Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1913-08-22

and desert land laws and the said
act of congress.
8. The secretary of the interior
shall make and prescribe such rules
and regulations as may be necessary
and proper to carry this proclama-
ton and said act of congress into full
force and effect.
The opening of Fort Peck reserva-
ton will mark the last big opening
of agricultural land in the United
States. Six new towns will be start
ed on this big land area.
The total acreage of the Fort Peck
Indian reservation is 2,06S,693.
Land allotted to the Indians is
1858 acres.
Land remaining vacant or unoccu
pied is 1,345,000 acres.
Land now under cultivation is
$500 acres. Last year there were
only 1900 acres under cultivation
and the year before practically none.
1t is estimated by agricultural OK
perts that when this land is cultivat-
ed by the white settlers it will add
about 20,000,000 more bushels of
grain to the nations annual pro-
duction.
Flax this year is running from Is
to &c bushels per acre, wheat from
20 to % bushels per acre and oats
sc to So bushels per acre.
con the supposition that the un-
occupied lands were devoted to the
growing of wheat on the summer
fallow plan which would be in crop
at one time, and on the further sup
position that wheat would yield 25
bushels per acre, which is a moderate
estimate for yields on land thus pre-
pared, the aggregate production
would be 19,312,500 bushels"
Thomas Shaw, agricultural expert of
the Great Northern railway, esti-
mates. Professor Shaw further
says: IF this land were entirely de-
voted to the growing of barley on
the summer fallow plan the yield
would be 30,900,000 bushels, as bar
ley grown on such land should aver
age 40 bushels to the acre. If the
entire area were devoted to the grow
ing of oats on the same lines the to-
tai production would be 3S.625, 900
bushels, as so bushes per acre
would not be an extravaganza esti-
mate for land thus farmed."
There is another way of showing
the immensely of the possible pro-
drction of this fertile tract of land.
On the supposition that one-fourth
OF the entire acreage was devoted to
the growing of fodder corn, the yield
at the moderate estimate of Y tons
per acre of cured fodder would
amount to S40,625 tons. If winter
wheat were drilled in the fodder at
the proper season, which is August
and if the yield were the same as on
the summer fallow, which would be
reasonable to look for, the produc-
ton in wheat would amount to 8,406,-
$50 bushels. If one-tenth of the
land were devoted to the growing of
flax and the yield were 10 bushels
per acre, the flax crop would amount
to 1,345, 900 bushels. If one4tenth
of the land were also devoted to the
growing of barley, putting the yield
at 80 bushels per acre, which would
be high enough for land not summer
fallowed, the production would be
4,035,000 bushels. If one-tenth of
the land were devoted to the growing
of oats at 40 bushels per acre the
yield would be 5,380,000 bushels
This would still leave one-fifth of
the land for other kinds of produc-
ton such as alfalfa, vegetables and
pastures The estimated possible pro-
duction then would stand as follows
for each year after the first year:
Fodder corn, 840,625 tons.
Wheat, S,406,250 bushels.
Flax, 1,345, 900 bushels.
Barley, 4,035,00O bushels.
Oats, 5,380,00O bushels.
This would still leave ample room
for other lines of production.