The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-03-24
Flathead Land Too Valuable
for Raising Of Wheat Alone
Poison Business Man Has Broad Vision for Agriculture or
the Future on Reservation.

"F1athead land IN too valuable to
grow wheat"
This II the statement OF one Of Pol
sons substanobaI business men who
sees ahead. He said II. no, because ne
is out Of sympathy with tho nation In
war, but because he In heartily In ae-
cord with IL.
1t In too valuable to be sOwn 10 wheat
because II will produce more food In
another way.
This fan recognizes the fact that
one crop agriculture and prosperity arr
not congenial bcdfellows. lie is far
sighted enough to see that diversified
farming will be the salvation Of the
upper Flathead valley.
Stock Raising Community.
because OF climatic conditions this
business man prophesics that the res
ervation Is destined to become one Of
the most extensive stock producing
sections Of this great western coun-
try. Practically ten months Of the year
are favorable for range grazing, oh.
Waiting the necessity for storing vast
quantities of feed for winter consump-
ton. The cold season II not severe
enough TO require the construction Of
buildings especially built for warmth
and the overhead expense liz not great
enough to be burden on the stock
man.
Prosperity In Osirying.
And. In conjunction with stock rails
ing. II II the natural assumption that
dairying Will also become great in :
dustry with tn. farmers Of this val
ley. In fact. REPRODUCING herds are
already becoming more numerous than
at any time since the reservation was
opened to settlement. H0me are con .
vertlng their land into dairy farms and
preparing for the scientific handling
Of their produce. In tho older sections
II the east this change from grain
farming has been the FORE runner OF
prosperity. 1t has restored depleted
soil to fertility and has been the means
of furnishing steady income To the
families that TIL the ground.
Sugar essts Paying Crop.
Sugarbeet culture IN proving valu
able for crop rotation. and aside from
the rciuunerativc returns In dollars and
cents. furnishes . by-product for win
ter feeding that has real nutritive
value. Acre for acre. the profits are
In excess OF those TO be reaped from
wheat. even at the present high price
Sor, that cereal. That beet growing will
gradually enlarge In scope il q certain
ty and the day will not ne far distan,
when refinery will be built as an ad
dition TO the industries Of Poison.
The farming area contributary tc
Poison ar n market h to be ENLARGED
by the construction Of q new bridge
over Fiathead river. This Improvement
will tap Spring valley. Big Draw and
camas. all rich agricultural land. tn,
bridge will be one OF the longest n
western Montana. $500 feet from end
TO end Of the approaches. the bridge
proper being 800 fest
Rely on irrigation.
All that Is required IN assure abund
ant crops and prosperity for the Fiat.
head farmer Is the necessary moisture
Natural rainfall is not sufficient. Blu
irrigation rs going a long way in solv
ing this problem. The plans for THU
project provide for the irrigation o
about $4,000 acres in various parts 0
the valley. The waters are being di
verted from the creeks and rivers ris
Ing In the Mission mOuntains and con
Quoted by canals direct to the Ian
and to reservoirs for the storage &
flood water. The gravity supply wi
J be supplemented when necessary b
dumping from F1athead lake. The are