Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1910-06-24
MONTANA CALLS
TO YOU NOW
Continued from First Page.l


passing away. They are beng cut up
into farms and the men from Illinois.
Iowa. Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana,
Missouri and other parts of the middle
west are going Oh to the rich virgin
soil, and OH the same ground that
used to support one steer they are
raising ten head Of better stock than
was produces by the ranchman, by u.s.
ing more intelligent methods of soil
cultivation. Stock raising will con-
tinue to bea great Industry. but under
different and changed conditions.
Montana is developing into one Of
the great wheat regions of the coun-
try. Oats and barley also yield bum
per crops. The expansive plains and
valleys seem peculiarly adapted
through soil and climatic conditions
to the growing of grain. Grain ele-
vators are going up at the stations
along the railroads, and flour mills
and cereal food factories are being es-
tablished. by the so-called dry farm
ing method yields per acre of 25 to
forty bushels of wintei wheat are
now not uncommon. with forty to six-
ty-tive bushels per acre of oats or bar
ley. In valleys under irrigation wheat
will go sixty to siNty-live bushels an
acre, and oats to 100 and 1875 bushels
All acre.
Root crops give better returns from
thesoiI, and especially in the irrigated
areas they grow to great size and
splendid flavor. The raising of sugar
beets is becoming an industry of pro-
nOunced proportions. At Billings a
factory costing 81 .2lO, 600 is handling
the product OF the surrounding val
leys. And as the Montana sugar beet
seems to be unusually we'll supplied
with sugar, this factory ranks third
III the United States in it's output.
Potatoes grow to large size, and are
remarkably free from imperfections.
On irrigated soil they 60 from $50 to
400 bushels per acre, and the prairie
farms will return $50 to $50 bushels
per acre. Vegetables Of all kinds
make glad the heart OF the farmer by
their size and yield. \ good market
in the mining camps and cities near
by make these crops and poultry rails
ing and dairying profitable.
Alfalfa. clover and timothy, so i'm
portant to the farmer, show an album
dant yield. Three cuttings of alfalfa
are Obtainable on irrigated soil, and
this crop is being widely used by far
mers engaged III cattle, sheep or hog
raising or in dairying.
Within the area OF the state, which
is approximately 535 miles long and
275 miles wide, is Il greatly diversified
region. of the 93,OOO,OOO acres of
land, 3O,OOO,OOO acres are mountain
GUS. +5.WW. 900 acres grazing land, and
lS,WW, 600 acres suitable for farming.
This farming area is as large rs that
of one of the rich prairie states, such
as Illinois, counting out waste land of
the latter, and on account Of it's di-
versity offers opportunities for almost
every kind Of soil cultivation.
The explanation of the large yields
and of the high quality which char
acterizes the grain is found in the
GOODNESS of the nights at the season
when the grain ripens. This means
that it ripens slowly. and therefore
has ample time to form plump ker.
mel. \ second reason is found in the
unusually large amount of mineral
water found in the soil and also in the
subsOil. The character of the subsoil
is virtually the same as that of the
surface soil, hence the soil has great
sustaining power. With fair treat
ment it will remain fertile Indefinitely.
The dry character of the weather also
practically eliminates all hazard of
loss in the crops while being harvest
ed.
Manufacturing is appealing strongly
to Montana people as line of indus
try that should be fostered in every
way by the state and by the various
cities. The remarkable water power
that nature has provided in the many