Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-03-14

OF typical American scene
staged FOR the hast time Thousands OF
women and meu from all parts OF the
country will assemble IN Poplar 60 ben
eft by Uncle, SANS last great dlstribu
ton OF farm land II win be home
stead crush rather than rush The
picturesque race OF former day that
marked the throwing open Of govern
ment land TO settlers has given way
to the more prosaic method Of draw
ing lots tie who draws No ! Is en-
titled 10 the iirst selection OF a $40 acre
allotment the winner OF the second
ballot gets the next choice. and SO It
goes until an the land has been award
cd to the lucky ones among the contest
ants. for there viii be several times
more applicants than farms.
There will be excitement n,plenty IN
spite Of the new mnnner OF dlstribu
ton Success viii depend not on fleet
ness, but on luck Under the former
system the prospective homesteaders
were lined up. and NJ 4 signal they be
gan rush that was one of the NEST
thrilling sights IN The modern west
Oklahoma was settled tu that way. II
was race assuredly to the swift
Men on Observation-Disclosures men and won
spurred their mounts 10 distance
others who sat IN huCkhoarls or farm
wagons behind feet troitcrs or gall6p
Ing bronclios. He who reached the
roal FIRST staked out the best claim
Those who followed took the-leavlngs
For the majority. including practical
ly all those who Travelled afoot, moth
lag was left
Million and a Third Acres.
IL is no small section Uncle sam will
Cite away 10 Montana this spring
hdtliing less than milton and a third
acres The tract IS the najor part Of
the big Fort Peek indian reservation
at Poplar Wise men to Washington
have decided that Poor Lo has had
the place to himself long enough They
think he viii be better OF with a few
thousand white ueighbors. and they
also deem il time 10 lower the cost Of
living for the hundred million OF SO OF
palefaccs sprinlIled over the United
States Il is figured the necrssaries OF
life will be mnde n little cheaper by
opening the reservation 10 homestead
ers, since the quick agricultural devei
opmcnt that ia sure 20 follow is OK.
peeted TO add 2O,000000 bushels of
grain 10 the nations annual production.
There are 2,oGS.G03 acres 10 the Fort
Peck tract. but the interior department
has allotted T23.G03 to the Mandnns
and Sioux now settled there. leaving
1.3f5.000 acres 10 be taken up by the
descendants Of the pilgrim fathers and
other immigrants 1t Is about the rich
est land In the dry farming region, rs
il proved by the results obtained In the
$500 acres now under cultivation.
Two years ngo the whole tract was
bare prairie. and even last year the
cultivated area was only 1900 acres
In twenty.four months the land has
been Improved without Irrigation mud
with little rain. 90 the point whore fax
has run eighteen to twenty-six bush
els 10 the acre. wheat twenty 10 TWEEN
ty-fve and oats sixty to eighty Eve
Tract Could Supply Nation.
Professor Thomas Shaw. agricultural
expert. Is authority for the belief that
the million aud third acres 10 be
given to white men Will grow enough
grain 10 feed nation. The big yield
thus far IL result of cultivation by
Indians alone. What the harvest will
be when palefaccs get busy with the
soil makes interesting reckoning. That
IL will be far greater than the redskins
best achievement Is certain. although
IL must be admitted that 10 has made
tine progress as farmer In recent
years.
ION the supposition that the unoccr
pied land were devoted to the growing
OF wheat on the summer fnllow plan
said Professor Shaw short time ago
after visit Of Inspection 70 the reser
vation. (which would meat that one
half the area would he IN crop ~ one
time. and on the further snppeaitlon
that the wheat would yield twenty IKE
bushels per acre. whifh is i moderate
estimate for yields 90 iaud thns ptf
pared. the aggregate production would
be 19.312.d00 bushels
sIf this lana were entirely devoted
TO the growing 81 barley on the siim
mer faiiow plau the yield would be
30.9O0,000 bushels. as barley grovm on
such land should average forty bush
els per acre II the entire area were
devoted TO the growing OF oats on tie
same lines the total production would
be 3s,G25.0ao bushels ~ dfiy bushels
per acre would Hot he an eytFavagari
estimate for land HITS iaFmed
4There IS another WIS OF showing
the immensity OF tile possible predli'
ton OF this fertile tract Of land. tli'
professor continued "Uu Tie sipap
stt3a8r that ppe fonfth Of the eaiiFe
akfeaee were aefoted u the gtowt0a