I NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA 



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Farming, Stockraising, Oil and Coal Production Are the Chief Industries — Eastern 



Half of the Qlacier 'National Park on Western Border — 



Most of the Area in Plains Region. 



IiK-liulinsr within its area the eastern half of the Glacier National Park the 

 North Central ilistrict stretches far eastward. Most of it is included within the 

 plains region, but the western part and some isolated mountain ranges belong to 

 the eastern slopes region. Blaine, Hill, Choteau. Liberty, Teton, Pondera, Toole 

 and Glacier counties are in it. 



The only irrigated district of any size in the eastern part is in the Milk 

 River valley. There is considerable irrigated land in the western part, and the 

 reclamation of more is projected. Non-irrigated farming ijredominates. Moisture 

 has been the chief factor limiting crop production. Livestock is a more important 

 source of wealth than crops. The district is new in a farming sense, however, 

 and a type best adapted to it is being evolved. More settlers and smaller farm 

 units are a need of most of the irrigated regions. Areas in the western and 

 southern parts are naturally adapted to stockgrowing. 



Spring wheat is the principal cash crop, in which the district ranks third. 

 It leads in rye, and ranks well forward in hay. both tame and wild. Good results 

 have been had with corn, except at the higher altitudes near the mountains. 



Ciial is mined commercially in Hill and Choteau counties. More drilling for 

 oil and gas is probably being done in this than in any other part of the state. 

 Gas in large quantities has been found in half a dozen districts, but the only 

 commercial oil field up to the present (1923) is the Kevin-Sunburst in Toole county. 



The elevation of the tillable areas range from 2.9(X) to .3.000 feet. The highest 

 altitudes are upwards of 10,000 feet in the Glacier National Park. The gi'owing 

 season is more than four months in the eastern part and about three months and 

 a half in the western. 



BLAINE COUNTY 



APID strides in an agricultural way are be- 

 ing made in Blaine county through diversi- 

 fied farming, irrigated land and co-opera- 

 tion. It offers good opportunities to the 

 settler. It ranks fourth in combined 1022 

 crop and livestock value and boasts of more 

 pure-bred hogs than any other county. Its 

 principal commodities are cattle, grain, 

 sheep, coal, hogs, wool, horses, hides and 

 bay. Construction is under way for the 

 reclamation of an additional 23.000 acres 

 of land, the work to be completed in Octo- 

 ber, 1!I24. 



Located in north central Montana with 

 its northern boundary adjoining Canada, 

 Blaine county is approximately 75 miles 

 long, north and south, and 45 miles wide, 

 east and west. The Bear Paw mountains 

 cross the central and southern parts of the 

 county, making this region principally grazing land. The Fort Belknap Indian 



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