The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1922-11-10
BIG PROSPECTS
FOR MILK RIVER
THINK VALUES OF
SOIL NOT APPRECIATED BY
THE OWNERS
Growing of Alfalfa Has Been Very
Successful in that Section; Oppor-
tunities for Thousands of Self-Sup-
porting Farm Homes There.

The agricultural possibilities of tn
Milk river valley have never bee
thoroughly appreciated, largely be
cause the lands have been in tn
hands of large owners who are NOR
interested in cattle feeding or whea
raising than in the cultivation O
more valuable crops, according t,
government officials who have stud
led the situation.
onstration and full understanding O
the type or system of agricultur,
which Is most profitable; nor hal
there been general understanding
of the fact that with the great diver
sity of soils different methods O.
farming must be adopted. The soils
range from the light, rich, alluvial
sandy loan to very heavy clays, OF
adobe. The owners of these lands
have not taken sufficient pains to dis
criminate between these different
types of soil, and have tried to raise
cultivated crops, for example, on the
heavy soils, and in some cases have
neglected the lighter soils, becoming
discouraged and condemning further
efforts, largely because they have not
succeeded in raising on the heavy
soils the crops which might be very
successful elsewhere.
Alfalfa Successful
For example, even on the heaviest
soils, when skilfully handled, alfalfa
has been highly successful, but I'M
fortunately some of the farmers have
attempted to raise potatoes or sugar
beets, and have found that the cost
of blowing and preparing the soil has
exhausted the value of the returns.
In short, in going over the situation,
the slow development of irrigation
valley lands may be attributed not
so much to the soil and climate as
to the lack of activity cautiously dir
ected. Fundamentally this can be
traced back to the greater land own
ership and the desires of these own
ers to speculate in the land and in
cattle, rather than to inform them
selves through results obtained by
agricultural experiments, and carry
out the 1aborious work of well-dir-
ected farming.
Whenever these lands are placed
upon the market at prices and terms
consistent with their true value, and
homeseekers are correctly informed
as to these values and the methods of
cultivating the soil, there should be
no difficulty in building up commu-
mites along the Milk River valley.
There are opportunities for thOus-
ands of small self-supporting farm
homes. The soil, climate and trans
portation facilities are favorable.
There are no insurmountable obsta-
cles interposed by nature which have
not been, or cannot be, corrected by
the use and extension of the irriga
ton systems already existing. The
obstacles to be overcome are not ply
steal; they are wholly mental and of
human origin, resulting from the lack
of morale, or will to win, on the part
Of people now holding or controlling
the land. When once these people |
can be brought to see the great pos |
sibilities of the future, and realize
hat these possibilities cannot be at-I
aimed until the lands are in the
hands of people who will live upon
hem, progress will be delayed.
Right Prices Needed
The present owners must also ap-l
oreciate that to get the right kind
If people, prices and farms must be /
made attractive. No one is going
o the Milk river valley to buy land
It high prices in order to enrich the
present owners; they will buy only
because they believe the prices are
over than for equally good land
Elsewhere. II
When the merchants, bankers and
,thers who now hold these irrigated
ands out of use really appreciate the
ituation, they will see that their con-
inuance in business and increase in
heir prosperity would be better pro-
noted by actually giving away the
ands to the right kind of people than
" trying to sell them at prices which
will destroy the ability of these peo-
lie to get a footho1d on the soil and
ultivate it properly. While there is
10 necessity of literally giving away
he land, yet to attract the right kind
f people, the prices and terms must
70 such as to let the prospective pur-
bargain or a square deal.
Discussion has already been had of
he practicability of giving to some
rganization interested in the devel-
pment of the valley an option for,
ay, five years, on these lands. This
7ill enable the lands to be broadly
dvertised, and prospective purchas-
RS to study the actual demonstration
f success. Without such binding
ption, experience has shown that it
J useless to advertise widely the adj
antages of the valley, because of the
act that in the past when the home
makers have appeared upon the
round the prices have been doubled
r even trebled-thus frightening the
7ould-be purchasers away.
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