CENTRAL MONTANA 



87 



FERGUS COUNTY 



'— A.KGEST in iirca. first in combined crop and 

 livestock value in 1!)22. first in oil produc- 

 lioii. an iniportani in'odiicer of coal and 

 precious minerals, Kerjius county, in the 

 sreoixraphical center of ^lontana, has been 

 richl.v endowed with diversified resources. 

 A start alons industrial lines has been made. 

 Ferjrns count.v has a niaxinium length 

 east and west of loO miles and a maximum 

 width of 00 miles. The northern and 

 eastern portions are rolling uplands, more 

 or less broken by the brakes alons? the 

 ^Missouri Itiver. which marks the northern 

 lioundary. and by l)rakes along the Mussel- 

 shell River. Avhich defines the eastern 

 boundary. The central and western areas 

 are occupied by mountain ranges, isolated 

 from the main ran.ije of the Rockies, con- 

 siderable portions of which are included 

 within national forests and can be utilized for grazing purposes. There is a wide 

 variation in soil types. In the western half of the county the prevailing type is 

 a sandy loam underlain with a limestone gravel which is fertile. The county is 

 well watered, by both streams and springs. In some districts good artesian 

 flows have been found. 



For many years Fergus county has been the banner wheat county of the state 

 in both acreage and production, though this development is largely confined to the 

 western half of the county. Winter wheat is a leading crop. 

 Banner Wheat Occasionally winter killing occurs, but most of the time the 

 County crop comes through in good shape. Other small grains, such 



as oats, barley and rye, are widely grown. Corn is a promi- 

 nent crop in the eastern part of the county and in certain areas of the central 

 and western districts. In regions adjacent to the mountains, and in the broken 

 areas, in the east and north, livestock production has become more general than 

 small grain farming, summer range for moderately sized herds being available on 

 the national forests. In recent years interest has been aroused in a more diver- 

 sified type of agriculture. Many farmers are taking up dairying and some are 

 establishing pure-bred livestock herds as a supplement to general grain farm- 

 ing. While the irrigated acreage, in comparison with the total improved farm 

 acreage is small, projects have been launched which, when compl(4(>d. will nearly 

 double the land now under irrigation. 



The International Harvester Company is planning the establishment in this 

 county of a farm to carry on a demonstration of the possibilities of diversified 

 farming — more corn, alfalfa, sweet clover and other crops to be consumed on the 

 farm and marketed through livestock or livestock products. 



Gold in considerable quantities has long been produced in Fergus county. It 

 has also produced commercially silver, copper, and lead, and annually marketed 

 nearly a million dollars' worth of coal before the cri'ation of Judith Basin 

 county. Many of its coal measures have not been touched. It also has 

 gypsum in big quantities. Other mineral resources some of which are 

 awaiting development, include alabaster, soapstone, lirick clay, pottery clay, 

 limestone and sandstone. Natural gas has be(>n found. The ((lUiity's most 

 valuable mineral resource at present is oil. In the winter of t.il'k the first pro- 



