The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-09-30

tainable. So, there developed the
freighter Of the pioneer days, a man
who could control with uncanny ease
his teams Of from eight to 16 animals
over all kinds Of trails and under ev-
cry condition, the team pulling a
string Of two to four loaded wagons.
This came about under conditions
where there cheap horses and
outfits, a heavy demand for trans
pOrtation, but a scarcity Of man
power.
Compare this to the condition Of
the Montana dry land farmer in re-
cent years. Land and horses have
been comparatively low priced and
farm profits, on the whole, low per
acre. Wages for hired help have re-
manned high, 81 if the farmer is to
increase his years labor income he
must, as part Of his farming scheme,
spread his own labor over greater
areas of this low priced land, through
some form Of low priced power, SO as
to be able to bring the total Of his
profits up to a reasonable figure. It
is again a story Of the need of in
creasing the value of a mans labor
by the use Of low priced animals and
low priced land equipment.
So the conditions that are bring
ing about increased use of big teams
on Montana dry land farms today
are in many ways similar to cOndi-
tiOns that brought about the use of
the big teams in pioneer freighting
days. 1t is not through mans desire
to drive big teams that such a com
bination in favor of big teams has
twice come to the state. The big
team is a result, not a cause. Man
adapts himself to his environment
and the growing interest in big
teams on Montana dry land farms
today is but another move in the
adaptation of the Montana dry land
farmer to the conditions that he
finds about him.
The first big teams of the pioneer
days were driven on "stretchel
bitches" which were nothing more
nor less than log chains with double
trees attached by means of crotcl
chains. These teams were 'strinl
teams" and were generally driver
by means of a Jerk line" or single
line from the drivers seat to thu
lead pair of animals, the leaders be
ing trained to obey the twitcehs o
this line and the call of "gee" anC
"haw". Some time after the golC
rush days in California, and wheI
agriculture was beginning to Grove
upon the heels Of a fading gold feve.
there, some ingenious freighter tool
his entire outfit from the freigh
wagon and hitched it to the pillow
thus adapted the big freighting out
fit for the first time to farming. I
is believed that this took place in tn.
Sacramento or the San Josqui vale.
of California.
It was not until 1892 that Schan
doney invented his equalized hitch
where each animal in the team grOuI
is forced to pull it's full share Of tn
load. This invention made tn
combine harvester-thresher practica
for farmers who had settled tn
Palouse and Big Bend countries o
4 Washington, as well as for those VIII
were farming on a big scale in Cali
fOrnia. The combine, in turn, al
fected the size of the farm unit
which now becomes two or more sec
tiOns, and again caused the cOntriV
ance of seeding and tillage nipple
ments where the same big team
which were used on the cOmbin
: could be used in preparing and seed
, ing the land. The total result wa
: a big team type of farming ths
has for almost a generation been az
cepted practice in these districts.
Certainly this big team type {
farming is coming rapidly into man
of MOntana's dry land districts. 1t
not definitely an accepted genera
practice today because this farmin
} region is too new for the farmers
I have finally agreed upon any defiI
! lite type of farming. Yet in spite {
} drouth and economic disturbance
, there has been a decided swing t
wards larger teams until one can sa
with assurance today that the bi
team is to become a definite part {
: the type of farming which these me
= are working out.
> The "big team" articles which wi
,, follow are based upon facts gathere
! by Mr.. Wilson during a twO-yes
! study of this type of farming. I'll
facts are taken directly from farm
of Montana and the northwest whel
I big teams are in successful OperatiO.
-O-
II +akae Al mounds Of beef tn NAL