Fergus County Democrat., 1912-12-17


of bench land to the uses of agricul-
ture. Accepting the theory that the
difference in price between unim-
proved and improved land is from ten
to twenty dollars per acre, 1t may DO
seen that from half million to one
million dollars In actual wealth has
been produced by means of the plow-
ing up and preparing for cultivation
this fifty thousand acres of raw land.
Better Cultivation.
splendid advance has also been
made during the present year In the
method Of cultivating the soil in Fer
gus county. Thanks to the influence
Of the farmers Institutes and of the
lectures delivered by agricultural ex-
perts such as Profs. Shaw, Campbell,
Lintield. Cooley and Atkinson, and yet
more to the experiences of the farm.
ers themselves. there has been
brought about marked tendency to
do better farming here In the Basin.
The old slipshOd methods, which are,
In measure, unavoidable in any
new country, are rapidly giving way
to the more modern and infinitely
more profitable methods Of tilling the
soil. Our farmers are not altogether
censurable for the manner in which
they have done their work in the past.
The necessities of the case have de-
manded that they produce their crops
with the least possible outlay OF ready
money. In all too many cases they
have not had the ready cash and have
had to wait until they could raise q
few crops by the easier methods be-
fore adopting and putting into prac-
tice the more advanced, but neces-
sarily, the more expensive plan OF
preparing the soil and gathering their
crops. The day Is now dawning when
the farmers of the Judith Basin will
call to their aid every practical sug-
gestion which science and experience
can bring forward for the better man.
agement Of their business. Nowhere
In the county Is more interest being
manifested In the such uplift agencies
as the farmers Institutes, expert.
mental farm results, lectures by ex.
.perts and state and government bull
letins on agricultural matters, than In
Fergus county. This all BODIES we'll
for the future prosperity OF the Ju-
dith Basin, which Is rapidly pushing
Its way to the front as one of the
most marvellous farming areas to be
found on the globe.
Stands at the Top.
The crop this year has been such
as to fortify Fergus county's position
at the head of all of the grain-pro-
ducing sections of the United States.
From statistics at this time available,
the wheat crop of the Basin averaged
fully 25 bushels per acre, the oats
crop forty-fve bushels. and the fax
crop 10 bushels per acre. There has
been an immense yield OF potatoes
and other vegetables, while the hay
crop Is the greatest In the history OF
the county
Better Market Facilities.
The chief development Of the year
has been the assurance that within
few months the facilities for market
ing the products of the soil in Fer
gus county will be almost II not quite
doubled. The completion Of the new
Great Northern line between Lewis
ers on lower Spring creek and the
Judith river many miles nearer elo-
yators than they were before. Thou
sands of bushels Of grain are now be-
Ing hauled to Kingston and Ross Fork,
the two new towns IN the new line.
which would otherwise have been
hauled to Lewistown and Moore, from
six to ten miles farther away. This
difference in haulage expense will
amount to many thousands Of dollars.
all clear saving, to the farmers
along the new line. Also the In
creased value of the lands in the large
section of country served by the new
railroad will foot up into the hum
dreds of thousands of dollars.
Opening New Territory.
The year has brought forth an,
nouncements from the heads Of both
the Milwaukee and Great Northern
raiload companies which, when full
filled as they will be within the next
eighteen months, will mean the open.
ing up of vast tracts Of land for agri-
cultural purposes which at present
are of but nominal value because Of
the lack of markets.
The construction Of the Milwau-
KEGS line between Lewistown and
Great Falls will open up a veritable
empire in extent and possibilities Of
development. Practically, 1t is all
virgin territory and most of 1t is thick
ly setted, but the owners have been
able to do but little more than sit
(Conf{puod IN moo two1voA