equipment But we are
not yet through, and there is yc,
something to be done: and it seem.
to me that in community where tho
people take such lively interest ii
this work as is shown here. that il
ought to be possible to build up here
a station that is one of the best in tho
country and is equipped to do it;
work i'll the very best possible way
I want to say also that Will, us i
cooperating at this place the Unitce
States Department of Aer:cu turc