Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1912-01-19

valuation of our land the same. !
know that some of you will laugh at
this statement, but ii you have rea-
solling powers will prove the above
statement.
l have heard several say that the
only trouble with this country is that
we are apt to be hailed out. That
would be true if we could only grow
wheat, but to me that shows that
whoever says that does not know or
does not want to know anything about
diversified farming. The farmers are
crazy OH growing wheat and forget
everything else. What if all the far
mers of Illinois and Iowa wouldn' t
grow anything but corn. 1t would be
just as reasonable, or more SO, for we
can grow other crops besides wheat
more profitable than the crops other
than corn are grown in Illinois and
Iowa. Did you ever stop to think
about that?
don't believe there is a bench in
the Basin that will not produce one
ton Of alfalfa to the acre. 1t has been
proven that one ton of alfalfa is equal
in feeding value to two tons of clover
or four tons Of timothy. You know
very we'll that the eastern states will
not produce two tons OF clover or four
tons of timothy to the acre. The
valleys of the Judith Basin produce
from three to five tons of alfalfa to
the acre. Timothy and clover is sell
ing at $4,000 per ton in Illinois where
came from and they think it will
go to $4,000. Now this hay is being
fed to stock that will not be worth
any more at maturity than stock is
worth i'll the Judith Basin. Why is
that? 1t is because the Illinois land
did not produce one-half the tons per
acre on $4,000 per acre land and land
is still going higher.
Now what is the trouble in the Ju-
dith Basin? It is because we do not
give value of our land and what it
will produce any consideration what
ever. About all you hear is dry farm
ing for this country. What we want
here is good farming, they call it dry
farming, but is good farming
just the same as in the East? II they
do not do good farming there they do
/. not get results. They do not call it
!. dry farming there, but call it scienti-
fic farming. That is what we want
here.
want to show you that alfalfa
grown on the benches will produce
more feeding value per acre than it
is possible for the Iowa and Illinois
farmer to produce on his 5000 90 acre
land, and the valleys of the Judith
Basin will produce three times as
much alfalfa as the benches. But
what want to see is the bench farm
er growing alfalfa and feeding it to
stock. AS have said before one ton
of alfalfa has the feeding value of
two tons OF clover and Of four tons
of timothy. Any of the benches will
produce one ton of alfalfa or more to
the acre if properly started.
AS to feed for hogs l will give you
as an illustration an article taken
from the American Swineherd. The
caption Of the article reads excited
by Good Pigs" and reads as follows:-
IAN enterprising breeder is always
investigating, testing and improving
his methods and his pigs when pos
sible. In this way it was discovered
that alfalfa and clover hay were
wonderful feed for brood sows. When
alfalfa and clover hay composed
about fifty percent Of the feed for the
brood sows the results We're remark
able in the fine condition of the SOW,
and the biggest, strongest cOnstitu-
tion, best formed pigs. This breeder
who ran across herd that was fed
in this manner, was SO captivated by
the splendid appearance of the pigs,
both in their strength, size. quality,
activity, broad backed fellows, that
he inquired particularly into the
method of producing this kind of
pigs, and especially how the sows
were fed. When told that they were
gwen but little outside of alfalfa hay
the breeder could scarcely believe it
and thought that some joke was being
played OIL him, and therefore turned
himself into Il spy or detective to de-
termine what the real character OF
the feeding was, us he believed the
man had some plan that he desired to
keep secret. and was merely telling
him about the benefits derived from
alfalfa hay to put him off the track.
Upon investigating he found that
what had been told him were facts
the truth without any adornments or
enlargements. This opened his eyes