The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1912-04-25

cold in Indiana, than ten degrees be-
low zero in Montana. However, we
have had after all, but few OF these
cold days during the two winters. Most
OF the days are bright, warm and sun
shiny. / have seventeen head Of cat
tie, and nine horses. All winter these
have been running On pasture. and ex-
cept for about three weeks in Decem.
Der and January, even the milk cows
found good grazing. A local butcher
recently looked at my cattle and said
all the cows were fat enough to beef
The ground was thawed and we did
our first blowing in sod this season on
February 18th. The most favorable
winters in Indiana and Illinois would
hardly equal that. I find fasteners
are all happily disappointed to learn
that Montana winters are not nearly
so vigorous as they have been led to
expect, nor are they as cold and
stormy as the winters in the Dakotas
and Minnesota.
A comparison of the springs, sum
mers and falls of Montana with the
same seasons in the middle states
leaves every consideration in favor
Of the Montana climate. The springs
and falls are delightful. They are not
sloppy with frequent rains, but cloud
less skies, bright warm sunshine and
balmy bracing mountain air make
each day a new delight The summer
days are hot, but with always a cool
breeze blowing, and every summer
night Is 30 cool that one sleeps COM
fortably under a couple of heavy
blankets. The altitude is high, the air
Is dry and invigorating, the whole year
around, and the climate healthfu,
There Is no malaria, asthma, hay
fever, nor grip, and even the cough
or cold so common, particularly among
children in the Central states, is al
most wholly unknown. In fact there
is almost no sickness of any kind.
The u. g. Weather Bureau reports
show that there are many more sun
shiny days in Montana than in the
Central States. One must live here
and see the wonderful crops of grains
and vegetables, and witness the vigor
and health, and high spirits of the
people to properly appreciate the de-
light and the better health, and the
practical value in dollars and cents
this extra sunshine supply means to
the people who enjoy this rich gift
of nature.
And while there is more of sunshine
and less of rain and snow, there is
ample moisture in all parts of the
Judith Basin to produce the most won
derful crops / have ever seen. Provi-
dence is unusually kind in the way of
rainfall to central Montana farmers
throughout the country Immediately
east of the Rocky mountains. By
some unexplained natural cause the
major part of the rains come in spring
and early summer just at the right
time to grow the crops and to fill to
plumpness the early grains, and to
make the vegetables gnow quickly to
the advantage of their texture and
flavor. Then in late summer comes
less rain, making conditions ideal for
putting up the hay crop, for harvest
ing and threshing and for other fall
work.
Then / must tell of the Chinooks,
as the southwest wind is called. This
wind we are told is affected by the
Japanese current In the Pacific ocean,
a.. LIZ
It to melt heavy covering of snow
over night, and to raise the tempera-
ture sixty degrees in a few hours.
Many have asked about the soil in
central Montana. It is a dark brown
or black clay loan, containing pebbles
or small slivers of lime rock. The
small stones do not interfere with tn
cultivation, but disintegrate when ex-
posed to the elements and so serve
as a constant, natural source of ferti-
lization. The subsoil Is rich clay
mixed with many small lime stones
The lime in this soil neutralizes acids
that are injurious to plants. We are
also told that 1t makes conditions
more favorable for bacterial action;
and 1t renders available small percent
ages Of plant food, notably phosphoric
acid and potash The first foot of
Judith Basin soil contains from / to
Is per cent lime and the second foot
from Is to 20 per cent. Soils that
contain from onelifth to onefourth of
one per cent lime are considered rich.