NON-IKUIOATEL) FARMING 29 



to lands that were never adapted by climate or soil conditions to agricultural 

 purposes. Its proportions are indicated by the 145,000 homestead entries, covering 

 thirty-five niillion acres of land, made in Montana during the period from 1910 

 to 1922. 



Like all new developments, non irrigated farming has suffered set-backs. 



That it is a permanent system of agriculture under which millions of acres of 



land will lie turned info real farm homes and that it is a system 



N'on-Irrigated which will survive under the most adverse of drouth and 



Farming economic conditions was revealed in a special farm survey made 



in 1922 by the Mcmtana Agricultural College. Briefly, the 

 surve.v disclosed the most successful general farmers were those who grew most 

 of their own living, who handled large acreages — from one to two sections — 

 with a minimum of labor through the use of ten and twelve horse one-man outfits. 

 This made the overhead per acre low so that even a small yield showed a profit, 

 while in the years of bumper har\ests. the per-acre profit was large. Successful 

 non-irrigated small farms, specializing in dairying and poidtry-raisiug were also 

 found, as well as many g(Mieral farms that featured alfalfa, brome and other 

 grasses, potatoes and corn for seed. The plains region of Montana is treeless, but 

 successful .shelter belt plantings that have become beautiful groves, show it is 

 possible to change this in every district of the state when the owner is actuated 

 by a desire to create a home. 



The general conditions that surround non-irrigated farmers and under 

 which they live, are set forth in a report "Farming in Northeastern Montana." 

 issued .January. 1923. by the Bureau of Agricultural Economics. Ignited States De- 

 partment of Agriculture. It is based upon a study of the operations of 1,51 farmers 

 in Sheridan and Daniels counties. Only 26 of the.se farmers bought; the others 

 h(unesteaded. Only 25 farmers were in the district in 1908, or earlier, and 60 of 

 them came in after 1913. In Sheridan county the average size farm was 492 acres, 

 of which 230 acres were in crop and 30 acres in fallow. In Daniels county the 

 farms averaged 519 acres, of which 210 were in crop and .39 in fallow. Home- 

 steaders who have been in the area for only three or four years ordinarily have 

 few improvements and little equipment, while some of the men who took home- 

 steads in the early years have well-equipped homes and large, well-built farms. 

 Many farms have windbreaks. :More than half the 151 farmers had automobiles 

 and 49 owned tractors. 



As a result of their farming activities alone, 64 per cent of the Sheridan 

 farmers and 54 per cent of the Daniels farmers "have made a living and bettered 

 their financial condition since settling ..... The returns from their farming 

 activities and the change in the value of land, combined, resulted in the betterment 

 of the financial condition of 92 per cent of the Sheridan county and of 82 per 

 cent of the Daniels county farmers". The average net worth of the Sheridan 

 farmers was $9,138 and of the Daniels farmers .$7,189. 



A Sixteen Horse One-Man Outfit 



