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

holds for the settler, the investor and
the agriculturist the greatest variety
of resources.
The mines first called the attention
of mankind to her riches: followed bv
the stOckman whose herds multiplied
OF the broad ranges. who in turn was
followed by the lumber-man, and last
but not least, the agriculturist.
The mines are still producing, the
forests have Just begun to yield their
profits, the broad acres of farm lands
are now claiming general respect.
In a general way there are two dis
tinct kinds OF lands for agricultural
purposes.
In the valleys with an abundance
of water for irrigation purposes, all
kinds Of grains, grasses and many or
chards are yielding enormous profits.
The state, on account of her noun
tains storing the winter rains and
SHOWS for summer freshets, has given
Montana prestige over all other Sec
tions OF the Union.
Man may create artificial resources
and help natures efforts for his hen
eft, but the resources Of nature can
not be overlooked ii we desire the
best possible results. or all states,
Montana irrigated sections are the
surest. Her large number Of high
peaks covered with snow at all times.
constitutes a never ending source uf
supply.
Her canyons are flushed from bank
to bank with roaring mountain
streams, with never ending source
Of supply.
The Great Missouri in dry seasons
may lose the greater part Of her VOL
ume in passing through the scorclled
basins she traverses on her route to
the gulf. but in Montana she is Il
roaring torrent confined to bed pro-
vided by nature, sufficient to all who
are in position and desire to draw on
her for any purpose.
III her boundaries are over thirty
lakes that never go dry; some Of them
cover many square miles, and located
in the highest attitudes are summer
resorts, that are unsurpassed in beau
ty, comfort and health. Over forty
creeks that are never ending source
of supply. Over sixty streams lnclud-
ing their tributaries. that bear the
name OF rivers. Endless mountain
streams that bear no name which
have their sources in the mountains
OF eternal snow.
! 1t is not to be wondered that Mon
tana is attracting the attention of the
agricultural world. as an ideal place
for irrigation. Artificial resources
may fail, but here natures efforts to
supply have never been found want
ing. The climatic conditions surround
ing high mountains never fail to
bring snow and rain in abundance,
+, and the high attitudes holding the
snowfall, ensure for us a anever-ending
source of supply for irrigation pur-
| pO:s.
The state has nearly one hundred
and fifty thousands square miles Of
territory, and as 4 matter of fact there
are hundreds of thousands OF acres
! that are situated on the bench and
| high lands that cannot be artitclally
irrigated, and it becomes necessary
to find some way to store the moist
ure that always falls during the wln-
ter months in the shape of SNOW and
rain. | have already mentioned that
in the districts contiguous to the
mountains one can always depend on
Il sufficient amount of moisture. So to
the dry farmer it is only il matter of
conserving. for the dry months. AS Il
rule. Montana has II heavy fall of
rain III June. This year is an excep-
tion. June came with no rain in most
OF the dry farming sections, there
fore only those who prepared their
lands with the idea OF conserving the
winter precipitation produced an ay-
erage yield of small grains.
0hi dNOIC mas DttIl
said and written on various methods
of dry farming. care not what others
say, or write, or get their theories or
whether or not they be considered
authority. My study of this began in
the early sos when western Kansas
and Nebraska was considered desert.
! HOmeseekers located and were starv-
ell out. These were followed bv mt II
who understood natures law. and
mixed their brains with the soil they
titled. They prOduced: now we have
tW" states that stand in the frant
rank as producers. The same thing
may be said of Minnesota, North and
South Dakota, Alberta and her tribu-
tary provinces which were said to be-
unfit anything but stOckraisng. 1t