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Great Western Sugar Factory at Billings. 



which developed the project, recently took up the question of markets which was be- 

 coming of great importance owing to the growth of the district. In 1913 the com- 

 pany built a farmer railroad over the project, connecting the farmers with the Bil- 

 lings market. This enabled many of the farmers to engage in the growing of 

 sugar beets for the sugar factory at Billings and also put the dairymen in a posi- 

 tion to market their milk and cream in that city. The road is so located that but a 

 small portion of the land is more than two miles from a loading station. A thriv- 

 ing town has sprung up in the center of the project. Literature regarding the Bil- 

 lings project may be had by addressing the Billings Land & Irrigation Company, Bil- 

 lings, Montana. 



Beet-growing is exceedingly profitable in the irrigated districts of the Yellowstone 

 and Clark's fork valleys, which are within shipping distance of the Great Western 

 Sugar company's factory at Billings. The success of beet-growing in this section of 

 the state has resulted in extensive investigations being carried on in other parts of 

 Montana, and it is expected that additional sugar factories will be constructed in the 

 near future. Already experimental beet-growing, encouraged by the sugar companies, 

 is under way in Ravalli, Blaine, Teton and Richland counties. 



Stockraising has long been an important industry in Montana, and in 1915 this 

 commonwealth still raised more sheep and produced more wool than any other state 

 in the Union. The beef industry in Montana since early territorial days has been of 

 prime importance, and it was but natural that the almost unlimited amount of free 

 public range would attract to this state enormous herds of cattle. It is interesting 

 to note that with two exceptions every year between 1891 and 1910 over 200,000 head 

 of beef cattle were shipped from Montana to eastern markets. 



With the enactment of the 320-acre homestead law and the spreading of know- 

 ledge of the true agricultural conditions in Montana, followed by the influx of farm- 



