The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-28
Under Glare Of Headlights,
Tractor Works After Sun
Goes Down.
so PER CENT AREA
INCREASE EXPECTED
County Agricultural Camp
bell Returns From Res
ervatiOn Trip.


ers near Arlee are using a great power
tractor, pulling gangplows, to turn
over virgin soil. When the sun goes
down headlights are improvised to
pick out a path across the prairie.
Everywhere in the Flathead country
supreme effort is being made to Gull
tivate every arabic acre of land, ac-
cording to J. r. Campbell, county agri-
culturist, who has just returned to
Missoula from a trip across what used
to be the Flathead Indian reservation.
"MissOula county will probably have
under cultivation this year so per cent
more ground than was plowed in 1916"
said Mr.. Campbell last night.
Twenty Power Tractors.
Much Of the new farm land will be
in the Flathead country. Twenty pow
erful gasoline tractors have been taken
to the old reservation this spring to
break up land which never before had
been scratched. Wherever the ground
is dry enough the blowing is now be-
ing hurried as fast as ineXhaustible
power can do it. Some lower areas
are still too wet to be broken, but the
farmers who own them are all ready
to start work.
The coming of extensive tractor
blowing is, indeed, the salvation of the
Flathead farmers this year. Many
men who are depending upon horses
are handicapped, Mr.. Campbell says,
by an extraordinary shortage of feed.
Hay is selling at $50 ton on the Flat
head, so low is the supply, and feed
grain is almost beyond purchase. AS
a result some farmers have had to
put their draft animals on short ra-
tons and cannot work them as hard
as usual.
The way in which the Flathead
people are responding to the govern
ment's appeal for more extensive Gull
tivaton is amazing" Mr.. Campbell
says. Il found fences in many places
where ! made short cuts in my first
, trip this spring. In other places plow-
ing has been started before the fenc-
ing has been DONE"
Seed Supply Ample.
Plenty of seed for the new area will
be available, Mr.. Campbell thinks.
Wheat will be the principal crop on the
F'lathead and good supply of seed is
on hand. The oats supply is good,
too, but many farmers who wanted to
put in barley have been unable to get
any.
Il found no supply at all on the res
Drx-,t;o,, Mr. Cow, y,holl enid sbnt
notice that barley seed is advertised
by one Mssoula concern"
Only those farmers who kept sup
plies of seed potatoes will be able tC
grow spuds this year. apparently. AT
one reservation store Mr.. Campbell in
auired as to the amount of potatoes
available. The store had five bushels
in storage.
Despite the unusual lateness of the
season the Flathead farmers chances
of harvesting good crops in time fol
fall cultivation, of their land are good
Mr.. Campbell thinks.
You never can tell about crop con
ditions at this seaon," he said. "Good
growing weather this summer will
easily overcome the Ndilulcdp VI III:
late start.
Grasshoppers Feared.
THE farmers on the west side o
the valley have one thing to fear
though. Another grasshopper invasion
is not unlikely. Grasshoppers did
lot of damage there last year. ant
they are beginning to hatch out now
An effort will be made to carry out
thorough poison campaign. The farm
ers around Round Butte are to have
meeting soon for the purpose of plan
ming war on the pest. BY using pois
oned bran now, while the hoppers ar
young and feed is comparativel
scarce a plague may be averted.'