The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1910-08-18
DRY SEASON HELPS FARMING
HAS PUT FARMING AHEAD FROM FIVE TO TEN YEARS IS THE
OPINION OF EMIGRATION AGENT, E. c. LEEDY

agent, and E. G. Leedy, general emf
grafton agent of the Great Northern
Railway Co., passed through Malta
Monday on their way to Havre. They
are travelling through northern Mon
tana looking over crop conditions
and at the same time becoming IA
miliar with general conditions. Mr.
Leedy is not discouraged at the pre-.
sent outlook, but believes Montana
to be state of great agricultural
possibilities, and says he is firmly of
thd opinion that the drouth this year
is the best thing that could have hap
pened TO the state. Ina recent in
terview he further expressed himself
as follows;
This dry season in Montana has
put farming ahead in this state from
tive to ten years. l will say that to
President Hill when meet him. 1t
has put farming ahead here because
1t has demonstrated the need of dry
farming, and necessity of scientific
culture OF the soil. There are MANY
farmers who have not practiced this
science. There are many who would
not practice it so long as any kind of
crop could be grown. But brought
lace TO face with crop failures. as
some were this year, a farmer will
pegm to listen and to learn when he
sees dry farm crops unaffected by
the dry spell. You wouldn't have to
hit him between the eyes to make
him understand that dry farming is
his salvation, when his own crop
1a1l and he goes over to a dry farm
experiment station and sees big crops
being grown in spite of the condi-
tions.
There was many lesson learned
at Chester recently by those who
took advantage of the excursion tC
t the experimental farm at that place
There were dozens of farmers pres
ent who had failed to get good crops
or had had total failures. They came
up to find out why. The answer wa.
that they had not dry farmed correct
ly, if at all. And they knew the an
: swer was right when they walk e(
over the experimental dry farm o:
the stateand saw there the fine whea
, and other big crops grow on poore
Il land than their own. tell you i
: was an object lesson that Will no
soon be forgotten.
: "And then, too, to see the people
$ crowd around Professor Shaw asking
I him questions and taking down dat'
about how to plant crops, how mucl
: to plant, when to SOW, how often t.
J. cultivate, etc.
d zone Milk river farmer came dow
to the station and after seeing tn
Il the splendid crops he went up t.
# Professor Shaw and enquired wheI
+ he had put the soil on his land an
where he had secured the soil whicl
= made his crops grow so well. 1t did
e Mt take long for Professor Shaw t
g show that man his error, and to con
-. vert him into dry farmer.
"The Great Northern railroad j
going to exploit Montana more tina
e ever during the coming fall and win
IL ter. We are going to remodel tn
8 Montana exhibit car and make
n bigger and better, and we are no'
gathering exhibits for that car. w
|. have engaged larger spaces than eve
!. before for at least six big land an
II agricultural shows in the east and d
Il each we will put on a large exhibit 9
Montana products.
"Always we will boost for the DIR
T. land principle. 1t is the great thin
o for Montana, and it is the one bes
VI yet. This dry year will be beneficia
l. to Montana in an advertising way a.
. so.
VI "The fact that Montana dry land
have produced much better crop
v than eastern states, is the best advel
e tisement the state can have. Th
s Great northern has "A experiments
J. farms in operation now and we ar
It going to enlarge many Of them. The
). furnish a sort of agricultural educa
v tion to the new settlers that is inva
II uable.'
~ 4 60, F<,T