The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-11-17
BIG PROSPECTS
FOR MILK RIVER
OFFICIALS THINK VALUES OF
SOIL NOT APPRECIATED BY
THE OWNERS

AnG OWNGttS
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 the
Milk river valley have never been
thoroughly appreciated, largely be-
cause the lands have been in the
hands OF large owners who are more
interested in cattle feeding or wheat
raising than in the cultivation Of
more valuable crops, according to
government officials who have stud
led the situation.
There has not been as yet a DEM
onstration and full understanding of
the type or system of agriculture
which Is most profitable: nor has
there been q general understanding
of the fact that with the great diver
sity Of soils different methods of
farming must be adopted. The soils
range from the light. rich. alluvial,
sandy loan to very heavy clays. or
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 un-
fortunately some of the farmers have
attempted to raise potatoes or sugar
beets, and have found that the cost
of plowing 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 laborious 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
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
that these possibilities cannot be at
tanned until the lands are in the
hands Of people who will live upon
them, progress will be delayed.
Right Prices Needed
The present owners must also ap-
preciate that to get the right kind
of people, prices and farms must be
made attractive. No one is going
to the Milk river valley to buy land
at high prices in order to enrich the
present owners; they will buy only
because they believe the prices are
lower than for equally good land
elsewhere.
When the merchants, bankers and
others who now hold these irrigated
lands out of use really appreciate the
situation, they will see that their con-
tinuance in business and increase in
their prosperity would be better pro-
NOTED by actually giving away the
lands to the right kind of people than
by trying to sell them at prices which
will destroy the ability of these PEG.
pie to get foothold on the soil and
cultivate it properly. While there il
no necessity of literally giving away
the land, yet to attract the right kind
Of people. the prices and terms must
be such as to let the prospective pur.
chasers believe that they are getting
q bargain or q square deal.
Discussion has already been had OF
the practicability of giving to some
organization interested In the devel.
opment Of the valley an option for
say. five years. on these lands. Thu
win enable the lands to be broadly
advertised. and prospective purchas'
ers to study the actual demonstration
OF success. Without such binding
option. experience has shown that Il
u useless to advertise widely the ad
vantages Of the valley, because Of thu
/ fact that In the past when the home
makers have appeared upon thu
ground the prices have been doubled
or even trebled-thus frightening tn
Il would-be purchasers away.
ProspoctoFs Bring In Gold
Il These days whom autumn IL beinl