EAST rENTRAL .MONTANA 77 



gatetl by pumpiiiir. and it is estimated about 2r).(M)0 acres additional, of which 

 10,000 acres lie alonir the Missouri River, are irri^ralih-. A clay loam .soil pre- 

 dominates in the Yellowstone valley, while on the upbuids devoted to non-irrijLjated 

 farming soil types range from sandy to day loam. Lignite coal is found through- 

 out the county. Except for certain areas along the Missouri Kiver. most of the 

 county Is tillable. 



Si>rlng wheat, corn, alfalfa, potatoes, sugar beets, barley, oats and begjis are 

 the principal crops in the irrigated district ahmg the Yellowstone. Spring wheat 

 is the principal cash crop in the nou-irrigated districts, with 

 reatiires Need oats, corn and liarley the leading feetl crops. The corn acreage 

 I reduction jj.^g greatly expanded in recent years and has returned excel- 

 lent yields of both grain and fodder. Seed production is be- 

 coming increasingly important. Alfalfa, corn, oats, sweet clover, beans and 

 Triumph potatoes are the principal seed varieties. Two seed hou.ses have been 

 established at Sidney, primarily to handh> the production of the comity which is 

 steadily finding a wider market. Investigations have been made looking to the 

 establishment in the county of a factory for canning sweet corn and tomatoes, 

 and of a sugar beet factory. 



Since corn became a standard crop in rotation, the swine industry has rapidly 

 developed. Dairying is expanding. Considerable stock is carried in the non-irri- 

 gated districts, and in the western end of the county the range stock industry 

 survives, liut on a greatly reduced scale from that of earlier years. 



The Northern Pacific has a branch line running down the Yellowstone valley 

 from Glendive to Sidney, and the Oreat Northern has a line that conies up the 

 Y'ellowstone from Moudak. at East Fairview meeting another line that comes in on 

 the east from Dakota. This line continues up the Yellowstone to Sidney and then 

 swings west. Its present terminus is at Riche.v. .iust across the western border 

 of the county, but its extension to Lewistown. forming another main line, is 

 projected. 



Sidney, the county seat, is the largest town and chief distributing center. It 

 has all modern municipal improvements. Fairview lies in the heart of the 

 irrigated district. 



Richland comity is a rich field for the student of early-day western history, 

 much of which in the days of the fur trader was written on the Missouri and 

 Yellowstone River.s. 



RICHLAND COUNTY — Ranks twenty-third in population (8,989); thirty-fifth in 

 area (1.345,920 acres); ninth in combined 1922 crop and livestock value; sixteenth in 1920 

 mineral production; twentieth in bank deposits, 1922; twentv-seventh in assessed valua- 

 tion, 1922. Acres public land. 19.399; acres state land, 70,291. 



WEALTH PRODUCTION — Estimated 1922 crop value. $2,740,000; estimated live- 

 stock value, January, 1923. $1,688,700; coal production, 1920, $70,417; total bank deposits, 

 September 15, 1922. -SI, 886, 976. 



TAXATION 1922 — Total assessed valuation. $20,790,419; total taxable value, $6,417,- 

 429; total outstanding- county bond indebtedness, $370,000; total outstanding county war- 

 rant indebtedness, $10,409; total outstanding- school bond indebtedness. $104,407; other 

 school debts, $88,461. Total general and special county taxes. $203,991; total general and 

 district school taxes. $177,955; total municipal taxes, $19,258; total state taxes, $30,762; 

 total taxes (inclusive municipal), per capita, $48.05. 



EDUCATIONAL — Number graded schools, 107; enrollment, 2,010. Number high 

 schools, 4: eniollmcnt. 522. 



BUSINESS STATISTICS — Number of railroads, 2; railway mileage, exclusive spurs 

 and sidetracks, 81.76. Number of manufactures, 16; average number wage earners, 41; 

 value of products, $847,965. Number of banks. 10. Number general stores. 22; confec- 

 tionery, etc., 8; groceries and meats, 11; lumber yards, 11; total number merchants, 161. 

 Total assessed valuation 1922 meichandise, $361,770. Number grain elevators. 16: total 

 capacity, 485.000 bushels. Number creameries, 1. Numljer flour mills, 3. Number of 

 lawyers, 8. Number (if pli\'sicians, 6. 



AGRICULTURE (1920 census) — Number farms, 1.577; farm acreage, 812,194; im- 

 proved farm acreage, 311,006; irrigated aci-eage, 15.450; average value all property, per 

 farm. $13,306. Livestock asse.ssed 1922 — number cattle, 20,974; number sheep, 1,607; 

 number Imrses, 16.779; numbei- swine (census), 3,978. 



CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA — At Sidney. Elevation. 1.978 feet. Average date last 

 killing frost in spring, .Mav 20; average date first killing frost in fall, September 22. 



An- 



Jan. Feb. :Mar. April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. nual 



Aver. Prec. .51 .42 .58 .91 2.10 3.28 1.97 1.63 1.77 .83 .39 ,50 14.89 



Aver. Temp. 10.2 12.8 25.4 43.8 55.0 63.2 68.7 67.0 55.9 44.5 28.8 17.6 41.1 



County Seat, Sidney. Population County Seat, 1,400. 



County Agricultural Agent — Yes. 



