MONTANA: INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES 



VALLEY COUNTY 





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XE of the largest counties of the state in 

 area, the possihilities of atrricnlture in Val- 

 ley are just being apiui-hendeil. When they 

 are fully developed it will rank then, as it 

 does now, among the leaders in crop and 

 livt'stock production. It already possesses 

 a considerable acreage of irrigated land 

 that is not all in use. and projects undt>r 

 construction will more than double the 

 amount under water. 



Valley county lies in northeastern Mon- 

 tana. It stretches from the Canadian 

 boinidary southward to the Mi.ssouri River 

 a maximum distance of 1(X> miles and ex- 

 tends east and west about 05 miles. Aside 

 from the bottom lands along the Missoiu'i 

 Ki\er that part of the county north of the 

 Missouri and .south of the Milk Rivers is 

 almost all too rough and cut up by badlands 

 to be adapted to other than stock-i-aising purposes. The irrigated land and that 

 included in projects under construction lies almost wholly within the Milk River 

 valley and east of the confluence of the Milk and the Missoiu-i along the latter 

 stream. Most of the land now irrigated is in the Milk River project of the 

 U. S. Reclamation Service, ami most of the land to be irrigated is either in the same 

 project or in the Fort Peck i)roject of the Indian Service. On the north side of 

 the Milk River valley are rolling uplands that stretch north into Canada. Soil 

 types vary from silt and clay loams in the bottoms to sandy and gravelly loams 

 on the uplands. 



There is more nt)n-irrigated than irrigated farming. Spring wheat is the 

 chief crop, with oats. flax, corn and rye next in order. Ah)ng the Missouri River 

 bottoms, particularly in tlio.se districts remote from the railroad, alfalfa is the 

 principal crop, which is marketed as seed. Valley is one of the leading seed- 

 producing counties. Most of the farms in the irrigated districts are large, and 

 their chief product is "blue joint' hay, a native hay of high nutritive quality. 

 Alfalfa is also raised. The aci'ea.ge in corn is rapidly expanding and there is a 

 decided bent at present toward a more diversified system of farming, smaller 

 irrigated holdings, and more farm livestock. More attention is being given dairy- 

 ing and a co-operative creamery was established ( 1!)22 1 at Glasgow. The cattle 

 and sheep range industry continues important. Small flocks of .sheep are found 

 on some of the farms. 



Coal is foinid in some parts of the county and also brick clay. Drilling for 

 oil is projected. 



The main line of the Great Northern follows the Milk River valley through the 

 county. The non-irrigated districts in the northern part of the county are retarded 

 in development because of the long haul to the railroad. 



Glasgow, the coxuity seat, is the largest town in the county as well as in 

 northeastern Montana. It has all modern municipal improvements. Other towns 

 on the railroad are O.swego. Frazer. Nashua and Hinsdale. Glentana is the 

 largest coninuinity in the northern district. 



VALLEY COUNTY — Rank.': fifteenth in population (10,533): seventh in area 

 (3.240,960 acres): sixth in combined 1922 crop and livestoclv value: nineteenth in bank 

 deposits, 1922: sixteenth in assessed valuation. 1922. Acres public land, 568,275; acres 

 state land, 231,454; acres Indian reservations (most of it allotted), 677,836. 



