The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1928-07-06
RIVER BOTTOM
SOIL IS RICH
BiG COMPANY PROVES THE
VALUE OF LOW LANDS
ALONG MISSOURI

An awakened realization of the
agricultural value and possibilities
of the river bottom land, of which
there are tens of thousands of
acres. extending across the south
ern edge of Roosevelt county, has
resulted from the 5000 acre pro-
ject being developed by the Frye
Cattle. company on the river be-
tween Poplar and Wolf Point.
The principal business of this
company is the raising of cattle,
but it engages in farming, partly
as a side industry and partly to
provide feed on which to winter
or fatten it's herds.
Choosing a spot ideally situated
for the purpose, the company
about two years ago established
on an arm or bayou of the Missou-
ri a large pumping plant with cleo
trically driven centrifugal pumps.
Power is purchased of the Mon
tana-Dakota Power company,
which supplies the towns of the
county, at an exceptionally low
rate. By means of powerful trac-
TORS and special brush plows
which turn a two foot furrow to a
depth of IL inches or more, both
THE brush land and the native sod
of the river bottom is turned over.
|Other tractors with Jewelers. and
discs follow and put the ground in
|condition to be seeded to alfalfa
with a nurse crop of grain. The
soil is deep and loamy with a
|good sub-soil.
Intensive Methods
While irrigation is not required
Ito produce good crops of both
hay and grain on these lands, it
serves to make possible intensive
Farming and larger and surer
yields. The soft water that comes
from the SHOWS of the Rockies is
lifted from the river to a height
|pf about Is feet in a tremendous
volume and poured into the main
from which a system of
haSerals leads and distributes the
water, as needed, over the flat or
sloping fields. Recently
Manager Fred Fear of the Frye
company, assisted by A. w. Wa
den, county extension agent, in
Eited farmers and towns people to
visit the farm and acquaint them
selves with the methods employ
I'D in subduing the lands and con-
Erting them in a remarkably short
period into growing fields. This
land, it should be said, was pur-
biased, and in a few cases leased
from the Indians. The project is
nerely in the constructive stage,
S explained by Agent Warden,
ut illustrates wildly the rapidity
nd cheapness with which the
aw land can be converted into
reducing soil. This season the
ompany has in crop 1900 acres of
Italia, from which one crop has
cen cut, and from which another
Top of alfalfa seed and hay will
e harvested; 1900 acres of wheat,
nd $50 acres of potatoes. The
ates, the first part of the season,
as used exclusively on the alfal-
and then on the potatoes.
anager Fear said that irrigation
ould be used on the wheat fields
lily if necessary, and, in view of {
te copious recent rains, this has l
1doubtedly proved unnecessary. l
Profit First Year |
In starting fields of alfalfa the !
lrse crop yields a profit the first !,
ar. Last year the wheat, plant
with the alfalfa yielded % bush
5 to the acre. 1t is reasonable to 8
pert that smaller farms can be !.
ade profitable, after methods
We been proved and the way to
ccess blazed, by this large con- t
IN. 1t is not unreasonable to pre- 4
1t that some time in the future t