170 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



garden. No matter what you do in handling water it 

 pays to do it well by permanent works at the start. I 

 cannot imagine any more thorough and economical 

 system of garden irrigation than is herein described. 

 If adopted in a region where occasional summer 

 showers occur, movable wooden troughs might be 

 provided for carrying the overflow from one trench 

 to another, to be placed in partially 'prepared cuts 

 across the middle of each plat or terrace. 



Among the advantages of the above system, are: 



1st. In the long run, or say even for three years, it 

 is the cheapest system on heavy grades. 



2d. It is the most thorough application of water. 



3d. The water is warmed by the sun before it is 

 applied to the ground a very important matter. 



4th. It irrigates the lower as well as the upper part 

 of the soil. 



5th. It runs day and night without trouble. 



6th. You have no mud in the garden, no washing 

 away of soil or plants, and you can work the ground 

 any time. 



7th. Each trench acts as a drain for the ground 

 above it, whenever you stop the flow of water from 

 the pipes. 



8th. By what other system can so small a flow of 

 water be made practically available for irrigation ? 



In any soil through which water will percolate this 

 plan is worthy of a trial where the ground has a 

 slope appreciable to the eye. 



Instead of iron pipes the trenches may be filled 

 from a ditch by the use of small wooden troughs, 

 preferably buried for convenience in cultivation. 



MONTANA KESTJLTS. 



What lias been Accomplished on Some Irrigated 

 Farms. , 



Mr. I. D. O'Donnell makes some interesting state- 

 ments in his report to the Montana State Irrigation 

 Society concerning what has been accomplished on 

 irrigated farms in Yellowstone county. He says : 



" The valley tributary to Billings, known as the 

 Clarke's Fork valley, is destined to be the great feed- 

 ing center of this section of country. Alfalfa hay can 

 be furnished at from $3 to $5 per ton, which is cheap 

 feed for the stockman and leaves a handsome remu- 

 neration for the farmer. The farmer can raise from 

 four to six tons of alfalfa to the acre and can harvest 

 it for less than $1 per ton. 



HOW TO GET LAND. 



A man can buy land on time, and, by irrigating ) 

 without further cultivation can raise sufficient natural 

 blue joint hay to pay for his land in three crops. 

 This is not guess work but has actually been done, 

 and is being done at the present time. By paying 

 $1 per acre down, $1 per acre for fencing, he 



can purchase land under ditch. For $80 he can ob- 

 tain water to irrigate the whole farm and the second 

 year he can cut 160 tons, or one ton per acre of natu- 

 ral blue joint hay, which will net the farmer $ 

 per ton on the cars at last season's prices. He will 

 pay for his farm in the three crops, and have land 

 worth $25 per acre for his profit. 



GOOD CROPS AND A MARKET. 



The land grows magnificent crops of wheat, oats 

 and potatoes, which have been the crops chiefly 

 grown, and the quality is unsurpassed. Barley 

 grows well, and the dry season at harvest time in- 

 sures it against discoloration, so objectionable to 

 brewers. Bright barley, equal to th'e best California 

 or Canadian product, will one day be a staple crop. 

 Hops grow wild in many parts of the valley, and it 

 would naturally follow that hop culture may be an 

 important industry of this valley. Small fruits and 

 vegetables grow to perfection and always command 

 a good price, as beside the local demand there is a 

 call for these products from Anaconda, Butte, Hel- 

 ena, Bozeman, Red Lodge, etc. Melons do well and 

 have a fine flavor. Corn grows abundantly, 125 bush- 

 els having been raised on an acre. Experiments 

 have been made with broci i corn, peanuts, ground 

 cherries and sweet potatoes, and they have been 

 grown successfully, but only in small quantities. 



WHAT WAS DONE LAST YEAR. 



' Hesper Farm (Bailey & O'Donnell, Billings, Mont.) 

 consists of 640 acres. In 1893 100 acres used as past- 

 ure; 200 acres to alfalfa, cut about 1,000 tons in three 

 crops; 200 acres in blue joint and timothy, from which 

 cut 200 tons of hay, which was baled and shipped at 

 $9 per ton; 100 acres to oats, which produced 168,000 

 Ibs.; sold surplus oats at 85c. per cwt. ; 100 bu. wheat; 

 100 bu. corn; 30,000 Ibs. potatoes; 50 bu. apples; 320 

 qts. currants; 500 qts. berries, and all vegetables 

 needed on ranch for the year. Bought 150 inches of 

 water at a cost of $300. One man did all the irrigat- 

 ing, which for the season did not amount to over 2^ 

 months' work. This winter they are wintering 10,000 

 head sheep at 50c.; 1,100 calves at $2.50 and 100 

 horses at $10. 



Daniel Lamey, Billings P. O., on his homestead of 

 160 acres produced in 1893 the following: Alfalfa, 

 100 tons; 50 tons of blue joint hay, which he sold 

 loose for from $8 to $9 per ton; 5,000 Ibs. potatoes; 

 22,000 Ibs. oats ; 240 bu. wheat off seven acres ; sold 

 780 Ibs. butter at an average price of BB% cents ; 312 

 dozen eggs at an average of 30 cents, besides raising 

 all vegetables needed for his family and some to sell. 

 Is wintering 50 head of stock. Bought 35 inches of 

 water at a cost of $70. Himself and small boy did all 

 the work. 



