118 MONTANA 19U 



Mile in the Bitter Root valley, and men who planted fruit trees in the 

 Yellowstone, Flathead and Plains valleys, all made it possible for the resi- 

 dents of the State today to say that "Montana is a fruit state," a state where 

 the conditions in every county are such that sufficient fruit can be grown to 

 supply the needs of the ranch home. Today in some counties commercial 

 fruit growing has reached high development, and there are parts of the 

 State where it is one of the leading commercial enterprises. 



Many of the pioneers are still alive who can point with pride to an old 

 bunch of fruit trees that they planted upon first coming to the State. These 

 people deserve great credit for their untiring efforts, as through these efforts 



_, _, has come an industry that will alwa3^s be closelv allied with 



To These . , j i r i o 



_, the progress and deveiooment of the State. 



Pioneers ^ --^ ^ x 



-_ , Today fruit growing is one of the leading agricultural pur- 



_. ,. suits of the entire northwest, and INTontana will share in its 



Credit ... . , .,• . 



_, , production m proportion to the utilization of her sections 



Belongs. , , , • , , , i 



adapted to horticultural development. 



It is a difficult matter to appreciate the extent of the fruit 



lands in this great state without giving the contour of the State careful 



study. As one passes through the State on the train he feels that only the 



valleys can be utilized, but a careful investigation shoAvs thousands of acres 



back from the valleys on the benches that are being put under irrigation 



ditches, or placed under tillage systems, thereby making the most desirable 



fruit lands. 



Private corporations, and reclamation funds have given the horticul- 

 tural industry an impetus that nothing can check. Each year hundreds of 

 acres are being planted to orchards. True, there are some losses, but these 

 are quickly replaced and other land planted, or the same land 

 Each Year 5s again prepared and replanted. 



Adds to the There are a few conditions which should be evaded in the 



Orchards ^^election of fruit land, viz: alkali, poor air and water drain- 

 and age, undesirable subsoil, insufficient moisture, either natural or 



Vineyards, artificial; and, if the operation is to be on a commercial basis, 

 too great a distance from transportation facilities. 



Montana lands are of two classes, irrigated and non-irrigated. In some 

 sections there is a sub-irrigation which is very beneficial where other mois- 

 ture conditions are unavailable. Technical information tells us that six 

 inches annual rainfall, properly handled, will develop a crop of fruit, and 

 as Montana's average is from twelve to sixteen inches, the requisite is amply 

 supplied. 



The soils of ^Montana are variable, tlie principal fruit sections having 

 soils made up of disintegrated granite, or pulverized rock formations, sup- 



— Montana needs more hogs, but not land hogs. 



