Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-01-01
RICHLAND RANKS
AMONG LEADERS
HAROLD DePUE WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR RAPID STRIDE IN AGRI-
CULTURAL WORK

From MONTANA STATE COLLEGE)
Alertness to the importance Of
adapted methods, crops, good live
stock, the training Of rural youth
and harmonious cooperation be-
tween various farm organizat ions
and civic bodies on the part Of
former County Agent Harold F. De-
Pue Is responsible In a large measure
for the giant strides made in agri-
culture In Richland county In the
last decade.
The policy Of using adapted methods
Is largely responsible for the success in
the various phases Of agriculture and
carried with 1t one Of the finest ex-
amples Of crop Standardization. Over
IS per cent of the wheat acreage of
the county was seeded from lob Mar
quis wheat and there Is an equal de-
gree Of Standardization with the pure
adapted varieties Of Horn and Ham,
chen barley and Victory and Markton
oats. Adapted methods have brought
about high yields In the county and
advantage has been taken Of them be-
aus of the crop Standardization pro-
gram Of the Montana Extension service,
Dairying Progress
In the livestock field Richland coun-
ty has a record of which it may be
proud. In 1919, the county was i'm
porting hogs. Now it Is shipping out
from l60 to 1870 cars of top hogs each
year, or a revenue in excess of $780,
900.
Dairying has made steady progress
In 1919. carloads Of canned milk and
other dairy products were shipped in
Today the dairy industry there is pro-
ducing supplies for local needs anc
exporting products valued at nearly
a quarter million annually.
The sheep population is now several
times what 1t was at the beginning Of
the last decade and a corresponding
increase is seen in beef cattle.
Fields Producing More
Some Of the crops which have shown
marked improvement arr. corn, sweet
clover. alfalfa, beans and sugar beets
There we're only 1929 acres of corr
grown in the county in 1919 and since
then has expanded as high as 5000
acres. Sweet clover has increased from
$50 acres in 1919 to 10000 acres al
the present time. Non-irrigated al
falfa has increased substantially. Bear
growing is now one of the substantial
agricultural resources. and the sugar
beet crop has come into its own with
che largest acreage and the heaviest
yield IN its history this year.
In the training of the rural youth
Richland county has a splendid recorc
during the last decade. More than 2.00{
boys and girls have beer enrolled anc
have received practical training. Thu
training came from the county agent
and the home demonstration agent ano
covered practical education in home
economics. growing farm crops ane
livestock, development of Leadership
and above all was the inspiration fol
higher ideals in the development o.
health, conscience, the mind and TIT
ability to earn money and cooperate
with each other.
Farm Organizations
The county reaches its high point Of
efficiency in the cooperative spirit thai
prevails. The farmers union and The
farm bureau, two outstanding farm or
CARNATIONS. are working together with
perfect harmony as is evidenced BY
their annual joint farm picnic. II
community spirit the county boasts |:
community talr organizations, A higf
degree of understanding and unexcelleG
tolerance exists between the rural or
CARNATIONS and the various civi,
bodies.
The browning achievement of thu
county Is the Richland County fai
and is now recognized as being thu
worlds greatest county fair. Over 81
per cent of the farms u farm home
of the county were represented at thu
fair with exhibits this year. The sue
cess of the fair is due to the feeling
of cooperation and thu program 0
agricultural development under tn
leadership Of the Montana Extension
service. The fair is in reality tn
show window Of the progressive de
velopment Of the agricultural resource
of the county during the last decade