The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1911-02-09
NECESSARY EQUIPMENT OF THE
MONTANA HOMESTEADER
SUGGESTIONS FOR THOSE WHO WILL MAKE TREASURE
STATE THEIR FUTURE HOME. SETTLERS SHOULD BE
APPRIZED OF THE NATURE OF UNDERTAKING

The ENTERPRISE is in receipt or
80 many inquiries regarding what is
needed by prospective settlers on
their homsteads, that the following
able article, 'Elnipment OF Tie
Homeseeker," written by Professor
Thomas Shaw, agricultural expert
for Montana. is given with the be-
lief that it will not only be gladly re-
ceivetl but will be of great value to
those seeking such information.
''Next spring there will be Il large
inflow Of settlers into Montana as
there was year ago. 1t is very inn
portant that those that come here
with clear understanding OF the
problem Of settlement may prevent
many mistakes that may otherwise
occur. Such information, though in
all instances valuable, may not be
SO important to the unmarried man,
as he can move much more readily
and with much less expense than the
man who must take his family with
him.
''The man .himself should he OH
the ground in March. lie ought to
aim to bring with him at least three
good strong horses and il breaking
plow. -Four horses would be better
than three. lie onght to BRING with
him fodder and grain enough to sus-
tain the horses until midsummer.
lie should have a breaking plow, a
good disc and a good harrow. His
little shack and small stable should
be up in March, SO that lie can be
ready to go to work the first
day that his rlow can be started in
prairie sod. lie should turn it over
not less than five or six inches deep,
Six inches will in the end be better
than five. The day that he plOWs
the land he should run over it with
the disc lengthwise of the p'owing to
make it firm, and should at once fol-
low with the harrow. Thus he
shonld do from day to day as he
plows. In this way the moisture is
conserved in the soil until it is to be
sown. He should bring his seeds
flax, oats and corn and possibly
some dur,lm wheat, also potatoes.
If his family come with him he
should also have garden seed. If
durum wheat is sown, it should he
sown quite early, as soon in fact, us
the land is i'm condition. 1t flax be
sown, it may be put in later. but not
later as Il rule than the middle OF
May and earlier will be better. The
seed bed for it should be we'll pre-
pared. The corn should be put in
not later than the middle of May and
GA a we'll prepared seed bed. The
aim should be to SOW the oats Just
after the wheat is sOWll. Only as
much corn and oats should be put in
as viii be needed to furnish food for
the horses for the next year. About |
the only money crop that the farmer
should try to grow the first year is
flax, and he should not try to grow |
even that, unless he can get it in |
reasonably early and on well pre-
pared land.
Every effort should be made to
break up all the land possible for
the next years crop. The farmer
should not refuse to work long hours
with this object in view. lie should
take all the work out of his team
that they will stand without abusing
them, and he should be diIgent i'm
turning over the land day in and day
ont until the season arrives when
the land can not be ploWed without
too much labor, because of the dry
ness of the land. Flowing can usll-
ally be done from the opening of
spring until early July, After that
season the lack of moisture in break
ing makes ploWing dillicult.
THE breaking should invaria bly,
be followed at once with the disc
and harrow, or what would oe still
better, with the roller, disc and har-
row. The harrow should be used
after every considerable rain and in
this way the moisture will he held
1t is greatly important that the lar |
sest possible amount OF land should
be prepared in this way. On land ,
,hns pre- pared, the crop of the next t
season is practically assured. This t
eliminates the element of hazard t