The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-07-08
CLAIMS FARMING
WILL PAY HERE
Under Proper Dry Land Farming
3. Methods Montana Should
Grow Prosperous

0AO0tss08 O0OU10
GROW Prosperous
-
The future Of dry land farming il
Montana is the most importan,
question confronting large humble,
OF the citizens Of the state at the
present time. It IL claimed that dry
land farming can be made q success,
In Montana and this claim il sup.
ported BY what seems to be convinc.
ing evidence. The following extracts
from an article BY J. L. Humphrey
which appeared in q recent issue OF
the Montana Banker is we'll worthy
of careful perusal:
1.-The bulk Of the grain produced
In this state will ultimately be pro-
duced upon the vast unirrigated
benches which cover five times "a
much territory as the irrigated Sec
lions. 1t seems reasonable to as
sumo that IL this is not o, Montana
will not produce very much grain.
1t has been demonstrated that when
It rains sufficiently so that grass
grows for the stockman, a good crop
of grain can be raised on the dry
land by following proper methods.
I'VE like to make ourselves be-
lieve that the past I'VE years have
been abnormal, and in that way ex-
plain our crop failures, and in q like
manner infer that when conditions
get back to pormal, We will again
have good crops. A careful study Of
statistics does not prove this to be
true. During the last six years we
have had three abnormal and three
normal year. 1915 and 1916 were
both abnormal because they were
wet years. 1919 was abnormal be-
cause 1t was unusually dry. During
the next ten or twenty years we will
probably have more seasons similar
to 1917, 1918 and 1920 than any
any other. In 1915 and 1915 the
state enjoyed exceptionally fine
crops because Of the unusual precip-
1tation. If we continue to farm in
the future as IN the past we cannot
possibly expect as good crops even
with an equal amount of moisture
simply because the land is so foul
due to poor farming.
Under successful agricultural
methods as followed in other dry
farming countries good crops shuold
have been produced in. Montana dur
Ing the last six years except 1919.
There Is no reason why these re-
suits cannot be obtained here, as
other countries have been successful
under less favorable cirumtanes.
I'VE are Informed that the Big
Bend country in Oregon was home
steaded in 1888. The homesteaders |
Harmed exactly as they have in Mon
tana. They had the same experiences
that we are having, and great deal
of the land went into the hands of |
the farm loan companies. About
1895 new class of settlers came in
and took over the land and farned
1t according to proper dry farming
methods, causing the country to be-
come prosperous, making themselves
rich, and raising land values from
little or nothing up to $50 and $3.50
per acre. We are Informed that the
rainfall in this particular section o.
Oregon averages from seven to ten
inches over a long period Of years.
The average at Chinook, Mont, for
the last SO years is 1876 inches.
Editors note.-The records at Bid
die, Powder River county for the last
Is years, compiled by j. S. Rua,
show an average precipitation Of
over IA inches.)
Many men have been successful.
In dry farming in Montana. In al
most every district some man has
proven the success of this method.
Alvin c. Hull who lives on section
1926 Nav, which Is straight west
sf Collins. Mont, has produced sue
cessful paying crops each year ex-
cepting 1919, and he did not have
q failure in 1919. F. K. Graham,
who has resided on his ranch east
Df Dutton for nine years has pro-
duced Is bushels per acre, or more,
every single year during the past ,
nine years excepting 1919.
There is a long array of facts and
figures along this line for those who
wish to study them. And there are =
residents of Carter county who can I.
furnish from their own experience
some of these facts.
Every Agricultural country, re- d.
CARELESS of how successful now, i.
passed through trials and tribula-
ions in its infancy. There were fail
lres and doubters there exactly the
'ame as in Montana, only great
leal worse, and still these countries
passed through this period and safe
y arrived at point where there +.
vas no further discussion as TO
or not they were really ag-
'tcultural countries. History shows