Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1924-07-24
TREASURE STATE
s.usas-s--a-.-.s.-ss
FARM SUCCESS

verdict OF Herbert Cram aIter MS
years Of effort have been crowned with.
success. Coming from Maine In 1871,
he arrived in Helena without money
. but filled with the ambition that dis
tinguished the early pioneers
Now he has a wen stocked and I'M
4 proved 044-acre farm IN the Little
PrfcIkly Pear or Helena valley, six
miles northeast OF Helena. Probably
his land alone Is worth 100000, with
out considering personal property.
Hard work and the ability to see the
great possibilities Of the future were
the two factors which contributed to
Mr.. Grams success.
There was no railroad Stages and
freighting wagons drawn by mules and
oxen were the only means Of trans
portati0n. Supplies of all kinds for
the farms and mines alike were
brought up the Missouri river to Fort
Benton by steamer and then hauled by
the faithful but slow-plodding teams to
the various settlements.
Manufactured articles from the east
ern centers were extremely costly be-
cause OF transportation difficulties,
and for the same reason, there were
many obstacles In marketing produce
White graduated sugar was luxury
at 10 cents a pound anc many ala
without It,
Other prices were equally higa.
Under pioneer conditions Mr.. Cram
started to work out his fortune.
He began on cattle ranch at 1876
per month, and continued with this Job
for three years and a half. About all
he did besides working was to save
his money. BY the fan OF 1889 he had
saved $1,000, and decided 1t was time
to have place Of his own He bought
100 acres at his present location for
$500. From his savings he paid down
500 and used the rest of the money to
buy horses and farm equipment. On
the balance he paid 10 per cent inter
est.
The winter after he bought his farm
was one which has gone down IN his
tory FOR its severity and 1t added great-
~ to the hardships Of the young
farmer.
Wheat and oats were his only crops
at first and he sold the wheat to -
flour mill at the lower end Of the vail
ley for $1.25 a hundredweight.
after the Northern Pacific trans
continental line was built through Hell
ena in 1888, conditions were much bet
ter" said Mr.. Cram. Sugar and sim
liar articles and all sorts Of manu-
'actured goods could be bought much
cheaper. Many more people came into
he country, more mines were opened
~ and business began to develop.
This was great help to the farmers
n financial way, but 1t meant lot
o us In other ways because we had
more heart to work"
Within a few years Mr.. Cram bought
mother 40 acres Of land. Then ne had
n opportunity to sell out at 500 per
ere so he sold all but 40 acres. After
elling. he leased 544 acres and later
n bought this land for $4,000. Later
e bought 800 acres Of hay land at
1900.
Since that time he has been raising
attle along with his othex farming ana
ow runs about 200 to 800 head a year.
Ie has constantly Improved his herd
lln DUEeDItU- QEEEI0EQ EfItE.
His 1928 crops were 200 acres OF
ime hay. 40 acres Of spring wheat, 40
rres- Of Swedish Select cats and aboHt =.
acres Of potatoes .ss--.s-i.--.s=
For tame hay he sows a mixture OF =
falfa and timothy, 10 pounds Of, Turz >
sstan alfalfa to five pounds Of tim
ny per acre, using oats as a nurse
op. His spring wheat averaged 40
lshels to the acre about the same as
S oats. Melted Gem potatoes are his =.
vorite variety and he gets yields
nging from 800 bushels to 500
lshels an acre. He always puts M a
rye amount Of wild hay, 200 tons or
ore, and has feed te sci.
Last year he sold about $4,000 worth
hay and $4.000 worth OF cattle.
Sheep and hogs for butchering, cows
Ough TO supply milk for the table
d flock Of pufebred white Lkghorn
ickens do little more than make
E living for the family.
Mr.. Cram has built mp and Improved
} farm gradually so that a is among
: best In the beautiful Helena valley.
! has a comfortable home and good
lldlngs, equipped with modern con-
niences.
I never have had any trouble mar
Ting my produce" he said. ssOf
frse ! didn't always get the price I
nted but sold for the best price 7
nd get and so, taking all the years
ether, have come out ehead. I
re never had any trouble hiring men
this has meant quite a lot TO me at
Ies. This valley Is fine place to
m. am glad I came to Montana