XOKTH CENTRAL :M0NTAXA 



127 



BUSINESS STATISTICS — Number of railroads, 1; railway mileage, exclusive spurs 

 and sidetracks, 55.34. Number iif manufactui'es, 10; averase number wage earners, 14; 

 value of products, $163,011. Number of banks, 10. Number general stores, 21; con- 

 fectionery, etc., 4; groceries and meats. 13; luml)er yards, 5; total number mercbants, 

 133. Total assessed valuation l!t2L' niercliandise, $498,467. Number giain elevators, 13; 

 total capacity, 313,000 bushels. Numlier creameries, 1. Number flour mills, 2. Number 

 saw mills, 1. Number nf la\\\ers, 10. Num:ber of physicians, 5. 



AGRICULTURE (1920 census) — Number farms, 1,761; farm acreage, 1,150,056; im- 

 proved fartn aci'eage, 291.43]; irrigated acrca.i;*-. 59.119: average value all propcrtx-, per 

 farm, $13,103. I^ivestock assessed 1922 — numl)er cattle, 36,549; number sheep, 105,642; 

 number luirses. 17.832: numlier swine (census), 1,677. 



CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA — At Chinook. Elevation, 

 killing fi-ost in spring, May 14; average date first killing 



2,502 feet. Average date last 

 frost in fall, September 18. 



Jan. Feb. Mar. April May June 

 Ave. Prec. .63 .37 .43 .76 2.09 2.56 

 Ave. Temp. 14.1 15.9 26.0 44.1 54.4 63.5 



County Seat, Chinook. Population County 

 County Agricultural Agent — Yes. 



HILL COUNTY 



CJRICl'LTURALLY. one of the newer counties 

 of the state. Hill county, in nortli central 

 JNlontana, is just beginning to find the most 

 successful farming methods that are adapted 

 to the region. The era of settlement Avas about 

 1910. and, as is true of all new regions, the 

 one-crop system has predominated but diver- 

 sification is making progress. Non-irrigated 

 farming is followed almost exclusively. 

 A project for the reclamation of 200.000 

 acres in the southern part of the county 

 is projected. One of the first commer- 

 cial natural gas developments in Montana 

 was at Havre in this county. Consider- 

 able interest is being evinced in oil pros- 

 pects. Coal mining is the most important 

 industr.v aside from farming and stock 

 raising. In 1922 there were 10 coal mines 

 operated with an output of 50,000 to 

 55,000 tons, valued at approximately $25,000. 



The International boundary is the northern line of the county which is about 

 sixty miles in length and width. The southeastern corner extends into the 

 Bearpaw mountains where the Rocky Boy Indian Agency is located. Fort Assin- 

 niboine, near Havre, for many years an important frontier post, is now the 

 Northern Montana Agricultural Experiment Station. Except in the vicinity of 

 the Bear Paw moinitains, most of the surface consists of rolling prairies and 

 bench lands. A fertile sandy loam is the prevailing soil type, on which blowing 

 sometimes causes trouble. 



In the old range days Hill county was an important livestock region, and it 

 seems strange little attention is given stock now, but this can be accounted for be- 

 cause the district is new, in a farming sense, and the one-crop 

 system has prevailed. Moistiu-e is the controlling factor in 

 crop production and safe farming calls for special methods to 

 conserve it. Acclimated varieties of corn do well here and 

 furnish forage for livestock. The most successful farmers have been those 

 handling large acreages — .300 to 500 acres cropped each year — with a miniminn of 

 hired labor, through the use of ten to twelve horse one-man outfits, and who, in 

 addition, raise most of their own farm and livestock living. Shelter belt plant- 



All Farmuig 

 Now 



