GROWING SUGAR BEETS IN THE BILLINGS REGION. 



tracts containing 40 to 80 acres, but at present many of the units have 

 been combined so as to form larger farm areas. The soils of this 

 area contain a rather high percentage of clay and are inclined to be 

 heavy and somewhat difficult to till. 



For several years the lower portion of the project has suffered 

 rather badly from the effects of seepage water and a consequent accu- 

 mulation of alkali salts on the surface of the soil. An extensive 

 drainage system is being installed, which will probably do a great 

 deal toward relieving this condition. 



The growing of sugar beets forms the basis for the agriculture of 

 this region. Other important crops are alfalfa, wheat, oats, and 

 barley. 



AREA FROM BILLINGS WESTWARD. 



The area in the Yellowstone Valley west of Billings comprises a 

 strip of land extending from about 1 mile east of Billings to 1 mile 

 west of Park City, 

 a distance of nearly 

 25 miles. At Billings 

 this area is about 4 

 miles wide, and it 

 gradually widens to- 

 ward the west until 

 at a distance of about 

 8 miles west of Bill- 

 ings a maximum 

 width of 7 miles is 

 reached. It then 

 narrows abruptly to 

 about 3 miles, which 

 width it approxi- 

 mately maintains to Park City. The area comprises 68,416 acres, 

 or about 107 square miles. The soils of this area for the most 

 part are inclined to be a little heavy, although they seem well 

 adapted to the growth of sugar beets- and other crops that are found 

 in this region. 



The considerable .area of stock range adjoining the area has been 

 an important factor in promoting the agriculture of this valley. On 

 the whole, a well-balanced system of farming has developed, using 

 beets as a cash crop and building around the beet crop a rotation of 

 small grain and alfalfa. 



This area as well as the Huntley project is irrigated by waters 

 diverted from the Yellowstone Valley, the supply of which is more 

 than ample for all purposes. 



C larks Fork Valley. — The Clarks Fork Valley occupies a strip of 

 country along the Clarks Fork Eiver about 50 miles long and varying 



Fig. 1. — Outline map of the State of Montana, showing 

 (in black) the approximate location of the sugar-beet 

 region studied. The white dot in the black area indi- 

 cates the location of the sugar-beet factory at Billings. 



