The Washington herald., 1919-06-20
Financial News-New York and Local Markets B

ago. virgin lands, and 1t was at first
only the more venturesome farmers
who undertook to cultivate them to
wheat. Their venture attracted little
attention. The abler Industrial forces
which had entered Montana, all or
them ,immigrating. being In the best
and true sense OF the word carpet
besgars" were occupied with bringing
to the surface some part of the vast
deposits Of copper and some of the
precious metals.
Gradually. however. there began to
be understanding that the farmers
were to a greater and greater extent
tking up good land and cultivating
1t to wheat At last, a few years ago.
1t became evident that Montana was
to be numbered among the great
wheat-raising States. In this respect
her industrial history differs from
that Of California. For in the Golden
State agriculture speedily followed the
high development Of gold mining and
wheat was at last raised in such
amounts as to make II possible to ex-
port so great a quantity each year
as to justify speaking of California as
not only a Golden State. but a wheat
cultivating State. Then for some rea-
son. not yet satisfactorily explained.
wheat cultivation In California began
to fall OF.
On the other hand, Montana's first
venture into wheat cultivation was an
almost unnoticed incident OF her in
dustrial life. Gradually and conci-
dentaly with the exploitation Of her
rich mines, the farmers began to in
crease their production Of wheat un-
til at last the government at WASH
ington referred to Montana's produc-
tion as though it were a matter OF
interest to the entire country.
Fifteen Million Bushels.
Fifteen million bushels of wheat is
not a large amount for one wheat cul-
tivating State to produce when the
figures are compared with the record
made by Kansas, Oklahoma. Texas
and other wheat raising States. But
relatively the figures are large. The
Bureau Of Agriculture at Washington
in the estimate which II gave out
at the beginning of May reported that
Montana would harvest this year ap
proximately 1000 900 bushels of wheat.
When 1t Is recalled that last year Mon
tana harvested only s.706. 900 bushels Of
winter wheat. then 1t will be all the
more easily realized that her produc-
ton this year has increased by nearly
100 per cent
Last year climatic conditions and
some other adverse circumstances bad
ly affected Montana's wheat produc-
ton. But this year a harvest of IS
10000 bushels OF winter wheat with
considerable addition from spring
wheat may possibly bring the total
Montana wheat harvest up to 20,0c0.-
900 bushels, although these figures are
more in the nature of a guess than a
fairly accurate estimate.
Possibly the most gratifying fea-
ture contained in the report which
comes from this empire-like State of
the Northwest IS to be found in the
promise which It furnishes that Mon
tana is to become one of the very
great wheat-producing States of this
country Mr.. Hill was always of
the opinion that the agricultural pos
sibilities of Montana were almost I'M
conceivably great. There was need
only of adequate transportation and
the bringing to the knowledge of the
farmers what the possibilities OF the
State for agriculture are. in order
to make the State as great in agri-
culture as it has been, and is, in
very important mineral production.
The farmers OF Montana VIII re-
ceive for their wheat twice as much
money as was the entire cost of the
purchase Of the Louisiana territory
by President Jefferson. For he paid
France N50oo. 90 for the vast area
which stretches west OF the Missis-
sippi River from the Gulf of Mexico
to the Canadian boundary, whereas
Montana wheat harvested this year
will bring to the farmers considerably
more than $50, 100000
HOLLAND.