The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-02-07
PRESIDENT BUDD
WRITES OF STATE
HEAD OF GREAT NORTHERN,
IN MAGAZINE STORY,
BOOSTS MONTANA
Exploits Farms, Mines and Other
Lines of Industry; Says State Is
Certain to Become Great Corn
Growing Country.

Ralph Budd, president of the
Great Northern railway, in Forbes
Magazine for January, gives facts
on Montana in a lengthy article,
which is of much interest. MIR.
Budd says of Montana in part:
Montana is the third state in the
union in size. 1t a an area of 146,-
600 square miles, greater than the
New England states combined, and
contains about %90.00O,OOO acres.
Two-thirds of the state lies east Of
the Rocky mountains and is chlefIy
prairie, broken in h central anu
Southern portions by small mountain
ranges. About one-half OF the sIate
east Of the mountains is classified as
farm land, or approximately 5U'VUU'-
GOO acres. This leaves about 3O,OOO,-
600 acres suitable for grazing lanos
east of the mountains and about 80
100000 acres mountainous ana tlm-
bered.
the noun of land actually under
cultivation is about 10000 acres,
leaving about $4,000, 900 acres farm
land yet to be placed under cultlva-
ton. The number of farms has IN
creased from 20,214 in 1910 TO o.
AL in 1920.
The progress of farming in all of
northern Montana is reflected in ad-
ditiona1 growth of all the older cit
les in new and substantial publlc
~hni1dings and public improvements,
large school houses and business
- 49, - thu many new towns
that have grown up.
Oats are one of the staple crops OF
Montana and the quality of the grain
raised is u~nexcelled. While the legal
standard is 50 pounds of oats to the
bushel. Montana oats average upward
of 40 pounds and frequently so
mounds to the bushel. Montana oats
are in demand by cereal mills for
use in breakfast foods. The yield
per acre in 1922 was 81 bushels and
in 1928 "a bushels.
Flax is usually the first crop to
he nlanted on new sod, and with
three-fourths of Montana's agricul-
tural lands still to be brought under
cultivation, this crop is destined to
OCCUPY an important place on Mon
tana farms for many years to come.
II is one of the surest crops for non
irrigated farms and its monetary
value is high. The yield per acre is
1923 was 9 bushels against Z bush
els in 1922, and the area under cul-
~tivation increased 25, 700 acres.
In the eastern part of the state
corn growing is becoming a perman-
ent part of the crop rotation, and on
the non-irrigated farms is supplant-
ing summer fallow in the alternate
years. The experience of twenty years
has demonstrated that certain varie-
ties of corn are acclimated to Mon
tana conditions. The crop is viewed
with favor because its moisture re-
ouirements are less than wheat and
it furnishes fodder in dry years.
Montana has received widespread
advertising on its potatoes. Montana
potatoes usually command a prem
ium in the eastern markets because
they are "good eaters" and "fine
keepers"
Montana has two factories for
handling sugar beets. One is To-
Gated at Billings in the Yellowstone
valley, the other at Missoula in the
Bitter Root valley. Experience has
clearly shown that in production and
quality Montana beets are unsur-
passed. Yields of over twenty tons
to the acre are raised and the aver
age for the entire acreage is high.
Montana has long been noted as
one of the leading states in range
cattle, horse, and sheep production.
This industry has mainly been han
died on large ranches on a grazing
basis. It will continue to be a prof
table industry on waste and graz
ing lands, and the production of Win
ter feed by settlers on the great irri-
CATION projects is certain to greatly
expand and promote this line of ag-
ricultural activity in the state by
placing at the command of the stock
man this supply of feed. 1t is doubt
full if any other part of the United
States offers greater opportunities in
this industry.
The production of livestock in con-
nection with farming is also certain
to greatly increase the output of the
state. Advance in breeding will add
greatly to the value of livestock also.