Plentywood herald., 1934-09-13
GETTING DOWN TO
BRASS TACkS''
THE scRIBEs AND aPHARIsEEs"

Continued from last week)
The first part of this continued ac
count OF our trip to Miles City will
hold perhaps little OF interest tc
townspeople. but when 1t is remem
bered that more than rs per cent OF
our subscribers live on farms, the
reason for printing 1t can, We are
sure, be understood
For one of our luncheon programs
we were taken TO the Range Expert
ment Station at old Fort Keogh.
Driving across bleak prairies and
hillsides, where it seemed there
would not be sufficient vegetation for
even grasshopper to survive, seven
miles southwest of Miles City We
found the seat of operations, and
what was to prove one OF the most
educational features of the entire
| session Here the party OF more
than hundred guests was served
with bounteous lunch under a
large canopy stretched across im-
provised poles Following the lunch
con, Mr.. Leon C. HURT, director of
the station, explained its purpose.
Sixty uniform whiteface cows, diyid-
ed into lots OF twenty each, were be-
ing used to conduct the experiment
The three groups had been placed in
the three different pastures in July,
1892. They all subsisted for more
than two years on an average OF 300
pounds OF hay during each winter,
what salt they desired, and the ma
tural range forage. None had been
furnished any winter shelter. Lot /,
allowed 23-1 acres per head, was
overgrazed: lot Q with sos acres per
head. was moderately. and lot 3, with
3SS acres per head was lightly graz
ed The average calf crop per lot for
the two-year period has been rs per
cent. 95 per cent and SO per cent
respectively. Meat production was
43 per cent higher per COW for lots
2 and than for the overgrazed cows.
On August II. 1884, the calves
from lots and were, despite the
drouth, still gaining weight. Calves
on the overgrazed raneg are now
SO pounds lighter than the last years |
calves on the same date Cows from
the overgrazed range have required |
400 pounds Of hay each since July
20, and are still SO pounds lighter
than the 40 head which have had
more range acres but no hay. Light |
calf crops. less meat production, and
higher costs are the proven results |
Of overgrazing. These data also sup
port the conclusion that there /
would have been no necessity for |
sacrificing desirable young breeding
cows up to now, had our drOuth
stricken ranges been managed in re
cent years like these experiment lots
and 8. This, to say nothing OF the
value OF saving even the better half
OF our distressed breeding animals al
ready purchased by the federal gov-
ernment-
One OF the interesting numbers ON
the varied program was New Legis-
lation for Montana" by @. 8. Ward
en-. publisher OF the Great Falls TTi-
Ibune. and chairman of the Montana
state highway commission. Mr..
Warden predicts some radical chang
es in our general government setup
which will lbe made in the interests
OF economy to the taxpayer. Among
legislature he cut to one-haH its
present size. He would centralize
the authority OF school administra-
tion, eliminating entirely the large
number OF small school districts, each
with it's separate set OF officers. He
would reduce the number OF counties
to at least rs In the state, their size
to be based on not less than five
million dollars in assessed valuation,
and at the same time operate them
on a more simplified basis. Still AMI
other proposal would be to cOns0lid-
ate the government of counties and
smaller places. All OF which causes
us to wonder more and more about
the Tomorrow in this world in which
we live. 1t would almost seem that
we had already embarked ON a new
era In governmental problems more
swinging to the left II is a mos
time to live-say nothing
about the fascination OF running a
newspaper.
On the last day we were luncheon
ed at the State Industrial School for
boys, and we were happy indeed to
learn SO much first hand about this
splendid institution for waywand
youth. A group of some tWentyI
boys, ranging in age from 10 to is.
into the large new gymnas-l
lum, all neatly uniformed, and pre-
sented several chorus numbers for !
us. Some of them were exceptional
ly good songsfers- Following this,
and departing from the usual custom ,
Of having the superintendent tell ,
about the school, one OF the boys-a
most intelligent appearing lad OF
about 17-gave his own version OF ,
the institution The entire enroll /,
ment, which at this time OF year is
about $50. Is divided into three com
panies according to their age TheI
general routine OF the day Is. up att
O'Clock, breakfast at $50; at TOOL
they go to work at their various jobs |
until 11.30, having luncheon at H.
They have recreational period until
LOO when they return to work until $
$50. Supper is at 900, and they t