Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-05-20
RECKONING, ACRES IN MONTANA
Wide Available Area Offering oppOr-
tunity to Settlers.
POPULATION GROWS RAPIDLY
Many Agencies Tending 60 Put Idl'
Lands Into Service of Agricul-
ture-HiEh Production
Per Acre,

Per Acre,
| More than ten million acres-or. to be
| exact 1851. 692-of public land were entered
| in Montana during the years 1908, 1903 ana
| 1910 In 1910 the entries embraced 6616,1A
acres nearly double the amount entered
in any other public land state. As the en-
| tries for the three years covered 65,6sl
| quarter sections, each OF which may be-
come the home Of a family it is evident
| that Montana is receiving settlers in such
numbers that it's population will soon be
| doubled.
This movement of population into new
country Is almost unprecedented and the
figures do not tell the whole story, because
| there have been thousands of new homes
! started within the Carey act and govern
ment irrigation projects, on large ranches
which have been sold in small tracts, on
! orchard tracts and on lands bought from
| the state, from Indians and from the
! Northern Pacific railroad, which had
vast grant. Towns and cities have
increased their population; new rail-
roads have been built, and the mines and
lumber camps have been giving employ
ment to great numbers of men.
Plenty of Land Left.
| Montana is at last coming into its own;
| II is becoming known as good farming
| country and as containing the only great
vacant area of fertile land, waiting for
the settler, within the limits of the public
domain; and it has an abundance of land
| left as there were Sc 100000 acres of un-
| appropriated public land at the end Of the
| last fiscal year, besides the millions OF
| raw land in private ownership capable OF
being turned into most productive farms,
which may be bought at the price of graz
| ing lands.
The development of Montana a farm
| ing state made slow progress until three
years ago; mines and stock raising en-
gagged chiefly the energies of it's inhabi-
tants, and their success gave to the state
a reputation for supremacy in these in
dustries which overshadowed the great
wealth Of latent agricultural resources.
The filling up Of lands to the east drove
| land seekers westward in the search for
homes and they began to make inquiries
about Montana they are making them in
increasing numbers every month and what
they learn must surely satisfy them, Tor
they are coming into the state in such
numbers that the land offices find it nearly
impossible to keep up with the filings.
Montana is an empire in extent, 700 miles
long and 300 wide, and has a great diversity
Of soil and climate. II has great noun
tain ranges where the mineral and tim
bered districts are, regions of foot hills,
plains and prairie and numerous valleys.
The climate is good and all crops grown
in the northern half of the United States
do extremely we'll. II has the advantage
of having lower altitude than other inter-
mountain states, the average elevation
being $500 feet against $500 for Wyoming
lla1 far has
square miles below an elevation of 1000
! feet while Colorado has but 1900.
Cultivated Area Increases.
Montana has 100000 acres, 100000 of
which are estimated to be arabic. Not
more than 100000 acres have been planted
in any one year, though there Is a con-
, slant increase In the cultivated area, which
promises to double in a year or two.
Record making crops of wheat oats,
barley. potatoes and flax have been raised.
In 1909 the average yield of wheat for the
whole state was 500 bushels to the acre, as
against 1851 for Nebraska, $50 for Kansas
and 1873 for the United States. In oats,
barley. rye and fax there was equal
superiority. In 1910 drouth greatly lessened
the production of wheat In the northwest,
only q half crop being raised in some sec
? lions. The superiority Of Montana's cn-
/ mate. due to its location, was strikingly
shown IN the map published by the Depart
) ment of Agriculture, giving the condition
, Of winter wheat, July l. 1910 The condi-
Z ton Was "a below normal In Washington,
IS In Idaho, 20 in Wyoming, Is in Mime
sofa, q In South Dakota and only in
Montana. The yield for the year put Mon
tana In the first ranks for production per
acre.
Montana has land in abundance and
wants farmers, but 1t invites none to be-
come settlers who are not earnest home
seekers, Intelligent. industrious and able
to take care OF themselves until their
lands become productive. There are good
public lands, free, except for filing fees
titles 10 which can be earned by living
on and cultivating them; choice irrigated
tracts In Carey Act and government pro
; jects; improved farms which may b.
; bought at half the selling price Of lands
= IN older states and which will yield more
splendid opportunities in the fruit districts
: and demands for capital in ali branches OF
/ business With the increasing population
4 comes increased commercial activities and
r rising land values Little know, at pres
= ent as an agricultural state, Montana In
[ q few years, will be one of the greatest
producers OF foodstuffs. The basis for this
belief is the quantity of the land and itl
quality. For the 1S0O-lSOe period, taking
a the averages as published by the Depart.
Z ment of Agriculture, the lowest yield OF
: wheat in Montana was greater than the
E highest Of North Dakota. Minnesota Of
I Kansas by % per cent and the lowest
yield Of Montana Yves greater than the
D highest OF the United States by 30 per cent
: The highest yield OF Montana was create,
7 than the highest yield Of North Dakota
. Minnesota or Kansas by % per cent and
OF the United States by o per cent
PESduOtiOA Draws Settlers.
As these facts become more widely
known. land seekers turn 20 Montana II
9 increasing numbers. They are coming from
= every state, many returning from Canada
e The land office figures indicate what mo
!. mentum the movement has gained. From
s LEsAO62 acres entered In lso6. the entries
Il increased 70 atGO,So6 acres In 100 and thSI
d jumped 70 0.6l6 IA acres In lod0 Business
8 at tho land offices this year rivals thA
n Of last The new settlers have been busl
y breaking land. fencing. digging wells
building dwellings and barns and the Who'll,
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