Evening star., 1947-09-28

'uture of the Nations greatest food.
and climate. 1t produces major
portion of the Nations small grains,
corn, sugar beets, potatoes, hay and
livestock.
Farming Will Improve
Agricultural development Of the
basin," the report states, rs acquir-
ing stability and maturity. With
development of the Missouri River
and the proposed irrigation projects
that total approximately 5000, 1000
acres of new lands, there should be
an increase in the number of process
ing plants, in the production Of
special crops and in population OF
the region.
mo marked change in the type
of farming or kinds of agriculture
products can be assumed, but in
creased agricultural production on
both nonirrigated and irrigated land
will occur.
THE principal effect upon agricul-
ture Of the development of the ap-
proved irrigation projects will be to
stabilize the livestock industry,
which in turn will tend to stabilize
the entire economy of the basin.
1T is anticipated that more
vegetable oils will be produced in the
basin and thus plants to process the
seed will be constructed. In addi-
ton, processing Of farm products for
the preparation of fats, proteins and
carbohydrates in pure form will IN
crease as the technology develops.
I'm general, the basin is deficiers
in most manufactured products as
we'll as products OF forests and
mines"
The report states that If develop
ment occurs as anticipated tota
agriculture production should in.
crease by rs per cent and the pro-
duction Of processed agricultural
materials by so to so per cent.
Great Fuel Resources
Turning to fuels, the report states
that the Missouri Basin contains
the greatest solid-fuel resources in
the Nation. While quantities Of
anthracite coal are small, the report
stated. fuel reserves, from Ignite
through subbituminous and bitumi-
nous coal to semi-anthracite, are
tremendous.
"The future development OF the
basins solid fuels is closely tied to
fuel technology" the report says.
These inexhaustable supplies of
low-rank Goals may, indeed, be con-
sidered as our ultimate future
sources of synthetic liquid fuels, gas
oline, DIESEL and fuel oils and Of
raw materials for chemical indus
try"
On the subject of petroleum and
natural gas, the report says the
Missouri Basin has produced II per
cent of the cumulative crude petrol
cum produced by the United States
and in 1945 produced at the rate Of
8.6 per cent of the national total.
The basin has crude oil production
for self-sufficiency, the report states,
but APPARENTLY lacks refinery capac-
ity. The basin stores almost II per
cent Of the Nations natural gas re.
serves.
Present known reserves Of crude
petroleum in the basin are suficient
to supply 1t with gasoline and fuel
oil for approximately 10 years at the
estimated 1880 rate Of consumption"
the report says.
Future discoveries, mainly in the
Rocky Mountain region, should raise
this figure to 80 years. The known
natural gas reserves are sufficient
for over 80 years, estimated at the
1880 rate of consumption, or so years
at the 1910 rate.
When the supply of crude petrole-
UNI runs out" the report continues,
gasoline, fuel oil, etc., will be OBJ
tanned from oil shales and coal In
the region. Oil shale reserves are
estimated to be sufficient 70 supply
SO, ,000, ,0o0, 900 barrels of gasoline"
The report states that petroleum
asphalt, petroleum coke and road
oils are other basin products with
much present use and anticipated
expansion.