Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1911-02-03
BOOSTS FARMS
OF THIS STATE

Yields OF Montana dry land farms
and the relative values Of different
crops and differen: methods of farm
ing were told to the people of Omaha
and the visitors to the Omaha Land
Show by c. B. Witter in the Omaha
Bee. Mr.. Witter was in charge of one
OF the largest exhibits from this state
made at the show, it being arranged
for by the penwe!l companies. The
Bee quotes Mr. Witter as follows:
''The experience of Montana farm
erS in the nOn-irrigated sections of
the state-and these comprise by far
the greatest agricultural portion of
the state-has very clearly demon
strated that the highest returns come
from mixed farming.
''I.ive stock is being successfully fed
Oh the so-calleG dry farnls.' contin-
ued Mr.. Witter, "and this is making
to Montana farmers. II has been
clearly demonstrated that tia kinds
and varieties Of crops necessary for
the profitable feeding Of all classes Of
live stock may be raised Oh al bench
lands of the staje. Oats. barley,
corn and peas. with alfalfa rs Il basic
feed. are forming the balanced ration
by which our farmers arp fitting their
beef. pork and mutton for the block.
Testing Oats.
''Seyeral varieties of oats have been
tested. and yields ranging from 2, to
lo4 bushels with an average OF forty
bushels to the acre. harvested. The
sixty day and Canadian white, two
early maturing varieties, have shown
themselves admirably suited to til"
conditions and may be counted on as
reliable.
"Two classes of barley. the hulless
and the two-rowed, have been grown,
The hulless barley is early maturing
and one of ,he best dry farm spring
grains. 1t yields an average of nearly
~ bushels to the acre and as it's bush
el-weigMt is GO pounds. This means Il
lot of grain. 1t has high feeding val
ne for all classes of live stock. The
] common two-rowed barley is little
slower in mat lring and does not yield
quite SO we'll as the hulless. How
ever. it gives very profitable retnrns.
'One of the most promising dry
farm grain and forage crops is the
corn. The earlier maturing strains
have been grown over the state and
grain yields ranging around forty
bushels. with forage Yields OF three
tons to the acre. have been harvested.
This crop is destined to find a large
place on the dry farms. and it's pre-
sencr indicates the great feeding de-
velOlment that is sure to come.
Field Pea Used.
"The field pea is coming into very
general use in making upa stock feed
ing ration. Its general adaptability
to soil and climate, and the very high
value Of the crop, both as Il soil i'm
pr0ver and for the feeding value of
the grain have been discovered. 1t
contains Il high content oi nitrogen
and both grain and straw are cspec-
tally valuable for the fattening of
sheep and hogS.
The question of torag" on he dry
farm is not a difficult one. Alfalfa.
bronze grass. tall uat grass and corn
fodder may he protably raised and
furnish the most valuable forage. or
these crops. the alfalfa will doubt
less be the most important. The crop
has been grown in all the sections OF
the state and is Well adapted to the
dry farm. During the last five wears
alaflfa has been yielding from one to
three tons, with an average OF al-
pr"Ni!nately two tons per acre. llar-
vested. This crop has II high protein,
content. and when fed with the grains
above mentioned makes an almost
perfectly balanced ration. This corn
is also adapted t" pasture production