Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-04-19
GETTING DOWN TO
TACkS
n GREAT GAMBLE
tBy TOM MooDIE)

Bile. The man who SONS a no aS5ur
ance he will reap Many things mal
happen between the time the grain
goes in the ground and the time
when IL is safely under shelter In the
granary, especially in this section q
the west. High winds may blow ii Out
of the seed bed before ii has time to
terminate. Once ii is rooted and
above the ground insect pests may at
tack it. In June, when the fields ART
beautiful and green. hot winds may
wither and blight IL. Grasshoppers
may attack il When it is in the full
ear, tiny parasites may appear at the
base of every kernel in the milk. sap
ping their vitality. When il is fully
ripened torn clouds will be watched
for five minutes of hail may complete
1y wipe out the finest crop prospects
possible. The farmer maj be indus
trious. skilled. modernly equipped
Yet he must always face the eIe
ment of chance.
The crop and its general condition
from this time forth will be on every
bOdy's mind. Scientists will watch the
process of termination. the develop
ment of the o system. the color of
the blades As they appear above the
ground. Growing a crop is something
like a race that lasts 100 days Every
body is roofing for the farmer to win
III this great game of chance There
comes a time lea the harvest season
when there is a general condition OF
strain. Man scans the sy and every
cloud IN 1t 10 estimate what 1T may
portend. Scores break under the long
continued ordeal and become pessi
mistic. Absurd rumors are set in cir
culafion. Influences which may bene-
fit either n way or the other In
market manipulations start stories of
bumper crops, or crop damage Al
may suit their individual purpose For
a period of 10 10 IA days In the final
stage of ripening, all the norrhwe est
just stands by and worries. There Is
something dramatic about it all Crop /
production in the northwest is a time /
of great moving drama, and has been |
recognized In books stories and MOI
q few stage plays. |
$50 |
The human stake is great A Eood
crop means everything 1t means OPP
portnnity to cut down the mortgage
debt. perhaps TO send the boy or girl
10 school "a new rug for the parIor,
things for the farm household
they have long been denied
1t mean a trip to the old
nome and a season o. blissful reIax1
ton and visiting with the old and
we'll loved friends. 1t means indie
pendence for the farmer, more com
.ort for his home. 1t n th0us
Ind things we seldom think Of. like !
new peWs for the little neighborf1ood
church and neat markers for the
graves of loved ones In the little ruE
IL cemeteries. 1t means dental work
or members of the family who need
t, warm clothing. feed for livestock.
,lenty to eat In the cellar against the
when the chill winds of winter
weep the land and the winter storms
attle at the window easements and
he door.
Farming is the great gamble In i,
1oSt of Montana because OF the fac
moisture is In crop production No |
ain, no crop. No crop. and despite i
S brave a spirit and as fine = re
ourcefulness as any people ever had
are inevitable times OF pitifui /
Thinking is affected. There I
both social and moral consequence !
If there Ia a cycle of crop failures /
ontinued over a period OF years Yet !
lis is the story of every pioneer 4
ountry, and in the Upper Missouri &
1untTy we are just beginning to em Il
from the pioneer era. Kansas e
ent through this, 10 did Nebraska, \ q
did all the plains states. In time n
ley developed a system which cut !
own the percentages in the great
although there are still losses
eep down In its heart all the world Il
kes a gambler. There is something 4
I glamour about him, whether he LIS ii
'oking out a faro game or sitting =
lstlbrimmed on a seeding machine Il
he element of chance. however ii 4
invoked, has q certain fascination r.
here Is a great thrill in winning h
ut those who gamble must be pre-
lred also to be good losers
49, LII
We are developing our own system !
the Tipped Missouri country as 1T il Z
Dplied to the business OF gambling p
year the wheat acreage will be Z
on~siderably reduced and the feed y
OPP acreage considerably increased .
eed and food reserves are an ace Q
the hole. Experience LIS showing !
at we must move to conserve and u
Did every drop OF run-0ff water. II
here are scores OF dams at the o
iouths of coulees in this county .
here there was one or none a fer
ears ago. Seed bed preparation IL =
ore careful Seed lis more carefully
losen- Trees are not receiving Ms
UGH attention as they should and the o
JASON for planting them is here .
ght now. p
- II
d,
One OF the proudest possessions OF 4
fine old farmer friend down I'm III.
county is a grove OF cotton g
GODS which he planted with his own
ands 46 years ago. They surround =.
IS comfortable farm home. He no W.
ced that they shaded his garden III
md ID e