~ Small grains yield irell under faroreble conditions and are gr©wn extensiraly 

 in rotations and to supply feed for livestock but are not recaimended for marketin,'; 

 purposes. Com leads the cereal list in scrcage and this crop, together with oats 

 and barley, supplies the rations for so:ae 100,000 head of stock as well as 50,000 

 fowls. Cucumbers for pickles provide profitable returns with $200 cash income from 

 onf^ acre not uncomnon in a favorable ceason. Salting stations are maintained at 

 pro.-jcot towns where the graen cucurabors are marketed daily during the picKli.ic 

 seuFoa, D50 to 130 acres aro gonorally given to pickles, scattered over the project 

 in patches of 1 to 3 acros. 



LrVESTOCK: Sheep fanning is a favored industry because of the cheap feeds 

 grown under irrigation and also because of the available range outside the project 

 whore summer pasture can be had at S^^ to 15^? per acre. The lomb crop in this dxp- 

 trict sometimes reaches 150^ and nearly always is viell over the 100^ mark. D;irj-- 

 ing is a major activity on many farms and herds of 10 to 30 milk cows aro coni..ono 

 This industry, along vri th other branches of farming, has had its vicissitude du^ins 

 the years of low prices, but with the poor producers woodod out and continuod J...:- 

 provGmont in the grade of herds by means of high class siros, the dairy business hj.s 

 held its own and supplied a steady incomo for the man who markots cream* 



TREES AND FRUITS: Natural growth of cottonwood, ash and other trees is found 

 along the valleys of project streams and many farms have developed full growth ri 

 wind breaks and orchards of hardy fruit, such as plums, cherries and apples. Local 

 wild fruit includes the buffalo berry, choke-cherry and plum, while a drive to -^he 

 Black Hills 40 miles away affords access to the wild raspberries, strawberries and 

 sarvis berries found in the canyons and on the slopes of the mountains. 



SOILS; The Belle Fourche Project has two distinct classes of soils — the 

 sandy loam and the clay or gumbo. These occur in different combinations and compo- 

 sition but are practically of equal productivity. The sandy soils are found along 

 tne Belle Fourche -river and in the southern portion of the project and comprise 

 about one- fourth of the entire irrigable area. By far the most extensive soil of 

 t'^e project is the Pierre Clay known locally as "Gumbo". This is generally a hea-Ty, 

 tenacious soil that requires more labor and longer time in preparation but when 

 oixCe in thorough cultivation, shows good tilth, beccraes friable, and will grow ex- 

 cellent crops of alfalfa. Sugar beets are grown extensively on the sandy loam areas 

 but year after year this crop is reaching further into tha heavy soil districts. 



IRRIGATION: Irrigation of crops, as a rule, begins early in May and continues 

 until the latter part of September. Rainfall varies greatly from year to year and 

 a wet spring sanetimes makes irrigation unnecessary until June. Crops on the aver- 

 age require about IS inches of water in addition to the rainfall, the artificial 

 moisture being applied as needed. Alfalfa and sugar beets receive from 4 to 6 irri- 

 grtions, gardens are watered about every ten days and grain crops one to two times 

 dv.r1.ng the season. The clay soils provide no domestic water supply and recourse is 

 had to cisterns and stock ponds. These ponds are filled late in November to take 

 care of winter needs, 



CLIKIATE: The climate of western South Dakota is marked by an abundance of sun- 

 shine and the clear air attracts attention by its exhilarating effect. This invig- 

 orating atmosphere is one of the most attractive and healthy features of the irri- 

 ga'ied country and a real Inducement to horaeseekers. Occasionally there occur 

 per:' ods of extreme heat, cold, or winds which are comi^ion in the plains country but 

 ■■.■'he:' settled conditions prevail the project often has l^ng periods of veiy pleasant 

 uQVt> aud fine growing weather. In the summer the temj-' err' tare might occasionally 

 reach 100 degrees and in vrinter 25 degrees below, hub u.j--^r t.i^ prevailing western 

 ary atnosphore there is no serious discomfort under thes--^ orctremes. Snow seldom 



