56 MONTANA: INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES 



range that are above 13,000 feet, aeeordiim to the United States Geological Survey. 

 The well-watered valleys, running north and .south, widen out in the northern 

 part of the county and the mountains give way to rolling benchlands. The 

 soil in the valleys is a deep alluvial loam ; on the benchlands it is a chocolate- 

 colored loam. 



In irrigated acreage, this county is one of the leaders. (\)nst ruction has 



started on a project to reclaim an additional 32.000 acres and other projects are 



contemplated or inuler way for the irrigation of another 



Much Irrigated 20,000 acres. Wore than half of the farms are irrigated. 



Land Spring wheat is the primary grain crop and alfalfa the leading 



feed crop. A considerable irrigated acreage is devoted to sugar 



beets, fruit and vegetables. Honey is an important product. Small grains return 



good yields in the non-irrigated areas. Corn is adapted to the lower valleys. 



Along the foothills near the mountains mixed livestock and grain farming are 



types generally followed. Many districts, because of good water, green pastures 



and alfalfa hay, are naturally adapted to dairying, and more attention is being 



given this industry. Many of the smaller farms are developing good herds of 



pure-bred swine. 



About a fourth of the area of the county is included within national forests. 

 Lumbering operations are conducted on a small scale. The high areas within 

 the forests are utilized as summer range l)y many bands of sheep. Aside from the 

 manufacture of brick, coal and petroleum are the only minerals commercially 

 produced. Petroleum was first produced in this count.v in 1916 in the Elk Basin 

 field near Wyoming, but the output is declining. Red Lodge, Bear Creek and 

 Washoe are the centers of coal production. Other mineral resources include 

 gypsum, chromite, oil shale, natural gas, limestone and sandstone and possibly 

 pottery clay, fire clay and uranium. 



The rail and highway transportation facilities are good. The Denver-Billings 

 line of the Burlington runs northerly through the eastern part of the county, down 

 the Clark's Fork, and is paralleled by the Cody-Billings highway ; the Northern 

 Pacific has a branch to Red Lodge that serves the middle of the county ; and 

 an independent railway serves the Bear Creek district in the south central part. 

 A highway which meets the main east and west highway at Laurel rims 

 north to Red Lodge and is the main route into the Beartooth mountains. It 

 also connects with the Bear Creek coal fields, the Wyoming oil fields and Cody. 



Red Lodge, modern and the county seat, is the largest town and the principal 



trading point. It is in the heart of the Beartooth region. Bear Creek and 



AVashoe are coal camps. Fromberg, Bridger, Edgar. Silesia, 



Many Tourist Boyd, Roberts, Roscoe and Luther ai'e in the agricultural and 



Attractions livestock districts. 



Rugged moiuitains, a titanic plateau on the "roof of the 

 woi'ld."' beautiful canyons and lakes and a unique glacier — the Grasshoppei*^ 

 named after the millions of insect pests that are embedded in its ice, make the 

 Beartooth region of this county unusually attractive to tourists. A number of 

 summer resorts have been established. 



CARBON COUNTY — Ranks tenth in population (15.279): thirty-second in area 

 (1,318,400 acres): twentieth in combined 1922 crop and livestock value: second in 1920 

 mineral production: thirteenth in bank deposits, 1922: nineteenth in assessed valuation, 

 1922. Acres public land, 149,322; acres state land, 45,651: acres national forests, 302,190. 



WEALTH PRODUCTION — Estimated 1922 crop value, $2,071,900; estimated live- 

 stock value, ,7anuar\-, 1923, $1,516,000: metal production, 1920, $71; coal production. 

 1920, $6,071,000; 1921 lumber cut 301 M feet; total bank deposits, September 15, 1922. 

 $3,108,169. 



TAXATION 1922 — Total assessed valuation. $23,250,930: total taxable value, 

 $8,359,745. Total outstanding countv bond indebtedness, $533,000; total outstanding 

 county warrant indebtedness, $103,818; total outstanding school bond indebtedness. 



