Land use adjustments in Blaine, Phillips and Valley counties, Montana, 1934 to 1940
by Nicholas Helburn
A THESIS Submitted to the Graduate Committee In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
Degree of Master of Science in Agricultural Economics at Montana State College
Montana State University
© Copyright by Nicholas Helburn (1941)
Abstract:
This thesis is an evaluation and criticism of the land use adjustments which have been brought about
since 1933 in Blaine, Phillips and Valley counties, and a generalization on future adjustments for the
area.
A physical characterization of the area shows it to be a part of the rolling, semi-arid plains, and a
history of settlement points out that ranching dominated the area until 1910 when homesteaders started
raising wheat with success at first, failure later.
Evidence from the human adjustments to the physical resources shows that the central axis of trade and
transportation is the Milk River Valley; that population has increased in the valley, decreased on the
upland; that ownership and control of land is scattered and varied; that the major problems of the area
are: insecurity, over-specialization, exploitation of agricultural resources, and inability of the upland to
support the expected services.
The critique of the action programs dealing with these problems shows that: the State Grazing districts
maintain a centralized control over range land within their boundaries; the Agricultural Adjustment
Administration tries to control production and to Increase productivity by liberal subsidy; the Land
Purchase program In buying about a million acres of land fulfilled the major national objectives,- the
distribution of money (pump priming) and the bringing of land into government ownership; but the
fulfillment of local objectives, only a minor part of the national program, would have achieved greater
adjustment; the Resettlement program has resettled 169 families on irrigated units but with policies
such that the clients carry an extremely heavy financial burden.
In conclusion it is noted that a resettlement project falls into four main stages: conception, proposal,
development, and repayment; that the Milk River project is still in the development stage. Finally, if a
dynamic adjustment is ever to be achieved in this area, concentrated rather than scattered settlement
must prevail; community controls over land use must be developed and applied locally; individual units
must be diversified; and financial arrangements must take into account fluctuations in climatic
conditions. LAim US 3 ADJUST! SIITS IN BLAINE, HIILLIPS AND VALLEY
COUNTIES, EONTaNA, 1934 t o 1940
by
N io h o lag r e I b u m
A THESIS
S u b n itte d t o t i e G ra d u a te C om m ittee
i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f th e r o q u i r e i e n t a
f o r tlie D ecree o f M a s te r o f H cien ce
i n A f c r ie n ltu r a l Eoononic s a t
lo n t a n a S t a t e C o lle g e
A pprovedt
/ f e
e
, .
l a l o r 'io rk
u n a ir S x n , G ra d u a to C o m i t t o e
B ozenan, L o n tan a
J u n e , 1341
/
3 7 S'
j-j
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS............................................
ABSTRACT...............................................................................
PART I :
INTRODUCTION........................................................
The P r o j e c t A rea an d I t s R e s o u rc e s ..............................
GeolOKy...............................................................................
.
T opography and D ra in a g e ...................................................
S o i l s .............................................................................................
N a tu r a l V e g e ta tio n ...............................................................
C lim a te ........................................................................................
M in e r a ls ......................................................................................
H i s t o r y .............................................................................................
PART I I :
HUMAN PATTERNS, CHANGES, nND PROBLEMS............
P a t t e r n s and C h anges..............................................................
T rad e and T r a n s p o r ta tio n .................................................
P o p u la t io n ............................................ ....................................
o>
A g r i c u l t u r e ...............................................................................
Number and L o c a tio n o f F arm s................... ..
S iz e o f F arm s.................................................................
Land O w n ersh ip ...............................................................
T e n u re ............................................................ ....................
Type o f E n t e r p r i s e .....................................................
S c h o o ls ........................................................................................
Tax D e lin q u e n c y .....................................................................
P ro b le m s..........................................................................................
PART I I I :
CRITIQUE............................................................................
The S t a t e G ra z in g D i s t r i c t s . . . . . ...............................
66U 5
...
:::
:::
^
Ii
J
Page
C ounty C o m m issio n ers.................................................................
63
The S t a t e o f M ontana................................................................
63
The
64
F e d e r a l G overnm ent...........................................................
The
The
The
The
B io l o g ic a l S u rv e y ......................................................
F o r e s t S e r v i c e .............................................................
I n d ia n S e r v i c e .............................................................
G ra z in g S e r v i c e ..........................................................
64
64
64
64
The
B ureau o f R e c la m a tio n ....................................................
6j>
The
A g r i c u l t u r a l A d ju stm en t A d m in is tr a tio n .............
66
The
S o il C o n s e rv a tio n S e r v ic e ...........................................
69
The Farm S e c u r i t y A d m in is tr a tio n ......................................
PART IV :
CONCLUSION..................................................................................
90
S ta g e s o f a_ R e s e ttle m e n t P r o j e c t ..........................................
90
C o n c e p tio n ..............................................................................
90
P ro p o s a l and R e s e a r c h ...............................................................
91
D evelopm ent......................................................................................
92
F i n a n c i a l A d ju s tm e n t.................................................................
93
The m a tu re L a n d sc a p e ......................................................................
94
C o n c e n tra te d S e tt le m e n t..........................................................
95
Community C o n tr o l........................................................................
96
D i v e r s i f i c a t i o n .............................................................................
97
F in a n c ia l a rra n g e m e n ts .............................................................
9#
Agenc i e s and th e M atu re L a n d sc a p e ........................................
99
SUMMARY...............................................................................................................
102
ACKNO .,LEDGMENTS.............................................................................................
103
LITERATURE CITED AND CONSULTED..............................
104
4LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
p ace
F ig u re I*
F ig u re 2 .
L o c a tio n o f la in © , P h i l l i n s and V a lle y
C o u n tie s i n th e N o rth e rn G re a t P l a i n s ...............................
7
S e a s o n a l P r e c i p i t a t i o n an d T em p eratu re o f
1’a l t a , N iontana..................................................
16
F ig u re 3 .
D i s t r i b u t i o n o f P u rc h a se d
Land i n B la in e C o u n t y . . . .
26
F ig u re 4 .
D i s t r i b u t i o n o f P u rc h a se d
Land i n P h i l l i p s C o u n ty ..
27
F ig u re 5 .
D i s t r i b u t i o n o f P u rc h a se d
Land i n V a lle y C o u n t y . . . .
28
F ig u re 6 .
Roads and S c h o o ls ; A rea V,I o n ta n a , 1 9 3 9 ........................ 31
F ig u re 7 .
P o p u la tio n Change by F in e r C i v i l D iv is io n s ,
Bla in e Co u n t y . ....................................
33
F ig u re 8 .
P o p u la tio n Change by F in o r C i v i l D iv is io n s ,
P h i l l i p s C o u n t y . . . . ........................................................................ 34
F ig u re 9 .
P o p u la tio n Change by M inor C i v i l D iv is io n s ,
V a lle y C o u n t y . . . . . ............................................................................. 35
F ig u re 1 0 . Changes i n Number o f Farms i n B la in e ,
P h i l l i p s , and V a lle y C o u n tie s , 1 9 3 0 -1 9 4 0 ...................... 37
F ig u re 11« L o c a tio n o f Farms by Type and Type o f
F arm ing S u b -A re a s, A rea V, F o n ta n a ........................................ 38
F ig u re 1 2 ,
Land C l a s s i f i c a t i o n , A rea
V,F o n ta n a ...................................... 40
F ig u re 1 3 . Farms H av in g G ross Income E x p e c ta n c ie s o f
$ 1 ,0 0 0 o r L e s s ...................................... ............................ ............... 42
F ig u re 14* Number o f Fnrms and Land i n F a r i s by
T e n u re , 1940........................................................................................ 45
F ig u re 1 5 . Kind o f Land O w nership; Aroa V, F o n ta n a ,
F aro h I , 1 9 3 7 ................. ....................................................................47
F ig u re 16. P e rc e n ta g e Change i n T enure i n P r o je c t A re a ,
1920 t o 1940........................................................................................ 50
F ig u re 1 7 .
T rends i n A orea e and Tonnage
o f S ugar B e e ts ....................53
-4 aPa C®
F ig u re 18# S t a t u s o f Tax D elin q u en cy A rea V, M ontana,
J u ly I , 193G....................................................................................... 56
F ig u re 1 9 . G ra z in g D i s t r i c t B o u n d aries i n th e P r o j e c t A r e a . . . . 61
F ig u re 2 0 . D i s t r i b u t i o n o f th e Dry Land i n R e fe re n c e t o th e
I r r i g a t e d Land; B la in e , P h i l l i p s and V a lle y
C o u n tie s ................................................................................................. 97a
LAND USE ADJUSTMENTS IN BLAINE, PHILLIPS AND VALLEY COUNTIES, MONTANA
ABSTRACT
T h is t h e s i s i s an e v a l u a t i o n and c r i t i c i s m o f th e la n d u s e a d j u s t ­
m e n ts w hich h av e b een b ro u g h t a b o u t s i n c e 1933 l n K L aine, P h i l l i p s and
V a lle y c o u n t i e s , an d a g e n e r a l i z a t i o n on f u t u r e a d ju s tm e n ts f o r t h e a r e a .
A p h y s ic a l c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n o f t h e a r e a shows i t t o be a p a r t o f th e
r o l l i n g , s e m i - a r id p l a i n s , an d a h i s t o r y o f s e tt le m e n t p o i n t s o u t t h a t
r a n c h in g d o m in ated t h e a r e a u n t i l 1910 when h o m e ste a d e rs s t a r t e d r a i s i n g
w heat w ith s u c c e s s a t f i r s t , f a i l u r e l a t e r .
E v id e n c e from t h e human a d ju s tm e n ts t o th e p h y s ic a l r e s o u r c e s shows
t h a t th e c e n t r a l a x i s o f t r a d e an d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n i s th e M ilk R iv e r V a lle y ;
t h a t p o p u la tio n h a s i n c r e a s e d i n t h e v a l l e y , d e c re a s e d o n t h e u p la n d ; t h a t
o w n ersh ip and c o n t r o l o f la n d i s s c a t t e r e d an d v a r ie d ; t h a t t h e m ajo r p ro ­
blem s o f th e a r e a a r e : i n s e c u r i t y , o v e r - s p e c i a l i z a t i o n , e x p l o i t a t i o n o f
a g r i c u l t u r a l r e s o u r c e s , a n d i n a b i l i t y o f th e u p la n d to s u p p o r t th e e x p e c te d
s e rv ic e s .
The c r i t i q u e o f th e a c t i o n p ro g ram s d e a lin g w ith t h e s e p ro b lem s shows
t h a t : t h e S t a t e G ra z in g d i s t r i c t s m a in ta in a c e n t r a l i z e d c o n t r o l o v e r
ra n g e la n d w ith i n t h e i r b o u n d a r ie s ; t h e A g r i c u l t u r a l A d ju stm e n t A dm inis­
t r a t i o n t r i e s t o c o n t r o l p r o d u c tio n and t o i n c r e a s e p r o d u c t i v i t y by l i b e r a l
s u b s id y ; th e Land P u rc h a s e program i n b u y in g a b o u t a m i l l i o n a c r e s o f la n d
f u l f i l l e d t h e m a jo r n a t i o n a l o b j e c t i v e s , - t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f money (pump
p rim in g ) and t h e b r in g i n g o f la n d i n t o g overnm ent o w n e rs h ip ; b u t th e f u l f i l l ­
ment o f l o c a l o b j e c t i v e s , o n ly a m in o r p a r t o f t h e n a t i o n a l pro g ram , w ould
have a c h ie v e d g r e a t e r a d ju s tm e n t; t h e R e s e ttle m e n t program h a s r e s e t t l e d 169
f a m i l i e s on i r r i g a t e d u n i t s b u t w ith p o l i c i e s s u c h t h a t th e c l i e n t s c a r r y
a n e x tre m e ly h eav y f i n a n c i a l b u rd e n .
I n c o n c lu s io n i t i s n o te d t h a t a r e s e t t l e m e n t p r o j e c t f a l l s i n t o
f o u r m ain s t a g e s : c o n c e p tio n , p r o p o s a l, d ev e lo p m e n t, an d re p ay m en t; t h a t
th e M ilk R iv e r p r o j e c t i s s t i l l in th e d ev elo p m en t s ta g e . F i n a l l y , i f a
dynam ic a d ju s tm e n t i s e v e r t o be a c h ie v e d in t h i s a r e a , c o n c e n tr a te d r a t h e r
th a n s c a t t e r e d s e tt le m e n t m u st p r e v a i l ; com munity c o n t r o l s o v e r la n d u se
m ust be d e v e lo p e d and a p p l ie d l o c a l l y ; i n d i v i d u a l u n i t s m ust b e d i v e r s i f i e d ;
and f i n a n c i a l a rra n g e m e n ts m u st ta k e i n t o a c c o u n t f l u c t u a t i o n s i n c l im a t i c
c o n d itio n s .
-
PABT I :
6-
INTRODUCTION
The t r a d i t i o n a l la n d s e tt le m e n t p o l i c y o f th e U n ite d S t a t e s h a s
b een t o l e t th e i n d i v i d u a l s e t t l e w h e re v e r h e ch o se on t h e a ssu m p tio n t h a t
t h e w e lf a r e o f b o th t h e i n d i v i d u a l and s o c i e t y w ould b e s e r v e d b e s t b y su c h
f r e e c h o ic e .
T h is a s s u m p tio n was u n d o u b te d ly sound i n t h e e a r l y days o f
th e r e p u b l i c when t h e r e was p l e n t y o f la n d an d th e b ig jo b was t o c l e a r
and s e t t l e i t .
However, a s th e s e t t l e r s moved o u t o f th e l o n g - g r a s s i n t o
t h e s h o r t - g r a s s p l a i n s , t h e a ssu m p tio n was no lo n g e r so u n d .
The N o rth e rn
G re a t P l a i n s , bounded ro u g h ly by t h e h u n d re d th m e rid ia n o n th e e a s t , t h e
Rocky M o u n tain s on t h e w e s t, th e W yoming-Colorado b o r d e r o n th e s o u th , and
th e s o u th e r n e x t r e m it y o f th e L a u r e n tla n s h i e l d on th e n o r t h ( s e e f i g u r e I ,
" L o c a tio n o f B la in e , P h i l l i p s and V a lle y c o u n t ie s i n th e G re a t P l a i n s " )
p r e s e n te d p ro b lem s o f s e tt le m e n t c o m p le te ly new t o t h e p i o n e e r s .
The P l a i n s c a n b e c h a r a c t e r i z e d o n ly g e n e r a l l y a s a w h o le.
I/
They a r e ,
f o r th e m ost p a r t , f l a t o r s l i g h t l y r o l l i n g , c u t by deep r i v e r v a lle y s w ith
o c c a s io n a l ro u g h b a d la n d s .
7000 f e e t i n a l t i t u d e .
They a r e h ig h , v a r y in g from a b o u t 1500 f e e t to
They a r e d r y , u s u a l l y f a l l i n g i n t h e c l a s s i f i c a t i o n
s e m i - a r id , w ith an a v e ra g e a n n u a l p r e c i p i t a t i o n o f from t e n to tw e n ty in c h e s
and w ith e x tre m e v a r i a t i o n s from y e a r t o y e a r .
f e r t i l e , and s h a llo w .
and g e n e r a l l y t r e e l e s s .
The s o i l s a r e m o s tly l i g h t ,
The n a t u r a l v e g e t a t i o n i s a lm o s t e n t i r e l y s h o r t - g r a s s
Some n a t i v e t r e e s a r e fou n d i n t h e r i v e r v a l l e y s
and th e n o r th e r n C an ad ian p a r t o f th e P l a i n s i s f o r e s t e d .
The n a t iv e
a n im al l i f e c o n s is te d p r i m a r i l y o f b u rro w in g r o d e n ts , w a te r a n im a ls such
T] F o r a f u l l d e s c r i p t i o n o f th e d i f f i c u l t i e s w hich th e s e t t l e r
e n c o u n te re d when he f i r s t e n te r e d th e G re a t P la i n s s e e Webb, W a lte r P . ,
The G re a t P l a i n s . G inn an d C o ., B o sto n , 1931 *
AREA OF THIS STUDY
LIMITS OF THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS
STATE BOUNDARIES
F ig u re I . — L o c a tio n o f B la in e , P h i l l i p s , and V a lle y C o u n tie s i n th e
N o rth e rn G re a t P l a i n s .
a s th e b eaver and m uskrat, c o y o te s , and b u f f a lo .
The tem p era tu res, amount
o f su n sh in e and grow ing se a so n , o f c o u r s e , vary w id e ly a s one moves n orth
and so u th or h ig h e r and lo w e r , a s w e ll a s from year t o y e a r .
The s e t t l e r s
had l i t t l e knowledge o f t h e s e c o n d itio n s a f f e c t i n g t h e i r n ew ly a cq u ired
la n d s and o n ly s lo w ly r e a l iz e d t h a t th e y were d e a lin g w ith land t o which
th e y co u ld n ot p o s s ib ly adapt t h e i r hu nd red-year h e r ita g e o f s e ttle m e n t
p a tte r n and methods d evelop ed in th e humid r e g io n s .
Thus, f r e e c h o ic e
would p robably n o t have r e s u lt e d in a s a t i s f a c t o r y s e ttle m e n t p a tte r n .
Homestead A ct r e s t r i c t e d u n it s to l6 o a c r e s , l a t e r to 320 a c r e s .
The
The r a i l ­
road s and o th e r la n d s p e c u la to r s d ir e c te d s e ttle m e n t w ith m ost u n s a t is f a c t o r y
r e s u lts .
I t had lo n g been r e c o g n iz e d by some t h a t t h i s unplanned, uninformed
p r o c e ss o f s e ttle m e n t would b r in g g r e a t h ard sh ip s to th e p la in s .
n o t, however, u n t i l 1933 t h a t much was done about i t .
I t was
The m ost im portant
th in g done was th e w ithdraw al o f th e p u b lic domain from hom estead e n tr y .
T h is put an end t o th e era o f f r e e land and fu r th e r s e ttle m e n t was r e s ­
tr ic te d .
I t has been fu r th e r rec o g n ized th a t th e in d iv id u a l i s no lo n g e r
a b le t o move f r e e l y w ith in th e area now s e t t l e d .
He o f t e n does n o t know
where th e b e s t o p p o r t u n it ie s l i e , and even i f he does he i s fr e q u e n tly n ot
in a p o s it io n to make th e a d ju stm en t.
In r e c o g n itio n o f t h e s e and o th er
r e la t e d problem s s e v e r a l F ed era l a g e n c ie s have been c r e a te d which ten d to
g u id e o r in flu e n c e th e d ir e c t io n o f s e t t le m e n t and w hich h e lp th e in d i­
v id u a l to make th e n e c e s s a r y a d ju stm en t.
T hese a g e n c ie s , i n f l u e n t i a l in
d eterm in in g th e fu tu r e e e ttle m e n t p a tte r n , ought t o but fr e q u e n t ly do n o t
have a c le a r id ea o f th e g o a ls toward w hich th e y a r e s t r i v i n g and th e
-
9-
p o l i c i e s by which t h e y a re t o rea ch th e s e g o a ls .
I t i s th e purpose o f t h i s t h e s i s to show some o f th e changes in
th e s e ttle m e n t and la n d u se p a tte r n s in p a r ts o f th r e e c o u n t ie s in th e
N orthern Montana area o f th e Great P la in s ; t o t r y to g iv e some a n a ly s is
and a p p r a is a l o f how th e s e changes came about and in what d eg ree c e r ta in
F ed era l a c t io n a g e n c ie s a re r e s p o n s ib le fo r th e changes; and f i n a l l y to
recommend a fu tu r e s e ttle m e n t p a tte r n f o r t h i s p a rt o f th e Great P la in s
tow ard which th e F ed er a l a g e n c ie s sh ould be aim in g.
In ord er t o do t h i s th e area i s f i r s t d escrib ed from th e p h y s ic a l
p o in t o f v ie w , and th e h is t o r y o f th e s e ttle m e n t p a tte r n i s o u t lin e d . P art
two p r e s e n ts th e cu rre n t p a tte r n o f o ccu p an ce, some o f th e tr e n d s and
changes du rin g r e c e n t y e a r s , and th e major fundam ental p roblem s.
d e a ls w ith th e a c t io n a g e n c ie s working in th e a r e a .
Part? th r e e
I t a tte m p ts to c r i t i ­
c i z e th e s e programs in th e l i g h t o f th e p a tte r n o f occupance and th e
problem s.
P art fo u r i s a t h e o r e t i c a l tr e a tm e n t, f i r s t o f th e n atu re o f
r e s e t t le m e n t , second o f what m ight be th e p a tte r n o f occupance in t h i s area
when and i f th e b a s ic problem s a r e s o lv e d .
F in a lly an attem p t i s made to
in d ic a t e what p a rt t h i s con cep t o f a fu tu r e a d ju ste d and a d j u s t a b le p a tte r n
o f occupance sh ou ld p la y in th e p r e se n t F ed er a l programs.
The P r o je c t Area And I t s R esources
The th r e e c o u n t ie s :
B la in e , P h i l l i p s , and V a lle y , upon which our
a t t e n t io n w i l l be fo c u s e d , l i e in th e w e s t -c e n t r a l p a rt o f th e N orthern
G reat P la in s , in th e n o r th e a ste r n p a rt o f Montana.
(S ee f ig u r e I . )
a r e bounded by Canada on th e n o r th , th e M isso u ri R iv er on th e so u th .
They
B la in e
-
10 -
C ounty a d j o in s H i l l and C houteau c o u n tie s on th e w e s t, w h ile V a lle y C ounty
a d j o in s D a n ie ls an d R o o s e v e lt c o u n tie s on th e e a s t .
P e rh a p s more im p o rta n t
th a n t h e i r b o u n d a rie s i s th e f a c t t h a t a l l t h r e e c o u n tie s a r e b i s e c t e d by
th e M ilk R iv e r V a lle y .
T h is v a l l e y form s t h e c e n t r a l a x is a ro u n d w hich th e
l i f e in th e s e c o u n t ie s i s o r i e n t e d .
G eology
The a r e a i s in f lu e n c e d p r i m a r i l y by f i v e g e o lo g ic f o r m a tio n s which
a r e in th e o r d e r o f t h e i r n e a r n e s s to th e s u r f a c e :
F o r t U nion, s a n d s to n e and s h a l e s .
L an c e, s a n d s to n e s and s h a l e s , m a rin e and f r e s h w a te r.
B earpaw , m a rin e s h a l e s .
J u d i t h R iv e r , s a n d s to n e s .
C la g g e t, s h a le s .
T hese fo rm a tio n s have been co v e re d by g l a c i a l t i l l l a i d down by th e c o n t i ­
n e n t a l i c e s h e e t d u rin g P l e i s t o c e n e tim e s and do n o t o u tc ro p e x c e p t where
stre a m e r o s io n h a s b een a c t i v e . 2 j
Topography and D rain ag e
The to p o g ra p h y o f t h e p r o j e c t a r e a , e x c e p t f o r th e L i t t l e Rocky
f o u n t a i n s w hich have o n ly m in o r l o c a l s i g n i f i c a n c e , i s t y p i c a l o f t h a t o v e r
^
See G ie s e k e r , L. F . : S o i l s o f V a lle y C o u n ty , M ontana A g r ic u lt u r a l E xperim en t S t a t i o n B u l l e t i n ig& , 1926, p . 19 f «
3 / Topography o f th e t h r e e c o u n tie s i n : G ie s e k e r , L. F . : S o i l s o f
V a lle y C ounty, Montana A g r i c u l t u r a l E x p erim en t S t a t i o n B u ll. 19&, 192^;
S o i l r o f P h i l l i p s C o u n ty , &o n ta n a A g r i c u l t u r a l E x p erim en t S t a t i o n B u ll. 199,
1 9 2 6 ; and S o i l s o f B la in e C o u n ty , Montana A g r i c u l t u r a l E x p erim en t S t a t i o n B u ll.
22#, 1930. See a l s o : A ld e n , w illia m C .: P h y sio g ra p h y and G la c i a l G eology
o f E a s te r n M ontana and A d ja c e n t .->reas, U. S. D epartm ent o f I n t e r i o r , G eolo­
g i c a l s u rv e y , P r o f e s s i o n a l p a p e r 1 7 ^ . W ashington, 1932*
11 m ost o f t h e G re a t P la in s *
Two m a jo r r i v e r s c u t i n t o t h i s u p la n d s
H ie e o u ri a t t h e s o u th e r n edge and t h e M ilk th ro u g h th e c e n te r *
h a s c u t i t s p r e s e n t c o u rs e r e l a t i v e l y r e c e n tly *
o f th e c o n t i n e n t a l ic e s h e e t*
e x tre m e ly e ro d e d g orge*
th e
The M is s o u ri
t h a t i s , s i n c e th e r e t r e a t
C o n s e q u e n tly i t flo w s th ro u g h a n a rro w and
I n e a r l y P le l s t o e c e n e tim e s th e M is s o u r i, much
l a r g e r th a n i t i s a t p r e s e n t , c u t th e w ide v a l l e y in w h ich t h e M ilk R iv e r
now f lo w s .
T h is v a l l e y th r o u g h w h ich th e M ilk m eanders w id e ly , v a r ie s i n
w id th from a l i t t l e
l e s s t h a n a m ilo t o a b o u t f i v e m ile s w ith o u t s e r io u s
b a d la n d s a t i t s edge*
H ere i s p r a c t i c e d a l l th e i r r i g a t i o n o f th e a r e a .
M ost o f th e a r e a o f th e t h r e e c o u n t ie s d r a i n s in t o th e M ilk R iv e r ,
c o m p a ra tiv e ly l i t t l e
i n t o t h e M isso u ri*
S in c e g l a c i a l t i n e s stre a m e r o s i o n h a s b een v e r y a c t i v e c lo s e t o
th e s e l a r g e in tr e n c h e d r i v e r s , e s p e c i a l l y a lo n g th e M is s o u ri w here th e
p r o t e c t i v e g l a c i a l t i l l i s v e ry t h i n *
T h is e r o s io n h a s le d t o th e d e v e lo p ­
m ent o f o c c a s i o n a l " b a d la n d s " w h ich a r e a lm o s t, i f n o t e n t i r e l y , u s e l e s s
ev en a s ra n g e la n d *
A p ro m in e n t f e a t u r e o f th e to p o g ra p h y o f th e s e c o u n t i e s betw een th e
M ilk R iv e r and t h e C an ad ian b o r d e r i s th e g ro u p o f " F l a x v i l l e P la te a u s " *
The p l a t e a u s a r e re m n a n ts o f M iocene and P lio c e n e s tre a m d e p o s i t i o n w h ich
l e f t a la y e r r e s i s t a n t to e ro s io n .
T h is r e s i s t a n t l a y e r h a s p r o te c te d
th e s e a r e a s fro m th e l e v e l l i n g w h ich h a s ta k e n p la c e aro u n d them so t h a t
th e y now s ta n d o u t a b o u t t h r e e h u n d red f e e t above th e l e v e l o f th e s u rro u n d ­
in g p la in s *
The l a r g e s t and m o st im p o r ta n t o f th e s e p l a t e a u s i s th e T u rn e r
F l a t lo c a t e d i n n o r t h e a s t e r n B la in e C o u n ty .
p r o d u c tiv e w h eat a r e a s o f th e re g io n *
T h is h a s b e e n one o f th e m o st
-
12-
I n t h e s o u th e r n p a r t o f th e a r e a , s t r e t c h i n g n o r t h from th e
M is s o u ri R iv e r , th e wL arb H i l l s n a r e th e d o m in an t to p o g r a p h ic fo rm atio n *
These h i l l s a r e th e re m a in s o f a h ig h p l a t e a u w h ich was n o t co v e re d b y
any p ro te c tiv e la y e r .
The P la te a u h a s , t h e r e f o r e , b e e n c a rv e d up i n t o
h i l l s s e p a r a te d b y d e e p , w ide d e p r e s s i o n s .
These h i l l s a r e p r a c t i c a l l y
u s e l e s s a s farm la n d and h av e a f a i r l y lo w c a r r y i n g c a p a c i t y a s r a n g e .
As a n in d e x o f t h i s i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o te t h a t m ost o f t h e L arb H i l l s
a r e s t i l l p u b lic d o m ain .
T here a r e l o c a l i z e d a r e a s o f b a d la n d s alo n g s e v e r a l o f th e o th e r
s tre a m s w here r a p id e r o s i o n i s ta k i n g p l a c e .
The ty p e o f fo rm a tio n v a r i e s
w ith th e k in d o f ro o k w h ic h o u tc r o p s .
S o ils
The s o i l s o f th e a r e a have d e v e lo p e d i n t h r e e d i f f e r e n t w ays:
from
r e c e n t o r a n c i e n t s tr e a m s d e p o s i t s ; fro n g * o u n d and te r m in a l m o ra in e s l e f t
b y th e g l a c i e r s ; and from a breakdow n o f th e u n d e r ly in g r o c k s .
A ll t h e
u p la n d s o i l s a r e brow n lo a n s u n d e r la in b y g r a y s u b s o i l and c o n ta in in g
v a ry in g am ounts o f g r a v e l and s a n d .
The p r o f i l e s v a ry w ith th e age o f th e
s o i l , many c o n t a in in g a w e ll-fo rm e d " h a r d - p a n " .
Most o f th e s o i l s w ere
f e r t i l e i n t h e i r o r i g i n a l c o n d i tio n b u t t h e i r s h a llo w n e s s c a u s e d them t o
be e a s i l y e x h a u s te d .
A l a r g e p e r c e n ta g e , h o w ev er, a r e n o t s u i t e d t o t i l l ­
age b e c a u se o f s h a llo w n e s s , s l o p e , o r s t o n i n e s s .
The s o i l s o f th e M ilk R iv e r V a lle y a r e a l s o q u i t e v a r i e d .
G ie s e k e r , L . F . :
ib id ,
The b e t t e r
( b u l l s . 198","" 199 and 256)-----------------------
-
13-
s o i l s a r e th e f i n e san d y loam s and s i l t loam s o f th e H avre s e r i e s , th o s e
p a r t s o f th e S cobey s e r i e s which a r e i r r i g a b l e , and th e H arlem s i l t y c l a y
lo a m s.
A l a r g e p a r t o f th e a r e a h a s a c la y s o i l o f th e H arlem o r Bowdoin
s e r i e s w hich i s a lm o s t u s e l e s s in i t s p r e s e n t s t a t e f o r m ost c r o p s ,
a lk a li
a c c u m u la tio n and se e p a g e hav e a f f e c t e d some o f th e s o i l s , e s p e c i a l l y th e
f l a t , h eav y c la y s ,a n d t h r e a t e n some m ore.
The B ureau o f R e c la m a tio n h a s c l a s s i f i e d th e la n d o f th e v a l le y ,
ta k i n g in t o a c c o u n t n o t o n ly s o i l b u t a l s o d a n g e r o f f lo o d , seep ag e o r
a l k a l i , f e a s i b i l i t y o f g e t t i n g w a te r t o t h e l a n d , and v e g e t a t i v e c o v e r.
In t h i s s u rv e y , co m p leted in 1 9 3 3 , i t was fo u n d t h a t o n ly 55 p e r c e n t o f
th e la n d i n th e w hole p r o j e c t a r e a , w hich in c lu d e s a l l th e la n d in th e
v a l l e y from C hinook t o N ashua, was i r r i g a b l e ; t h a t a n o th e r 4-1 p e r c e n t o f
th e la n d m ig h t som etim e be i r r i g a b l e ; t h a t 3 1 /2 p e r c e n t o f th e la n d i s
p e rm a n e n tly u n i r r i g a b l e .
(See t a b l e I ,
"Land C l a s s i f i c a t i o n Summary
f o r M ilk R iv e r P r o je c t'* .)
N a tu r a l V e g e ta tio n
The n a t u r a l v e g e t a t i o n o f th e p r o j e c t a r e a , l i k e t h a t o f th e G re a t
P l a i n s , c o n s i s t s p r i m a r i l y o f s h o r t g r a s s e s w ith o c c a s io n a l s h r u b s .
g r a s s (B o u te lo u a g r a c i l i s )
Gramma
i s th e m ost common g r a s s w ith w e s te rn w heat g r a s s ,
5 / See S la g s v o ld , P . L . , and Bingham, G. H . : an A n a ly s is o f a g r i ­
c u l t u r e on th e M ilk R iv e r I r r i g a t i o n P r o j e c t , Montana A g r i c u l t u r a l E x p e r i­
ment S t a t i o n B u ll . 290, 193^» t a b l e p. 1 7 , c h a r t p. lf$. F o r a more d e ­
t a i l e d tr e a tm e n t o f u p la n d s o i l s se e th e s o i l s u rv e y b u l l e t i n s o f th e s e
t h r e e c o u n t ie s , M ontana A g r i c u l t u r a l E x p erim en t S t a t i o n B u l l s . 1 9 8 , 199,
22#. The M ilk R iv e r V a lle y s o i l s a r e d e s c r ib e d i n DeYoung, W illiam , Youngs,
F .O ., and G la s s e y , T. W.: S o i l s S u rv ey o f th e M ilk R iv e r a r e a , M ontana,
U. S. D epartm ent o f A g r ic u lt u r e , B ureau o f C h e m istry and S o i l s s e r i e s 192$,
No. 2 2 , W ashington, 1922.
14-
TABLE I .
1953
IAND CLASSIFICATION SUKARY FOR MILK RIVER PROJECT a /
d h in o o k
D iv is io n
Fer
Ac r e s c e n t
M alta
D iv is io n
Per
A cres c e n t
Glasgow
D iv is io n
Per
A cres c e n t
4 ,8 0 4
6 ,6 3 9
5 ,0 1 4
9 ,5 7 4
8 .1
9 .6
8 .5
1 6 .2
339
1 ,5 2 1
2 ,7 5 9
5 ,9 0 7
2 .0
9 .0
1 6 .2
3 4 .4
3 0 ,6 3 6 .6 7 0 .4
2 5 ,0 3 0
4 2 .4
1 0 ,6 0 6
6 1 .6
6 6 ,0 7 2 .5 4
5 5 .6
C la s s 6 , t e n p o ria rily
s u s p e n d e d .. .. 1 1 ,0 9 7 .6 2 5 .6
31 ,2 5 9
6 3 .1
6 ,2 6 4
3 7 .0
4 8 ,6 2 0 .6
4 1 .0
2 ,3 8 1
4 .5
226
1 .4
4 ,3 0 9 .6 7
5 8 ,6 7 0
—
1 6 ,9 9 6
—
1 1 9 ,0 0 2 .8 1
Land C la s s
C la s s
ClftSS
C la s s
C la s s
!••••
2 ## e e
3• e • s
4e e • s
T o ta l p ay
c la s s
C la s s 6 , p e r m a n e n tly
s u s p e n d e d .. ..
T o ta ls #####
V
«***
w*
•••
w»
W*
1 ,7 0 3 .6 7 4 .0
4 3 f 337*81
—
T o ta l p r o j e c t
Av. p e r
A cres
cent
•mtm
-»■*
3 .6
C hinook p ay c l a s s la n d s n o t s u b d iv id e d a s i n M alta an d Glasgow d i v i s i o n s .
D ata from S la eg v o id and Bingham, o p . e i t . p . 1 7 .
-
15-
n e e d le g r a s s , and n ig g e r wool a s s o c ia t e d w ith i t .
on th e flo o d e d v a l l e y l a n d s .
B lue j o i n t i s common
M ountain sag e and b la c k sa g e a lo n g w ith m atch
weed and gum weed make up m ost o f th e sh ru b g ro w th .
T hese form s o f v eg e­
t a t i o n a r e n a t u r a l l y w e ll a d a p te d to t h e c o n d i tio n s o f th e a r e a .
o f th e m s e lv e s v e r y d ro u g h t r e s i s t a n t .
They a r e
C o n tin u a l o v e r - g r a z in g , how ever,
e a s i l y lo w e rs t h e i r p r o d u c tiv e pow er and t h e i r r e s i s t a n c e and h a s been accom p n ie d in r e c e n t y e a r s by an in v a s io n o f w eeds o f much l e s s v a lu e f o r g r a z in g
p u rp o s e s .
C l!m ate
The a r e a i n q u e s tio n l i e s i n th e c l i m a t i c r e g i o n r e f e r r e d to by
g e o g ra p h e rs a s s e m i- a r id m id d le l a t i t u d e , o r th e s te p p e c l im a t e .
T o ta l
a n n u a l p r e c i p i t a t i o n a v e r a g e s betw een t h i r t e e n and f o u r te e n in c h e s , w ith
betw een 70 and do p e r c e n t f a l l i n g b etw een A p r il I and S ep tem b er 3 0 , 6/
and a b o u t 60 p e r c e n t f a l l i n g betw een A p r il I an d S eptem ber I .
(See
f i g u r e 2 , " S e a s o n a l P r e c i p i t a t i o n and T e m p e ra tu re s a t M a l t a " .)
The an n u al
v a r i a t i o n a s w e ll a s th e s e a s o n a l v a r i a t i o n i s g r e a t .
A nnual p r e c i p i t a ­
t i o n h a s been known t o go lo w e r th a n sev en in c h e s and a s h ig h a s tw e n ty f i v e in c h e s .
ra n c h in g .
T h is h a s a n im p o r ta n t e f f e c t on d ry la n d a g r i c u l t u r e and
A f te r a c o u p le o f w et y e a r s e v ery o n e f o r g e t s a b o u t th e d ry y e a r s
and p la n s h i s u n i t on th e b a s i s o f y i e l d s o f w heat and g r a s s d u rin g th e w et
y e a rs.
Then th e r a i n f a l l d r o p s , t h e r e i s l i t t l e
o r no y i e l d o f wheat o r
g r a s s , th e s o i l s t a r t s t o b lo w , many fa r m e r s a r e l e f t d e s t i t u t e and m ust
^ 7 S la g s v o ld , P . L . , an d Blpgham , G. H .: o p . c i t . p . 1 0 ; and
R e i t z , L . P . : Crop R eg io n s in M ontana a s R e la te d to E n v iro n m e n ta l f a c t o r s ,
M ontana A g r i c u l t u r a l E x p erim en t S t a t i o n , B u l l .
, 1937» a p p e n d ix .
- 16-
Fleure 2 .
Sources
seasonal P re c ip ita tio n and Temperature a t M alta, Montana.
K e lts, L. Fe, Montana Afire Expt. S ta . Bulle Hoe 54(5.
Data averaged over 24 y e a rs.
-
e t a r t a g a in *
17-
I t t a k e s s e v e r a l y e a r s t o b r i n g b ack th e p r o d u c t i v i t y o f th e
rang© and i t i s Im p o s s ib le to r e s t o r e th e s o i l w h ich h a s blow n aw ay.
The mean a n n u a l te m p e ra tu re l / v a r i e s fro m 4 0 .7 ° F . a t Glasgow to
4 2 .0 ° F . a t Chinook*
The a v e ra g e g row ing s e a s o n te m p e r a tu r e ( A p r il I t o
S e p te m b e r), on th e o t h e r h a n d , v a r i e s fro m 5 8 ,9 ° F* to 5 9 .7 ° F . a t C hinook
and Glasgow r e s p e c t i v e l y .
W in te r e x tre m e s a r e in d i c a te d by th e J a n u a ry and
F e b ru a ry a v e ra g e a t G lasgow o f 9 .9 ° F .
The f r o s t f r e e p e r io d a v e ra g e s 121
d ay s a t Glasgow an d 130 d a y s a t M a lta , r u n n in g u s u a l l y flron th e m iddle o f
? a y t o th e m id d le o f S ep te m b er.
T h is d a t a i s tak en a t tow ns in th e M ilk
R iv e r V a lle y and sh o u ld n o t be g e n e r a liz e d to o f a r .
As t h e V a lle y C ounty
A g r i c u l t u r a l P la n n in g r e p o r t s u g g e s ts , c l i m a t e , and e s p e c i a l l y r a i n f a l l ,
n o t o n ly v a r i e s w id e ly from y e a r to y e a r b u t a l s o from l o c a l i t y to l o c a l i t y .
I n 19 3 1 , f o r i n s t a n c e , Glasgow r e c e iv e d 9 .6 3 in c h e s o f p r e c i p i t a t i o n w h ile
Opheim i n th e n o r th e r n d r y farm in g a r e a o f V a lle y C ounty r e c e iv e d o n ly 5 .0 7
in c h e s .
In 1933 Glasgow r e c e iv e d 1 0 .0 2 in c h e s , y e t Opheim r e c e iv e d 1 3 ,9 6
in c h e s .
T ab le I I , " V a r ia ti o n i n P r e c i p i t a t i o n D uring 1939 a t S e le c te d
P o in ts i n V a lle y C ounty" from th e same r e p o r t shows more o f th e same
v a ria tio n .
One m easu re o f te m p e r a tu r e i s th e number o f h e a t u n i t s d u rin g th e
grow ing s e a s o n .
T ab le I H
"Number o f H eat U n its a t S e le c te d P o in ts i n
R o n ten a" shows h e a t u n i t s a t M alta i n co m p a riso n w ith th o s e a t B i l l i n g s
l/
D ata on te m p e r a tu r e from R e i t z , I o c . c i t .
-
18-
TAELE I I a . VARIATION IN PRECIPITATION DURING 1939 FOR GROWING
SEASON AND ENTIRE YEAR, RECORDED BY FARMER COOPERATORS AT SE­
LECTED STATIONS IN VALLEY COUNTY.
Parrnijit com nunity
P re c ip ita tio n fo r
growing sea so n
Glasgow
F razer
Opheim
L u ster
F ort Peek
Theony
Cork (n e a r H in sd a le )
V
P re c ip ita tio n fo r
e n tire y ear
9 .4
1 1 .7
1 0 .5
9 .4
9 .2
1 4 .4
11.1
1 2 .1
1 5 .1
1 2 .6
1 2 .2
1 1 .4
From* A g r io u ltu r a 1 P lanning in V a lle y County. Montana.
S tatem en t o f P r o g r e s s, Nov. 1940, k .S .
— — —
TABLE H l . a /
A
NUMBER OF HEAT UNITS AT SELECTED POINTS IN MONTANA
L o ca tio n
May
June
M alta
B illin g s
Bozeman
F a i r f ie l d
372
401
208
305
586
626
438
467
J u ly
August
847
841
654
715
769
787
632
643
September b /
V
Froin S la g s v o ld , and Bingham, o p . c i t . p .1 2 .
b/
F i r s t te n d a y s.
135
161
99
108
T o ta ls
2709
2806
2031
2238
-
and Bozeman.
19-
A b a se o f 4 3° F i s u s e d , tf/
The a r e a i s s u b je c t to con­
s i d e r a b l e wind a s i s to b e e x p e c te d i n th e P l a i n s .
f r e q u e n t , e s p e c i a l l y i n s p r in g .
S tro n g w est w inds a r e
S o il d r i f t i n g and b lo w in g on th e l i g h t e r ,
d r i e r ty p e s o f s o i l i s o f t e n a p ro b lem .
I n s p r in g th e p ro b lem i s n o t o n ly
t h e l o s s o f th e s o i l b u t a l s o th e p o s s i b i l i t y o f e i t h e r th e b lo w in g o r th e
s m o th e rin g o f th e s e e d .
H ot s o u th w e st w inds in summer som etim es "b u rn "
d r y - la n d c ro p s in d ry y e a r s .
O c c a s io n a l C hinooks {warm d ry w in te r w inds)
and l o c a l h a i l s to r m s , b o th t y p i c a l o f th e H igh P l a i n s , add to th e u n p re ­
d i c t a b i l i t y o f th e c lim a te .
M in e ra ls
O u tc ro p s o f s o f t c o a l a r e common i n th e N o rth e rn H igh P l a i n s .
It
can b e p u rc h a s e d a t th e m ine f o r from $ 2 .5 0 to $4 p e r to n in B la in e C ounty.
N a tu r a l g a s u n d e r l i e s much o f th e M ilk R iv e r , one f i e l d s u p p ly in g Chinook
and H av re, a n o th e r s u p p ly in g M a lta , S aco , H in s d a le and G lasgow .
Gold and
s i l v e r i n v e ry l i m i t e d q u a n t i t i e s a r e fo u n d i n th e L i t t l e Rocky M o u n tain s. The
tow ns o f Zortm an and L andusky a r e b u i l t aro u n d th e m ines i n t h e s e m o u n ta in s .
T hese a r e th e r e s o u r c e s o f la n d and c lim a te upon w hich s e ttle m e n t i n
t h i s a re a was b u i l t .
jV S la g s v o ld and Bingham, o p . c i t .
To q u o te f u r t h e r from p. 11:
"U sin g 43° F a s a b a s e , th e number o f h e a t u n i t s f o r a g iv e n day i s c a lc u ­
l a t e d by s u b t r a c t i n g 43 from th e mean te m p e r a tu r e . I f t h e mean te m p e ra tu re
i s 53° F t h e number o f h e a t u n i t s i s 1 0 ."
2/
ib id .
p. 33.
20 —
—
H is to r y
I t i s v e ry d i f f i c u l t t o g a th e r a n y s p e c i f i c , n o n - c o n f l i c t i n g m a t e r i a l
on th e y e a r s o f s e tt le m e n t and la n d u s e p a t t e r n f o r th e a r e a o f th e THgh
P la in s .
S o u rc e s f o r t h i s a r e a , in c lu d in g Montana and Wyoming e a s t o f th e
C o n tin e n ta l D iv id e an d th e w e s te rn h a l f o f th e D ak o tas a r e s c a n ty , c o n t r a ­
d i c t o r y and w h o lly v ag u e.
However, i t i s f a i r l y c e r t a i n t h a t th e High P la i n s w ere f i r s t s e t t l e d
b y f u r t r a d e r s f o llo w in g t h e Lew is and C la rk e x p e d i tio n .
U n til I £53 th e
r e g io n was p o p u la te d a lm o s t e n t i r e l y by I n d ia n s s u b s i s t i n g f o r t h e most
p a r t on w ild l i f e .
In t h a t y e a r th e f i r s t s u rv e y f o r a r a i l r o a d r o u te was
made and w h ite s e t t l e r s began coming i n t o th e r e g io n in s n a i l num bers.
I #59 th e f i r s t M ontana c o u n tie s w ere su rv e y e d and c r e a t e d .
f e n c e l e s s open ra n g e was u sed by s c a t t e r e d , sm a ll r a n c h e r s .
In
U n til 1##0
I n 1##7 10/
t h e G re a t N o rth e rn r a i l r o a d was co m p leted th ro u g h N o rth e rn M ontana, th u s
o p e n in g th e c o u n try to th e com m ercial c a t t l e i n t e r e s t s .
p re d o m in a n tly t h a t o f th e w h ite man.
The a r e a became
Even w h ile th e c a ttle m e n were w id e ly
s c a t t e r e d ( a s th e y s t i l l w ere f o r some tim e a f t e r 1##7 ) m aking a l i v i n g was
n o t an e a s y jo b .
The s tr u g g le w ith lo n g , c o ld w in te r s , d r y y e a r s , la c k o f
know ledge o f th e c o u n tr y and low a v e ra g e r a i n f a l l ( 1 3 .5 In c h e s o v e r a s e v e n ty
y e a r p e r io d 1 1 /) was more th a n th e y co u ld s ta n d .
company l a s t e d a b o u t tw e n ty y e a r s . 1 2 /
The e r a o f th e l a r g e c a t t l e
These com panies o v e rs to c k e d th e
1 0 / S o il C o n s e rv a tio n S e r v ic e R e p o rt o f acc o m p lish m en ts and P ro ­
j e c t e d P la n s , M ilk R iv e r N o rth M ontana Land U t i l i z a t i o n P r o j e c t , 1939- 194.1 ,
N o v ., 1939, p . I .
l l / S em i-an n u al P r o g r e s s R e p o r t, M ilk R iv e r-N o rth e rn M ontana P r o j e c t
S o il C o n s e rv a tio n S e r v ic e and Farm S e c u r i t y A d m in i s t r a ti o n , U. 3 . D epartm ent
o f A g r i c u l t u r e , Dec. 31, 193^» P* 2.
1 2 / S em i-an n u al P r o g r e s s R e p o r t, I o c . c i t .
21 —
—
ra n g e and depended e n t i r e l y upon a l l - y e a r g r a z i n g , b o th summer an d w in te r ,
th u s s ta n d in g th e y e a r l y ch an ce o f l o s i n g t h e i r e n t i r e h e r d s i n a s i n g l e
b liz z a rd .
In I ##5 and l£ $ 4 S to c k G ro w ers’ A s s o c ia tio n s t r i e d to draw th e
com panies t o g e t h e r f o r t h e i r m u tu al b e n e f i t , b u t th e y f a i l e d in a s o l u t i o n
b e c a u se th e y w ere n o t p o w erfu l enough t o f o r c e th e ow ners t o c o o p e ra te w ith
one a n o th e r .
The o n ly r e a s o n th e i n d u s t r y was a b le to l a s t a s lo n g a s i t
d id was t h a t th e la n d was t a x - f r e e open r a n g e , t h e r e were no s c h o o ls o r
r o a d s t o s u p p o r t, and c o s ts o f l o c a l (c o u n ty ) governm ent w ere s m a ll.
1^97 t h e peak o f th e c a t t l e i n d u s t r y was r e a c h e d .
In
By th e b e g in n in g o f th e
c e n tu r y i t gave way t o th e sm a ll s to c k r a n c h e r s who s e t t l e d p e rm a n e n tly
a lo n g t h e s tre a m s an d aro u n d w a te r h o le s .
T h is tim e each o p e r a t o r c o n se rv e d
w a te r an d g r a s s on h i s own la n d to a l i m i t e d e x t e n t .
T hese men c o n s tr u c te d
r e s e r v o i r s , p r a c t i c e d l i m i t e d i r r i g a t i o n , r a i s e d w in te r fe e d and p r a c t ic e d a
system o f w in te r an d summer p a s tu r e r o t a t i o n . I V
On March l 4 , I 903 t h e S e c r e t a r y o f t h e I n t e r i o r c o n d i t i o n a l l y a u th o r iz e d
an i r r i g a t i o n p r o j e c t on th e M ilk R iv e r .
C o n s tr u c tio n was begun on
J u l y 27, 1906, and th e la n d opened t o i r r i g a t i o n in 1911.
14/
The M ilk
R iv e r i r r i g a t i o n sy stem was d ev elo p ed a t t h i s tim e f o r th e * p rim a ry p u rp o se
o f e s t a b l i s h i n g fe e d b a s e s f o r th e r a n c h e r s .
However, th e r e s u l t was a
'’w h o le s a le la n d g r a b b in g by r a n c h e r s who d id n o t need a d d i t i o n a l com m ensurate
la n d s " 1 5 /
and o t h e r su ch s p e c u l a t o r s .
The dev elo p m en t was a l s o r e ta r d e d
Y7/ S em i-an n u al P r o g r e s s R e p o r t, l o c . c i t .
P T / Summarized d a ta on F e d e r a l R ec la m a tio n P r o j e c t s , U. S. D ep artm en t
o f A g r i c u l t u r e , B ureau o f R e c la m a tio n . F e b ru a ry , 1940, p . 90*
13/ i b id . p. 3 .
I
-
22 -
by th e in r u s h o f h o m e ste a d e rs w ith th e c o n se q u e n t em p h asis on d ry la n d
fa rm in g .
A g r e a t change to o k p la c e in th e la n d p a t t e r n when, i n I g iO 1 th e
la n d was opened t o h o m e ste a d in g .
T h ere was a ru sh o f fa r m e r s i n t o th e
r e g io n , d e s p i t e th e w a rn in g s o f th e c a ttle m e n t h a t t h i s was no la n d f o r
fa rm in g .
F arm ers l a i d t h i s w arn in g to j e a lo u s y .
a r e a was s e t t l e d b etw een 1910 and 1 9 1 9 . 16/
So 67 p e r c e n t o f t h i s
From 1906 to 1917 p r e c i p i ­
t a t i o n a v e ra g e d h ig h e r th a n u s u a l , and t h i s f a c t p lu s th e f a c t t h a t t h e r e
was m o is tu re s t i l l i n th e un b ro k en s o d , h ig h w heat p r i c e s , and th e e v e r­
p r e s e n t la n d s p e c u la tio n drew more p e o p le to th e la n d th a n m ig h t n a t u r a l l y
h av e been e x p e c te d .
Thus h o m e ste a d e rs , f lu s h e d by th e s u c c e s s o f th e f i r s t
few c ro p s , s e t t l e d more t h i c k l y th a n th e a r e a w a rra n te d , and s c h o o ls , r o a d s
an d c o s t o f g overnm ent m ushroomed.
The h o m e ste a d e r, a man t r a i n e d in th e
hum id, f o r e s t e d r e g i o n s , b ro u g h t w ith him th e t r a d i t i o n s and c o n c e p ts o f
th e s e a r e a s such a s a p u b l i c l y m a in ta in e d ro a d to e v e ry fa rm .
U n til I 922
t h e l a r g e s t an d m ost p o p u la r s i z e u n i t f o r th e h o m e ste a d e r, a man used to
th e c l i m a t i c c o n d i tio n s o f th e humid hom eland, was 320 a c r e s , b e l a t e d l y i n ­
c re a s e d t o t h a t s i z e from l6 o a c r e s in 1 9 0 9 . 1 7 /
c la im s on t r a c t s o f 64o a c r e s , t h e i r to p l i m i t .
peak y e a r o f d r y la n d fa rm in g and im m ig ra tio n .
M ontana.
Stockmen w ere f i l i n g
N in e te e n - s e v e n te e n was th e
P o p u la tio n t r i p l e d i n n o r th e r n
From th e n u n t i l th e bumper y e a r o f 1927 o c c u p a tio n f e l l o f f
1 6 / J o h n so n , N. W., and S a u n d e rs o n , M. H .: Types o f Farm ing in
M ontana, M ontana A g r i c u l t u r a l E x p erim en t S t a t i o n B u ll. j$2#, O c t. 1 9 3 6 ,
p . 30.
1 7 / The F u tu re o f th e G ro a t P l a i n s , House o f H opros e n t a t i v e s Docu­
m ent No. I 44, F eb . 1 0 , 1937» P« 3»
-
23-
and many fa rm e rs f a i l e d b e c a u se o f th e low r a i n f a l l and p r e v io u s la n d
m isu s e .
In th e m eantim e, th e o v e r p o p u la tio n o f fa rm e rs p lu s th e p r a c t i c e
by some o f th e more " p r o g r e s s iv e fa rm e rs " who d i v e r s i f i e d c r o p s and p a s tu r e d
a few head o f c a t t l e on th e ra n g e worked in c r e a s in g h a r d s h ip on th e c a t t l e ­
men.
Range was c o n s e q u e n tly h e a v i ly o v e r g r a z e d .
Dry y e a r s came, farm
t a x e s became d e lin q u e n t and many fa rm e rs moved away.
f o r th e r a n c h e r s t o f a l l back upon b u t th e y s ta y e d o n .
T h ere was no g r a s s
^ g a ln t h e r e was a
s h o r t p e r io d when th e sm a ll stockm an was dom inant d e s p i t e th e f a c t t h a t
much o f th e la n d was n o t much good f o r l i v e s t o c k , due to m isu se by f a r m e r s ,
o v e r g r a z in g , and a s e r i e s o f d ry y e a r s .
But b e f o r e th e c a ttle m e n were a b le
t o do a g r e a t d e a l t o rem edy th e s i t u a t i o n th e c ro p s began im p ro v in g , b o th
i n y i e l d and p r i c e , and from 1925 u n t i l 1927 t h e fa rm in g la n d was a g a in
t r y i n g t o s u p p o r t many more p e o p le th a n was p o s s i b l e .
Im m ed iately f o llo w in g
t h i s f r e s h im m ig ra tio n o f fa rm e rs (due to 1927 p r i c e s ) th e d ry y e a rs r e tu r n e d ,
and by 1933 th e s o i l was b lo w in g , r e s e r v o i r s had d r ie d up and a la r g e p e r ­
c e n ta g e o f th e fa rm e rs w ere b a n k r u p t.
aw ay.
A g r e a t many o f thorn sim p ly moved
O th e rs s ta y e d o n and t r i e d t o do what th e y c o u ld w ith th e la n d th e y
h ad , s u s t a in e d by r e l i e f i n th e form o f se e d and fo o d lo a n s and Red C ro ss
a id .
The s e tt le m e n t p a t t e r n o f th e a r e a was s t i l l in a s t a t e o f f l u x , s t i l l
o u t o f a d ju s tm e n t
i t h th e r e s o u r c e s , an d no r e l i e f from t h i s s i t u a t i o n was
in s i g h t s in c e m ost o f t h e p eo p le seemed n o t t o havo le a r n e d a n y th in g from
th e p a s t e x p e r ie n c e .
I t was i n t h i s h i s t o r i c a l s e t t i n g t h a t th e th i n k in g p e o p le o f th e
M ilk R iv e r V a lle y d ev e lo p e d th e "M alta P la n " i n a b o u t 19 2 p .
They r e a l i z e d
-24-t h a t t h e d r y - la n d fa rm e r c o u ld n e v e r make a s a t i s f a c t o r y a d ju s tm e n t to th e
c l im a t e , t h a t much o f th e la n d In th e V a lle y was b e in g u sed to o e x t e n s i v e ly
and was o n ly p a r t i a l l y d ev e lo p e d f o r i r r i g a t i o n .
They, t h e r e f o r e , p ro p o se d
to l e t th e d r y - la n d fa rm e r work on th e p a r t i a l l y d e v e lo p e d i r r i g a b l e la n d
f o r f i v e y e a r s r e n t - f r e e , d u rin g w hich tim e h e w ould f u r t h e r d ev e lo p th e
la n d .
A f t e r t h i s p e r io d h e would p u rc h a se t h e la n d on a lo n g - te r m b a s i s .
The g u id in g ag e n c y , a t t h a t tim e , th e C om m ercial Club o f M a lta , would t r a d e
him an e q u i t y i n h i s i r r i g a b l e la n d f o r h i s e q u ity i n th e d ry la n d .
The
d ry la n d th e y would th e n e i t h e r l e a s e o r s e l l to a n e ig h b o rin g r a n c h e r .
B e fo re t h i s p la n had a ch an ce to g e t s t a r t e d l o c a l l y , th e l e d e r a l
governm ent became i n t e r e s t e d and in a u g u ra te d th e M ilk R iv e r-N o rth Montana
P r o j e c t in t h e t h r e e c o u n tie s a b o v e-m en tio n ed (and to be r e f e r r e d to a s
t h e " P r o j e c t A rea") t o t r y t o make some a d ju s tm e n t b etw een t h e r e s o u r c e s
and t h e s e tt le m e n t p a t t e r n .
The enorm ous r e s o u r c e s o f th e F e d e r a l R e l i e f
program s d i s t o r t e d th e l o c a l p la n ,
governm ent became an end in i t s e l f .
a c q u i s i t i o n o f la n d by th e F e d e r a l
T h is o c c u r r e d d u rin g th e "pump p rim in g
e r a " and t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f a s much money a s f a s t a s p o s s i b l e a l s o became
an o b j e c t i v e i n i t s e l f .
m in o r o b j e c t i v e a lo n g
The ta k in g o f farm la n d from p r o d u c tio n was a
I t h th e rem oval o f lo w -in co m e f a m i l i e s from th e d ry
la n d and th e o p p o r tu n i ty o f u s in g r e l i e f l a b o r i n d e v e lo p in g t h i s la n d f o r
ra n c h in g .
T hese p u rp o s e s w ere n o t c l e a r a t th e o u t s e t o f th e p r o j e c t .
T h e re was a d i f f e r e n c e o f o p in io n l o c a l l y a s a g a i n s t n a t i o n a l l y a s to what
th e p r o j e c t s h o u ld t r y t o do.
Thus th e o b j e c t i v e s have been com plex, con­
fu s e d and c h a n g in g .
The Land Purchase program sta r te d in 1933> f i r s t under th e Land
-
25-
P o lic y s e c t io n o f th e A g r ic u ltu r a l A djustm ent A d m in is tr a tio n , l a t e r under
R e se ttle m e n t A d m in istr a tio n , Farm S e c u r ity A d m in istr a tio n , Bureau o f A g ri­
c u lt u r a l Econom ics, and th e S o il C o n serv a tio n S e r v ic e , i n t h a t o r d er.
bought land a t random in n o rth B la in e , P h i l l i p s and V a lle y c o u n t ie s .
f ig u r e s 5 , 4 & 6 . )
p u rch a se.
It
(S ee
U n t il 1938 th ere was no s e le c t io n in v o lv e d in th e
From 1958 o n , under the Bankhead-Jones A c t, o n ly subm arginal
farm la n d was p u rch ased .
By 1940 a t o t a l o f 966,189 a c r e s had been a c q u ir e d ,
a t a c o s t o f $ 2 ,2 2 5 ,1 6 2 .9 3 .
The land was n o t "blocked up" in la r g e u n it s
but was s c a tte r e d w id e ly w ith some l i t t l e c o n c e n tr a tio n i n th e n orthern
two t i e r s o f tow n sh ip s a c r o s s a l l th r e e c o u n t ie s .
F ed eral a p p r a ise r s s e t
th e p r ic e o f th e la n d , and th o se on i t had t o move o f f .
The program a ls o in v o lv e d th e developm ent o f t h i s purchased la n d .
F if t y - t h r e e thousand sev en hundred and s ix t y - s e v e n (5 3 ,7 6 7 ) a c r e s o f crop
land were reseed ed t o c r e s t e d wheat g r a s s a t a c o s t o f ab ou t 80 c e n ts per
acre.
Three hundred and f o r t y - n in e r e s e r v o ir s were b u i l t to s to r e w ater
f o r s to c k .
Sp rin gs and w e l l s were d e v e lo p e d , farm stead s o b lit e r a t e d , a
few c o r r a ls and d ip p in g v a t s b u i l t .
’ ean w hile th e Farm S e c u r ity A d m in istra tio n was w orking on th e r e ­
s e ttle m e n t o f d is p la c e d and d e s t i t u t e f a m il ie s o f th e a r e a .
I t did n o t
get, underway u n t i l 19 3 6 , and most o f th e c l i e n t s cane on to t h e ir u n it s in
1957 or l a t e r .
I t bought 1 6 ,7 2 0 a c r e s o f lan d in th e K ilk R iv er V a lle y
w hich i t d iv id e d in to u n it s ranging from 80 t o 160 a c r e s , now occu p ied by
1E7 c l i e n t s .
Iuost o f th e s e f a m il ie s were from th e group o f 600 t o 600
f a m ilie s who had been bought out by th e Land P u rch ase.
alm ost c o m p le te ly developed when th ey took o v e r .
T h eir u n it s were
Land had been c le a r e d .
26 .
BLAINE COUNTY
■
Figure
Se
LAND PURCHASED
D istribution o f Purehased Lend In Blaine County.
27
.
IL A N D PURCHASED
F ig u r e 4»
D ie t r ib u t io n o f Fureheeed Lead i n P h i l l i p s C ounty.
R 35 E
R 36 E
R 37 E
R 38 E
R 40 E
R 41 E
R 42 E
T 32 N
T. 31 N
T 30 ►
T 28 N
,,,»I
VALLEY COUNTY
!L A N D PlIPGHAS,r D
Figure 6e Dletrlbutlma o f Puztshaeed Land In Valley County#
«•29-
l o v a l s d , d itc h e d and d r a in e d «
House, b a m , ch ick en coop s and f e n c e s were
a l l b u i l t by th e Fara S e c u r ity A d m in istra tio n a t a r e l a t i v e l y h ig h c o s t .
Huch o f th e s o i l s t i l l needed c o n sid e r a b le a t t e n t io n b efo re i t could pro­
duce d iv e r s i f i e d c r o p s .
H ost o f th e s e f a m ilie s were d e s t i t u t e and, th e r e ­
f o r e , had t o take on a la r g e o p e r a tin g lo a n a s w e ll as th e lo a n c o v er in g
th e o r ig in a l c o s t o f th e u n i t .
A lthough th e o r ig in a l in t e n t io n was to have
c l i e n t s s t a r t p u rch asin g t h e i r u n it s o v e r a f o r t y - y e a r p e r io d , a l l but n in e
o r te n are now m erely le a s in g t h e i r u n it s and paying o f f t h e ir o p era tin g
lo a n s , n ot making any payments on th e i n i t i a l in v estm en t.
F u rther d e s c r ip t io n and c r i t i c i s m o f the purchase and r e s e ttle m e n t
programs r e q u ir e s a background o f th e s e ttle m e n t p a tte r n and i t s changes
d u rin g th e p erio d 1933 to 1 9 4 0 .
PART I II
HUKAlJ PATTERNS, CHANGES AND PROBLEMS
P a tte r n s and Changes
From 1933 to 1941 th e human occupance o f the a r e a was i n a s t a t e o f
flu x .
The droughts o f 1934 and 1936 a f f e c t e d both d ry -fa rm in g and ran ching
d is a s t e r o u s l y .
C on sid erab le m ig ra tio n to o k p la c e .
P art I I g iv e s a p ic tu r e
o f th e e c o l o g ic a l p a tte r n s i n the a rea and p r e s e n ts i t s m ost s e r io u s p rob lem s.
T ra n sp o rta tio n and Trade
In th e ch an gin g p ic t u r e o n ly the tr a n s p o r ta tio n p a tte r n remained
s ta b le .
The main l i n e o f th e Great N orthern Railway and U. S . Highway
No. 2 , a tr a n s c o n tin e n ta l r o u t e , run through th e v a ll e y o f th e M ilk R iv e r .
A branch o f th e Great N orthern runs n orth w est from Saco t o L o rin g , then w e st
-
t o T u rn e r end H ogelande
50 -
D i r t r o a d s , some g ra d e d and g r a v e l l e d , o th e r s
j u s t two r u t s i n t h e g r a s s , r u n n o r t h and s o u th from th e r i v o r .
th e ro a d s have f e r r y c o n n e c tio n s a c r o s s th e L iis s o u ri R iv e r .
13
S e v e ra l o f
Through t r a f f i c
a lm o s t e n t i r e l y e a s t and w e s t on t h e v a l l e y highw ay, w h ile l o c a l t r a f f i c
i s a lm o s t e n t i r e l y n o r th and s o u th t o and from th e highw ay and to w n s.
The
ro a d p a t t e r n i s shown on f i g u r e 6 , "Roads an d S ch o o ls A rea V, M ontana,
1959". I d /
T h ere i s no r e g u l a r a i r s e r v i c e i n th e a r e a th o u g h H arlem and
G lasgow b o th have a i r p o r t s .
Pow er, te le p h o n e , and t e l e g r a p h l i n e s m a in ly
f o llo w th e v a l l e y th o u g h t h e r e a r e l o c a l o f f s h o o t s .
As m ig h t b e e x p e c te d th e m a jo r tow ns a r e on t h e th r o u g h t r a n s p o r t a ­
tio n ro u te s .
G lasgow , M alta and C h in o o k , th e c o u n ty s e a t s , a l l have a
p o p u la tio n o f o v e r tw o th o u s a n d ( a c c o r d in g to th e 1940 c e n s u s ) .
H arlem ,
N ashua, S aco , Dodson and Opheim ra n k n e x t i n s i z e in t h a t o r d e r .
These
tow ns a r e a l l in c o r p o r a t e d .
U n in c o rp o ra te d t r a d e c e n t e r s a r e T u rn e r and
H ogeland i n n o r th B la in e C o u n ty , L andusky and Zortm an i n s o u th P h i l l i p s
C ounty, and H in s d a le i n e a s t V a lle y C o u n ty .
Of th e s e to w n s. T u rn e r and
H ogeland a r e s u p p o rte d i n p a r t by th e b ra n c h l i n e o f th e G re a t N o rth e rn ;
L andusky and Zortm an by g o ld and s i l v e r m in e s ; and H in s d a le b y th e i r r i g a t i o n
and t r a f f i c o f th e v a l l e y .
T h ere w ere a t one tim e v i l l a g e s grow ing up on
th e d r y la n d w ith n o th in g to s u p p o r t them b u t th e t r a d e o f th e su rro u n d in g
fa rm s .
S in c e t h e n , th e f u r t h e r d ev elo p m en t o f th e a u to m o b ile , th e im prove­
m ent o f r o a d s , and th e d e c r e a s e i n fa rm in g p o p u la tio n have made i t im p o s s ib le
f o r a v i l l a g e t o c o n tin u e w ith o u t some s u p p o r t o th e r th a n t h a t o f d ry
W
A rea V in c lu d e s a l l o f B la in e and P h i l l i p s c o u n t i e s , m ost o f "
V a lle y C o u n ty , and p a r t s o f H i l l , C h o u te au , F e rg u s , P e tro le u m , end G a r f ie ld
c o u n t i e s . P a r t o f th e p r o j e c t a r e a i n V a lle y C ounty i s n o t in c lu d e d in
P M R ?0 R. 21 R . „
U S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
R.23 R.24 W. 2S R. 26 R. 27 R.26 R ?9 »
. R 3J , R ^ ■R3 3 | R34. I
" " , T
N EG.
384 87
" " M
BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
-
f a rr.y ra and r a n c h e r s .
32-
Today th e y rem a in o n ly a s names o n o u td a te d m aps.
P o p u la tio n
The t o t a l p o p u la tio n o f th e th r e e c o u n tie s h a s ch an g ed from 2 8 ,3 9 5
i n 1950 to 32,639 i n 1 9 4 0 , a n in c r e a s e o f 4 ,2 4 4 «
I n c o r p o r a te d tow ns and
c i t i e s have grow n from 7 ,3 2 2 t o 1 1 ,3 6 7 , a n in c r e a s e o f 4 ,0 4 6 i n t h e t e n y e a r p e r io d , o r p r a c t i c a l l y t h e e n t i r e grow th i n th e t o t a l p o p u la tio n .
A ll
b u t one o f th e in c o r p o r a te d p la c e s a r e i n th e M ilk E iv e r V a lle y ; and a l l
b u t two in c r e a s e d i n s i z e fro m 1930 t o 1 9 4 0 .
The two t h a t d e c re a s e d w ere
Opheim i n n o r th e r n V a lle y C o u n ty , and S a c o , a v i l l a g e i n th e v a l l e y t h i r t y
m ile s e a s t o f M alta i n P h i l l i p s C o u n ty .
I t s h o u ld n o t be su p p o se d , h o w ev er, t h a t th e c l a s s i f i c a t i o n " i n c o r ­
p o ra te d " i n f e r s u r b a n .
I t i s im p o ss ib le t o make an y c l e a r - c u t d i s t i n c t i o n
b etw een r u r a l and u rb a n p o p u la tio n s .
The s i g n i f i c a n t t h i n g a b o u t th e above
c o m p ariso n i s th e f a c t t h a t t h e t r a d e c e n t e r s o f th e v a l l e y have grown con­
s i d e r a b l y w h ile th e r e s t o f th e a r e a a s a w hole h a s n o t changed g r e a t l y .
Two q u i t e d i s t i n c t t r e n d s a r e m a in ly r e s p o n s ib le f o r t h i s c h a n g e .
F ir s t is
th e g r e a t e r m o b i l i t y o f t h e farm p e o p le who c a n now t r a v e l f a r t h e r t o do
t h e i r t r a d i n g , no lo n g e r s u p p o r tin g th e s t o r e s upon th e h ig h l a n d s , b u t
t r a d i n g i n th e l a r g e r tow ns i n th e v a l l e y .
Second i s th e in c r e a s e d i r r i ­
g a t i o n i n th e v a l l e y and i t s c o n s e q u e n t c o n c e n tr a ti o n o f p o p u la tio n n e a r
th e l a r g e r to w n s .
P e rh a p s a t h i r d f a c t o r i s th e g r e a t e r e a s e i n o b ta in in g
r e l i e f in th e to w n s.
F ig u r e s 7 , 8 , and 9 p r e s e n t f u r t h e r e v id e n c e o f t h e m ig r a tio n from
th e d ry la n d t o th e v a l l e y d u r in g t h e p e r io d 1930 t o 1 9 4 0 .
0
These maps a r e
-
53-
____
LEGEND
IOO I PERCENTAGE INCREASE
K -J
\/A
I % TO 25 % DECREASE
2 6 °/o TO 50 %
51 % TO 7 5 %
■ 7 6 % TO IOOV0 »
F lru re 7«
P op u lation Chalice by Minor C iv il D ivio io n s , B lain e County,
1930-1940
-
34 -
Fool
□
IZZJ
PVV
Figure 8#
Papulation Ohaace by Minor Civil Dlvlelone, Ehllltpe County,
1930-1940
. 36 -
Firxire 9*
^
Populetion Change by Hlnor C iv il Diviliione, Valley County,
1930-1940
—
36—
based upon th e cen su s p o p u la tio n d a ta g iv e n by minor c i v i l d iv is i o n s w hich
in th e a rea c o in c id e w ith th e s c h o o l d i s t r i c t s *
I t w i l l be noted th a t a
g r e a t m a jo r ity o f th o s e sc h o o l d i s t r i c t s whose p o p u la tio n h a s in c r e a se d
c o n ta in w ith in t h e i r b ou n d aries a p a rt o f the M ilk R iv er V a lle y ,
The in ­
c r e a s e i n th e two so u th w estern d i s t r i c t s in P h i l l i p s County i s due to th e
growth o f th e m ining tow ns o f Landusky and Zortman.
I t w i l l a l s o be n oted
th a t a l l th e d i s t r i c t s w hich have d ecre a se d more than 75 per c e n t are
lo c a te d m ain ly on dry land*
A g r ic u ltu r e
Number and L o ca tio n o f Farms*— M a teria l in th e cen su s in d ic a t e s c e r ­
t a i n tren d s in th e number o f farms o f th e th ree c o u n tie s *
The number in ­
c re a se d from 1930 to 1935 in B la in e and P h i l l i p s c o u n tie s* d ecreased in
V a lle y C ounty.
From 1935 t o 1940, on th e o th e r hand, th e r e were
f ic a n t d e c r e a se s in a l l th r e e c o u n t ie s .
s ig n i­
(S ee f ig u r e 1 0 , "Changes in th e
Number o f Farm s".)
I t must be remembered th a t w h ile o n ly p a rt o f B la in e and V a lle y
c o u n tie s are in th e p r o j e c t a r e a , most s t a t i s t i c s a re a v a ila b le o n ly fo r
e n t ir e c o u n tl s ,
T his d ecre a se o f 1412 f a r e s in s p it e o f th e developm ent
o f new ir r ig a t e d u n it s by th e r e s e ttle m e n t program was cuased p a r tly by th e
land purchase and p a r t ly b y e m ig r a tio n o f farm ers from th e d ry land due to
such n a tu r a l fo r c e s a s lo w p r ic e s f o r wheat and i n s u f f i c i e n t r a i n f a l l .
F igure 1 1 , " L ocation o f Farms by Type and T ype-of-Farm ing Sub-A reas,
Area V, Montana" shows th e approxim ate lo c a t io n o f farms in th e p r o je c t area
by ty p e o f farm s.
The d a ta fo r t h i s map was taken from a number o f d i f f e r e n t
-
37-
BLAINE
1930s PHILLIPS
VALLEY
BLAINE
1935
PHILLIPS
VALLEY
BLAINE
1940
PHILLIPS
VALLEY
NUMBER OF FARMS
F ig u re 1 0 .
Changes i n Humber o f Farms i n B le in e , I h i U i p s a n d T a lle y
C o u n tie s , 1930 t o 1940*
* 29
R 30
R 31
A» . 5
AA
-A l
S' ,A.----
F ig u re 11*
P R E S E N T LOCATION
O F FARMS
BY T Y P E A N D T Y P E - O F FARMING S U B A R E A S .
A R E A V. M O N T A N A
SCALE OF MILES
— B o u n d a r y o f m a jo r area
— B oundary o f su b a rea
— C o u n ty b o u n d a r y
• W h ea t fa r m s
0 C o m b in a tio n fa r m s
A R a n c h e s o r l iv e s to c k fa r m s
OIAaBTMIHT 0» BGBlCWLTUBI
BUBtajo r BGBiCUlTUBai tCOHCM.CS
-3 9 s o u r c e s , b u t i s p ro b a b ly m ost a c c u r a te f o r a b o u t
1933-
O ver th e whole a r e a , w ith th e e x c e p tio n o f th e v a c a n t, rou g h a r e a
in s o u th w e s te r n V a lle y C o u n ty , t h e r e i s a f a i r l y even s c a t t e r i n g o f r a n c h e s .
T h ere i s a s l i g h t l y h ig h e r d e n s i t y o f ra n c h e s on th e Bearpaw M o u n tain s o f
B la in e C ounty due t o th e a v a i l a b i l i t y o f w in te r r a n g e .
The w heat and com­
b i n a t i o n fa rm s , a lth o u g h somewhat s c a t t e r e d , a r e m a in ly c o n c e n tr a te d in
r e s tric te d a re a s.
g ro u p in g s .
T u rn e r F l a t i s p e rh a p s t h e m ost c o n sp ic u o u s o f th e s e
On f i g u r e 11 t h i s i s d e s ig n a te d a s s u b - a r e a 2 $ .
S u b -a re a s 26
and ?7 in c e n t r a l P h i l l i p s C ounty a r e a r e a s o f l e s s c o n c e n tr a ti o n .
Saco
bench in e a s t e r n P h i l l i p s C ounty, a lm o st s u rro u n d e d by i r r i g a b l e la n d , i s
a sm a ll b u t d en se a r e a o f g r a in fa rm in g .
L ik e w is e , c o n c e n tr a ti o n s a r e found
in s u b - a r e a s 21 and 22 b o r d e r in g th e v a l l e y o f th e M ilk R iv e r in V a lle y C ounty.
A l e s s o b v io u s g ro u p in g l i e s in th e c e n t r a l n o r th e r n p a r t o f s u b - a r e a 24.
A co m p ariso n o f th e d e n s e r a r e a s w ith f i g u r e 1 2 , "Land C l a s s i f i c a t i o n « re a
V, M ontana", shows t h a t in some c a s e s th e fa rm in g i s b e in g done on second
g ra d e la n d a s in T u rn e r F l a t , b u t more o f t e n i s done on t h i r d g ra d e la n d .
A cco rd in g to N e il Jo h n so n 1 9 / t h e r e a r e in A rea V $59 w heat fa rm s , a
little
l e s s th a n h a l f o f w hich have income e x p e c ta n c ie s o f $1 ,0 0 0 o r l e s s ;
431 c o m b in a tio n farm s a b o u t a t h i r d o f w hich hav e incom e e x p e c ta n c ie s o f
5 1 ,0 0 0 o r l e s s ; 1 ,2 5 9 r a n c h e s o v e r 500 o f w hich have incom e e x p e c ta n c ie s o f
■IjDOO o r l e s s .
More d e t a i l e d d a ta a r e g iv e n i n t a b l e IV .
F o r lo c a t i o n
o f th e low -incom e farm s se e f ig u r e 1 3 , "Farm s H aving G ro ss Income E x p e c ta n ­
c i e s o f $ 1 ,0 0 0 o r L e s s , A rea V, M ontana".
1 9 / Jo h n so n , N .: Farm A d ju stm e n ts i n M ontana, G ra p h ic S u p p lem en t,
U. S . D epartm en t o f A g r i c u l t u r e , B ureau o f A g r i c u l t u r a l E conom ics, and
M ontana V ig ric u ltu r a l E x p erim en t S t a t i o n , W ashington, J u l y , 19 4 0 , p. J . The
d a ta r e f e r to "A rea V" o f th e b u l l e t i n .
"OP
GRAZING LAND
GRADED AS TO ACRES PER I.OOO-POU N D STEER FOR A IO MONTH GRAZING PERIOD
First grade: 18 acres or less
Third grade: 2 8 -5 7 acres
W/A Second grade: 19-27 acres
I
U S D C P A ftT N C N T O F A « IIIC U IT U * C
Fourth grade: 3 8 -5 5 acres
I MOUNTAINS. IRRIGATION OR SMALL STREAM BOTTOMS
NEG
ie u e
BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL ICOWOmCS
41
TABLE IV.
PROBABLE INCOME EXPECTANCIES OF FARMS AMD RAIfCEES
IN AREA V, MOMTAI A e /
Wheat
Combination
L iv e sto ck
T otal
T o ta l
869
431
1 ,2 6 9
2 ,5 4 9
$ 1 ,0 0 0 o r l e s s
396
136
518
1 ,0 5 0
4 1 ,0 0 0 to $ 2 ,0 0 0
234
166
320
720
Over $ 2 ,0 0 0
229
129
421
779
a,/
From Johnson, N. W.:
op * c i t . , p . 7 .
FARMS HAVING GROSS INCOME EXPECTANCIES OF $1,000 OR LESS
ALL FARMS
WHEAT FARMS
d 'i* ?
COMBINATION FARMS
LIVESTOCK FARMS OR R A N C H E S
-J-----
u. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
N EG. 38135
Figure 13
BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
-4 3 S iz e o f f a r m s . —Farms i n t h e p r o j e c t a r e a have changed c o n s id e r a b ly
in s i z e d u rin g th e l a s t f i v e y e a r s .
The a v e ra g e s i z e o f farm i n th e t h r e e
c o u n t ie s h a s grown from 931 a c r e s in 1930 to 1103 a c r e s i n 1935 to 124-9 a c r e s
in 1940.
T a b le V, "C hanges i n S iz e o f Farms f o r B la in e , P h i l l i p s and V a lle y
C o u n tie s " , shows th e number o f fa rm s i n c e r t a i n s i z e g ro u p s in b o th I 935 and
194o and th e p e r c e n ta g e change in num ber.
I t w i l l be n o te d t h a t th e g r e a t e s t
d e c r e a s e s w ere in th e g ro u p o f farm s o f l e s s th a n t e n a c r e s and th o s e be­
tw een 220 a c r e s and 999 a c r e s .
70 to 139 a c r e s .
G r e a te s t i n c r e a s e s w ere i n th e g ro u p s from
The in c r e a s e s a r e due p r i m a r i l y t o th e dev elo p m en t o f new
i r r i g a t e d fa rm s , w h ile th e d e c r e a s e s a r e c a u se d by th e m ig r a tio n o f fa r m e r s
from t h e d ry la n d , due in p a r t to th e la n d p u rc h a s e program .
I n c o n n e c tio n w ith te m p o ra l ch an g es i n s i z e o f farm i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g
to n o te th e v a r i a t i o n s in s i z e by te n u r e o f o p e r a t o r .
F ig u r e l 4 , "lum ber
o f Farms and Land in Farms by T e n u re , 1 9 4 0 ", shows t h a t p a r t ow ners and
m anagers c o n t r o l an i n o r d i n a t e l y l a r g e s h a r e o f th e la n d in f a rm s , w h ile
f u l l ow ners and t e n a n t s c o n t r o l a v e r y sm a ll s h a re c o n s id e r in g t h e i r num bers.
The a v e ra g e s i z e o f farm , f o r i n s t a n c e , o f th e f u l l ow ners i n th e a r e a i s
537*6 a c r e s w h ile th e a v e ra g e s i z e farm o f th e p a r t ow ners i s 2176*3 a c r e s .
Land O w n ersh ip . —T a b le V I, "Land O w nership i n B la in e , P h i l l i p s and
V a lle y C o u n tie s , 193^"» p r e s e n t s a g e n e r a l p i c t u r e o f th e im p o rtan ce o f
d i f f e r e n t ty p e s o f la n d o w n e rsh ip .
R e s id e n ts o f Montana and th e U n ite d
S t a t e s G overnm ent a r e th e m ost im p o r ta n t c l a s s e s o f o w n ers, owning to g e th e r
a b o u t t w o - t h i r d s o f t h e la n d o f th e t h r e e c o u n t ie s .
R o n - r e s id e n t i n d i v i d u a l s ,
s t a t e and c o u n ty g o v ern m en ts a r e n e x t in im p o rta n c e , 0 n in g t o g e t h e r a n o th e r
f i f t h o r q u a r t e r o f th e la n d .
C o rp o ra te h o ld in g s make up th e r e s t .
44-
TABLE V a /
1935 - 1940
CHANGES IN SIZE OF FARL=S FOR BLAINE, PHILLIPS, AND VALLEY
COUNTIES COi- BINED
A
No. farm s
in
1935
JB
No. farm s
in
1940
.
£
P o t.
change
76
33
103
31
92
39
35
87
33
138
- 4 8 .7
+ 6 .1
- 1 5 .5
+ 6 .5
+ 5 0 .0
98
356
66
92
835
115
265
64
66
506
+ 1 7 .3
- 2 5 .6
- 3 .0
- 2 8 .3
- 3 9 .4
380-499
500-699
700-999
1000 and o v e r
357
807
624
1060
235
533
437
868
- 3 4 .2
- 3 4 .0
- 3 0 .0
- 1 8 .1
T o ta l
4630
3421
- 2 6 .0
U nder 10 A
10-29
30-49
50-69
70-99
100-139
140-179
180-219
220-259
260-379
a/
■"*
D ata from * U. S . D ep artm en t o f Corarer o e . B ureau o f th e
C e n su s, S ix te e n th C ensus o f th e U nite d S t a t e s , A g r i c u l t u r e ,
M ontana, F i r s t S e r i e s , W ash in g to n , 1941.
FULL
OWNERS
PART
OWNERS
TENANTS
MANAGERS
'-5 M
V
Figure 14»
^
m s0
A5C0R0E S 1-,0N0 F
0A ^ r ,
T2H0
OSIa^ 0S? 3-000
Biaaber o f Faroe and Land In Farroe by Tenure, 1340»
TABLE V I.
LAUD OfffiERSHIP IN ELAINE, PHILLIPS, AND VAU£Y COUNTIES, 1934 a /
BY PERCEiTAGE OF TOTAL AREA HELD BY TYPES OF WffiERS
U n ite d
S ta te s
S ta te
3 0 .8 2
6 .9 8
5 .3 3
P h i l l i p s 3 8 .1 9
5 .0 8
CD
P u b lic A g e n c ie s
4 0 .1 5
6 .6 8
3 .0 5
V a lle y
a/
h
B la in e
C ounty
C o rp o ra te Groups
Mi s c .
P u b lic
A g en cies
I n d iv id u a ls
Land I n s .
Misc .
NonM ortgage C on. Land C o rp o r­ R e s. R es.
C o npanies b an k s banks a t i o n s Mont. I n d iv .
In su r­
an ce
Co.
R a il­
ro a d s
0 .0 1
0 .9 1
0 .0 2
1 .2 7
1 .2 4
2 .6 2
0 .8 0
37.62
12 .3 8
0 .0 2
0 .2 7
0 .0 4
4 .0 2
1 .2 3
0 .5 4
0 .2 9
28.41
1 2 .3 2
0 .0 2
0 .1 7
—
2 .3 9
2 .0 9
0 .8 2
1 .2 2
31.81
11.61
R enne, R . R . , M ontana Land O w nership, M ontana A g r i c u l t u r a l E x p erim en t S t a t i o n B u l l e t i n
No. 3 2 2 , June I s A p p e n d i x T ab le I , p p . 5 6 -5 8 .
38
-
.K-12... r V13 R- 14 R. 15 R-16
U. S. D E P A R TM E N T OF AG RICULTURE
R. 17 R. 18 R. 19 R. 20
R.21 R.22 R. 23 R. 24 R.25 R.26
R. 27 R.28
R.29
R.30
R.31
R.32 R.33 R.34
R.35
NEG.
47-
R.36 R.37 R.38 R.39
38485
BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
F ig u re 1 5 , "Land O w n ersh ip , A rea V, M ontana, March I , 1 9 3 7 ", shows
th e t y p i c a l sh o tg u n p a t t e r n o f la n d o w n e rsh ip o f t h e G re a t P l a i n s .
Owner-
o p e r a t o r la n d s a r e c o n c e n tr a te d in s o u th B la in e County and on T u rn er F l a t .
F e d e ra l and S t a t e owned la n d i s p red o m in an t in s o u th w e s te rn V a lle y County
and in t h e ro u g h la n d a lo n g th e M is s o u ri R iv e r in P h i l l i p s and B la in e
c o u n t ie s .
But o w n e rsh ip o f la n d i s n o t synonymous w ith c o n t r o l .
T e n u re . —O w n e r-o p e ra to rs su p p o se d ly have th e a b i l i t y to do w hat th e y
w ish w ith t h e i r l a n d .
O f te n , how ever, th e y a r e b u rd en ed by m ortgage o r
o t h e r d e b t w hich f o r c e s them to m a in ta in t h e i r e n t e r p r i s e s on a c a s h -c ro p
b a s is .
Many fa rm e rs t r y t o r e t u r n a b o u t a s much to th e la n d a s th e y ta k e
from i t in o r d e r n o t to p e rm a n e n tly d e c r e a s e i t s p ro d u c in g c a p a c it y .
T hese
o p e r a t o r s a r e o n ly th o s e whose u n i t i s sound b o th from a f i n a n c i a l and r e ­
s o u rc e p o in t o f v iew .
I t i s im p o s s ib le f o r th o s e o w n e r - o p e r a to r s who a r e
h a rd p re s s e d t o meet c u r r e n t o p e r a t in g e x p e n se s ( lo a n s , ta x e s , e t c . ) a n d /o r
t o make a d e c e n t l i v i n g t o m a in ta in th e p r o d u c t i v i t y o f t h e i r s o i l .
The
u rg e n c y o f m e e tin g th e im m ed iate o b l i g a t i o n s assum es g r e a t e r im p o rta n c e
th a n th e a d v a n ta g e o f h a v in g la n d i n good c o n d itio n f i v e o r te n y e a rs h e n c e .
T h is a t t i t u d e to w ard " e x p l o i t i n g a g r i c u l t u r a l r e s o u r c e s " o f th e s o i l ,
g r a s s and w a te r i s made more e a s y and m ore d a n g ero u s by t h e ex tre m e v a r i ­
a t i o n s in t h e c l im a t e .
Many fa rm e rs and r a n c h e r s have gone i n t o d e b t f a r
beyond t h e i r a b i l i t y t o r e p a y b e c a u se th e y b a se d t h e i r o p e r a t io n s and
o b l i g a t i o n s on p r o d u c tio n o f ^ r a l n o r g r a s s d u rin g th e wet y e a r s .
T h is
d e b t h a s fo r c e d them to m ine t h e i r s o i l s i n o r d e r to re m a in i n o p e r a t io n .
I t h as b een common p r a c t i c e to u s e a l l t h e g r a s s d u r in g th e w et y e a r s ,
le a v in g no c a r r y - o v e r from one y e a r to a n o t h e r , th u s r e d u c in g th e n a t u r a l
a b i l i t y o f th e g r a s s to w ith s ta n d d ro u g h t.
T e o w n e r-o p e ra to r d o es n o t
-4 9 a Iw ays know th e b e s t p r a c t i c e s f o r h i s la n d , b u t even th o s e who do a r e
f r e q u e n t l y u n a b le to u se them b e c a u se th e y a r e f o r c e d to m eet a p r e s s in g
fin a n c ia l o b lig a tio n .
The te n a n t i s in th e same p o s i t i o n a s th e owner e x c e p t t h a t he h a s
l e s s s e c u r i t y in t h a t he u s u a l l y can be d is p la c e d a t th e end o f any y e a r .
> ore th a n h a l f , o r 4$# o u t o f d0 $ , o f t h e t e n a n t s i n th e t h r e e c o u n tie s a r e
on a s h a r e - c r o p b a s i s .
b a s is .
More th a n a q u a r t e r , o r 227, a r e o n a sim p le cash
The r e s t a r e on a s h a r e - c a s h , o r some o t h e r b a s i s . 2 0 /
P a r t ow ners a s a w hole a r e p e rh a p s in th e s o u n d e s t p o s i t i o n o f any
t e n u r e g ro u p .
They do n o t have a l l t h e i r c a p i t a l t i e d up i n la n d , and y e t
th e y c a n n o t be d is p la c e d from t h e i r u n i t s .
As was shown a b o v e , (s e e p . 4 3 )
t'hey have l a r g e r u n i t s th a n e i t h e r f u l l ow ners o r t e n a n t s .
F ig u re 1 6 , "The Changes i n T en u re i n th e P r o j e c t ^ r e a , 1920 to
194 o , shows a m arked in c r e a s e i n b o th t e n a n t s and p a r t ow ners a t th e
e x p en se o f th e f u l l o w n ers.
T h is tr e n d i s due in p a r t to th e g ra d u a l
f a i l u r e o f h o m e ste a d e rs who owned t h e i r w hole j2 0 a c r e s .
These u n i t s a r e
now r e n t e d by p a r t ow ners and t e n a n t s .
Type o f E n t e r p r i s e . — In o n e ty p e o f farm in g s tu d y , th e a r e a i s r e ­
f e r r e d t o a s "A b ro k e n a r e a t h i n l y i n t e r s p e r s e d w ith lo w -g ra d e d ry -fa rm in g
and ra n c h in g a r e a s . . . .
The a r e a i s b i s e c t e d by i r r i g a t e d la n d s a lo n g th e
M ilk R iv e r on w hich a r e p ro d u ced a l f a l f a , g r a i n s , and s u g a r b e e t s . "
21/
U heat fa rm in g i s th e m ost im p o rta n t a g r i c u l t u r a l e n t e r p r i s e a s f a r
20/
S ix te e n th C en su s, o p . c i t .
2 1 / C law son, M .; S a u n d e rs o n , M. H .; and Jo h n so n , N. w .: Farm Ad­
ju s tm e n ts in M ontana. S tu d y o f ^ re a 1 7 , M ontana a g r i c u l t u r a l E x p erim en t
S t a t i o n , B u ll . 337, Bozeman, 194o, p . 5 .
PER CENT
IO O
---------
50-
F igu re 1 6 . a /
Jyz Source*
P ercen ta g e Changes i n Tenure in P r o je c t Area
1920-1940
1 5 th and 1 6 th C ensus.
-5 1 a s number o f fa rm s i s c o n c e rn e d .
In th e I g 1K) c e n s u s 24-63 farm s in th e
t h r e e c o u n tie s r e p o r t w heat th r e s h e d , w h ile 14-25 farm s r e p o r t "cows and
h e i f e r s two y e a r s o ld o r o l d e r " and 4j%l fa rm s r e p o r t ewes e ig h te e n m onths
o l d , m aking a t o t a l o f 1356 farm s ru n n in g c a t t l e o r s h e e p .
A d ju stm en t A d m in is tr a tio n summary 2 2 /
fa rm s s e e d in g w heat in 1 9 3 9 *
The .a g r i c u l t u r a l
i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e r e w ere o n ly 2 2 /0
In any c a s e , b o th r a n c h in g an d wheat farm in g
a r e th e m a jo r ty p e s o f e n t e r p r i s e i n t h e a r e a .
From 1929 to 1939 th e r e
was a d e c r e a s e o f 731 o r 23 p e r c e n t i n th e number o f fa rm s r e p o r t i n g w heat
th re s h e d .
D uring th e same p e r io d , t h e r e have b een d e c r e a s e s o f 11 and I 3
p e r c e n t in number o f fa rm s r e p o r t i n g cows and h e i f e r s "tw o y e a r s o ld o r
o l d e r " i n P h i l l i p s and V a lle y c o u n tie s r e s p e c t i v e l y ; and a n in c r e a s e o f
I 4 p e r c e n t i n B la in e C ounty.
farm s ru n n in g s h e e p .
D ata a r e n o t a v a i l a b l e f o r a co m p ariso n o f
I t may be co n c lu d e d t h a t t h e r e h as b een a d e c re a s e
in b o th ra n c h in g and w heat fa rm in g i n t h e a r e a , b u t t h a t th e d e c r e a s e i s
more s i g n i f i c a n t in r e s p e c t to w heat th a n in r e s p e c t t o l i v e s t o c k .
I r r i g a t e d fa rm in g c a n n o t be o m itte d from t h i s p i c t u r e .
A cco rd in g
t o e s ti m a t e s o f th e c o u n ty a g e n ts t h e r e a r e a b o u t 750 i r r i g a t e d farm s in
t h e t h r e e c o u n t ie s .
y ears.
Many o f them have b een d e v elo p ed d u r in g th e l a s t f i v e
One hu n d red f i f t y se v e n have b een d ev elo p ed by th e Farm s e c u r i t y
A d m in is tr a tio n a lo n e .
One in d e x o f t h e g row th o f i r r i g a t e d u n i t s i s th e
i n c r e a s e i n a c re a g e and to n n a g e o f s u g a r b e e t s .
In 1929 t h e r e were o n ly
111 o p e r a t o r s g ro w in g s u g a r b e e ts i n B la in e C ounty, 3 ° i n P h i l l i p s C ounty,
and two in V a lle y C ounty.
By 1939 t h i s had grown to 2 7 9 , l4 o , and #9 in
B la in e , P h i l l i p s and V a lle y c o u n t ie s r e s p e c t i v e l y .
2 2 / F a c ts on F u tu re P la n n in g , 1939 Annual R e p o rt on M ontana, U. S.
D epartm ent o f A g r ic u lt u r e , A g r i c u l t u r a l a d ju s tm e n t A d m in is tr a tio n , Bozeman,
M ontana, 194-0, p . 27»
-5 2 F ig u r e 1 7 , "T ren d s i n A creage and Tonnage o f S u g ar B e e ts " , shows
t h a t B la in e C ounty h a s m a in ta in e d a l a r g e le a d in bo th a c r e a g e s and p ro ­
d u c tio n , w h ile P h i l l i p s and V a lle y c o u n t ie s hav e in c r e a s e d r e l a t i v e l y more
ra p id ly .
S u g ar b e e t s grow w e ll in th e l i g h t s o i l s o f th e v a l l e y u n d er th e
in t e n s e h e a t o f summer.
The v a lu e o f s u g a r i s com plem ented by th e v a lu e o f
t h e to p s and p u lp a s fo o d f o r l i v e s t o c k .
s i d e r a b l e s u b s id y .
To t h i s v a lu e h a s b e e n added con­
(S ee b elo w t a b l e X I, p . 7 0 . )
The p r o d u c tio n o f s u g a r
b e e t s now, how ever, i s s t r i c t l y l i m i t e d and th e r e i s l i t t l e l i k e l i h o o d t h a t
t h e r e w i l l be much more e x p a n s io n .
I n c r e a s e o f i r r i g a t e d farm s i s shown by a number o f o t h e r i n d i c e s .
One o f th e s e i s th e ch an g es in s i z e o f fa rm s .
(See ab o v e, p . 4-3.)
a n o th e r
i s th e change in number and l o c a t i o n o f s c h o o ls .
S ch o o ls
In 1933 t h e r e w ere 197 r u r a l s c h o o ls open in P h i l l i p s , V a lle y and
t h e n o r th h a l f o f B la in e c o u n t i e s , 23 o f w hich w ere in th e M ilk R iv e r V a lle y
o r th e M is s o u ri V a lle y e a s t o f th e ju n c tio n o f t h e tw o.
(S ee t a b l e V I I .)
In 1939 t h e r e w ere 123 open s c h o o ls th ro u g h o u t th e a r e a , a l o s s o f 3# Pe r
c e n t.
The s c h o o ls o p e r a t in g i n th e v a l l e y , how ever, had in c r e a s e d to 26,
o r about I 3 p e r c e n t.
The f a c t t h a t s e v e r a l o f th e V a lle y s c h o o ls have
more th a n one room (s u c h a s th e new S o u th ..ag n er sch o o l w hich em ploys f o u r
t e a c h e r s ) , w h ile a lm o s t a l l o f th e u p la n d s c h o o ls have o n ly one room, p o in t s
o u t t h a t t h i s i s a n o th e r in d e x o f m ig r a tio n to w ard th e r i v e r d u rin g th e
1934-1939 p e r io d , and o f d e c re a s e d r u r a l p o p u la tio n .
T h is d e c r e a s e in
number o f s c h o o ls , and in c r e a s e d c o n c e n tr a tio n o f c h i l d r e n i n th e v a l l e y
53 O
l
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
5
6
7
8
BLAINE
1929 (PHILLIPS
VALLEY
BLAINE
1934 (PHILLIPS
VALLEY
BLAINE
1939 (PHILLIPS
VALLEY
0
1
2
3
4
TEN THOUSANDS OF TONS
F ig u r e 1 7 .
T ren d s i n S u g ar B eet A creag e a n d P r o d u c tio n
-
TABLE V II .
54-
HUMBER OF SCHOOLS OFERATIKG IN BLAJNEf PHILLIPS
AND VALLEY COUNTIES, 1935-1959
1933
1939
B la in e i
North
M. R. V a lle y
32
6
16
9
P h illip s :
North
South
M. R. V a lle y a /
54
32
8
17
18
9
V a lle y s
North
South
M. R. and Ifo. V a lle y s
S ch o o ls in ir r ig a t e d V a lle y :
V
60
16
9
W f
23
53
13 b /
8
n s
26
S ch o o ls in Glasgow, M alta and Chinook have been o m itted
from th e s e d a ta .
Four o f th e s e s c h o o ls d i r e c t l y due t o c o n c e n tr a tio n o f
p eop le around F o rt Peck Dan.
TABLE V I I I .
S iz e o f sch o o l
SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IN PHILLIPS COUNTY, 1940
No. o f s c h o o ls
T o ta l No. p u p ils
I to 5 p u p ils
6 to 10 p u p ils
11 to 15 p u p ils
16 p u p ils or more
11
15
6
5
40
117
69
193
10
28
16
46
T o ta l
36
419
100
P e t , o f p u p ils
-
55 -
p av es th e way f o r a d e c r e a s e I n th e c o s t o f e d u c a tio n and in c r e a s e d q u a l i t y
p e r u n i t c o s t o f e d u c a tio n #
I t a l s o means t h a t i n t h e l a r g e r v a l l e y s c h o o ls
c h i l d r e n w i l l g a i n th e s o c i a l a d v a n ta g e s o f a s s o c i a t i n g w ith g ro u p s o f o t h e r
c h i l d r e n w h ich th e y m iss i n th e sm a ll d r y - la n d s c h o o l.
B ut t h e r e a r e s t i l l
97 d r y - la n d s c h o o ls o p e r a t in g i n th e p r o j e c t a r e a , a n d t h e i r e n r o llm e n t i s
p ro b a b ly l e s s th a n i t was I n 1 9 5 0 .
I n P h i l l i p s C o u n ty , f o r i n s t a n c e , i n
th e sclio o l y e a r 1 9 4 0 -1 9 4 1 , t h e r e w ere 36 r u r a l s c h o o ls w ith a t o t a l e n r o l l ­
m ent o f 419 p u p i l s .
F o r t y - s i x p e r c e n t o f th o s e p u p il s w ere i n th e f i v e
l a r g e s t s c h o o ls , w h ile o n ly 38 p e r c e n t w ere e n r o l l e d i n t h e 26 s m a lle s t
s c h o o ls , th o s e h a v in g a n e n r o llm e n t o f t e n p u p il s o r l e s s . (S ee t a b l e V I I I . )
Thus th e i n e f f i c i e n c y s t i l l e x i s t s e v e n th o u g h i t a f f e c t s e. s m a lle r p ro ­
p o r t i o n o f th e p e o p le .
Tax D elin q u e n c y
Tax d e lin q u e n c y i s one In d ex o f th e m a la d ju s tm e n t o f th e s e ttle m e n t
p a tte rn .
U n f o r tu n a te ly , t a x d a t a a r e a v a i l a b l e o n ly f o r 1936 a n d , t h e r e ­
f o r e , no c o m p ariso n s can be m ade.
F ig u re 1 8 , " S ta tu s o f Tax B elin q u o n o y i n
A rea V, lion ta n a , J u l y I , IS 3 6 " , shows th e p a t t e r n o f t a x n o n -p ay m en t.
In
19 3 6 , 53 p e r c e n t o f the ta x a b le a c re a g e i n V a lle y C ounty was d e l in q u e n t.
A lm ost th r e e t i n e s (2 9 7 p e r c e n t) th e 1936 le v y was c u m u la tiv e ly d e l i n ­
q u e n t. 2 3 /
Tax d e lin q u e n c y i s g e n e r a l l y d iv i d e d i n t o two ty p e s :
s h o r t te rm
d e lin q u e n c y w h ic h m ig h t a r i s e from a p o o r c ro p y e a r o r te m p o ra ry f in a n 2%/ V a lle y C ounty and Community A g r i c u l t u r a l M a n n in g C om m ittees:
A g r i c u l t u r a l P la n n in g i n V a lle y C ou n ty , A S ta te m e n t o f P r o g r e s s , Nov. 1 9 4 0 ,
p . 106 ES.
■
56 -
T. 2 2
F ig u re 18
I— I P a i d u p
ES
P u b lic a g e n c y
I y e a r d e lin q u e n t
SHl 2
y e a r s d e lin q u e n t
M
3 -5 y e a rs d e lin q u e n t
Q
5 or m o re y e a r s d e lin q u e n t
T ow ns a n d c itie s
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
STATUS OF
TAX D E L IN Q U E N C Y ;
A R E A V, M O N T A N A ,
J U L Y I, 1 9 3 6
67 c i a l d i s t r e s s ! and c lir o n ic t a x d e lin q u e n c y , th e c a u s e s o f w h ic h s r e p ro b a b ly
d e e p -s e a te d .
C e r t a i n l y th e d ro u g h t an d th e d e p r e s s io n s w ere r e s p o n s ib le f o r
a l a r g e p a r t o f t h e d e lin q u e n c y in 1 9 3 6 .
The B la in e C ounty A gent s t a t e s ,
f o r i n s t a n c e , t h a t by 1941 t h e r e w as v e r y l i t t l e
t a x d e lin q u e n c y in T u rn e r
F la t,
P oor farm la n d , g r a z in g l a n d , ta x s on w h ich a r e h ig h e r th a n econom ic
r e n t , and n o n - r e s i d e n t owned la n d s have b e e n th e p r i n c i p l e ty p e s r e v e r t i n g
t o th e c o u n t ie s f o r t a x d e e d .
These ty p e s o f le n d s u g g e s t i n th e m se lv e s
th e c a u s e s f o r c h r o n ic d e lin q u e n c y .
The fa rm in g o f p o o r g r a d e , su b -
m a rg in a l l a n d s , th e d is c r e p a n c y b etw een a b i l i t y to pay and a s s e s s m e n t, and
in d i f f e r e n c e on th e p a r t o f t h e n o n - r e s i d e n t ow ners a r e p e rh a p s th e m ain
causes.
I f c h r o n ic d e lin q e u n o y i s t o be s to p p e d , th e n p o o r g rad e farm la n d s
m ust be d ev o te d to r a n c h i n g , ta x e s s h o u ld be a s s e s s e d a c c o r d in g to a b i l i t y
o f th e la n d t o p a y , and n o n - r e s id e n t ow ners m u st be g r a d u a l l y r e l i e v e d o f
t h e i r la n d .
P roblem s
What w ere th e m a jo r p ro b lem s o f t h e a r e a ?
c r i t i c a l p a r t s o f t h e m a la d ju s tm e n t?
Tvhat w ere th e m ost
I t c a n be s a id t h a t a l l th e p ro b lem s
a r i s e from a m a la d ju s tm e n t betw een th e p e o p le and th e r e s o u r c e s .
P erh ap s th e m o st im p o r ta n t problem i s th e i n f l e x i b i l i t y o f th e la n d
u se p a t t e r n .
Tlie c lim a te upon w h ich t h i s p a t t e r n d ep en d s i s h ig h ly v a r i ­
a b l e , y e t th e p a t t e r n i s b a s e d on th e a s s u m p tio n t h a t th e n e x t y e a r w i l l
be a s good o r b e t t e r t h a n th e l a s t y e a r .
-5*5T h is i n f l e x i b i l i t y i s c l o s e l y t i e d to th e problem o f o v e r - s p e c i a l i ­
z a tio n .
The d r y - la n d fa rm e r i n t h i s a r e a d epends e n t i r e l y upon th e y i e l d
and p r i c e o f d r y - la n d c r o p s .
S hould e i t h e r th e y i e l d o r th e p r i c e dro p
to o f a r , which f r e q u e n t l y h a p p en s, he h a s n o th in g to f a l l back upon b u t
a governm ent s u b s id y o f some k in d .
L ik e w is e , th e r a n c h e r u s u a l l y depends
e n t i r e l y upon th e y i e l d o f g r a s s , th e a b i l i t y o f h i s l i v e s t o c k to change
t h i s g r a s s in t o m e at, and th e p r i c e o f t h i s m eat.
any o f th e s e f a c t o r s h i s income d is a p p e a r s .
I f a n y th in g h ap p en s to
He h a s a s a f e g u a r d o f s o r t s
in t h a t he can s e l l o f f p a r t o r a l l o f h i s b re e d in g s to c k .
Then, how ever,
he c a n n o t r e t u r n to norm al o p e r a t io n s e a s i l y , b u t can o n ly slo w ly in c r e a s e
h i s h e rd to n o rm al.
The i r r i g a t i o n fa rm e r i s b e s t s u i t e d to th e f l u c t u a ­
t i o n s in c lim a te b u t i s j u s t a s s u s c e p t i b l e to ch an g e in p r i c e .
In none o f th e t h r e e ty p e s o f fa rm in g h as a system o f r e s e r v e s been
put in to p r a c tic e .
None o f th e ty p e s a r e c a p a b le o f m e e tin g a d e p r e s s io n -
d ro u g h t p e r io d on t h e i r own r e s o u r c e s .
M l depend upon some form o f
governm ent s u b s id y , p a r t i c u l a r l y d u r in g th e le a n y e a r s .
A n o th er problem o f th e a r e a , and o f m ost o f th e G re a t P l a i n s , a r i s e s
from th e f a c t t h a t th e u p la n d fa rm e r and r a n c h e r e x p e c ts o r ho p es to l i v e
on t h e same p la n e and in th e same f a s h io n a s fa rm e rs in more d e n s e ly popu­
l a t e d r e g io n s .
T h ere i s no re a s o n why w ith r e s e r v e s an d la r g e u n i t s he can
n o t consume th e same goods a s th e fa rm e r i n th e humid r e g i o n s .
But th e
m a in te n a n c e o f s e r v i c e s b o th p u b l i c , su c h a s s c h o o ls and r o a d s , and p r i v a t e ,
su ch a s com m ercial e s ta b lis h m e n ts and p r o f e s s i o n a l c a r e , must be more l i m i t e d
on d ry la n d th a n th e y a r e a t p r e s e n t .
T h is e x t e n s i v e ly u se d la n d c a n n o t
hope t o s u p p o r t th e s e r v i c e s which a r e s u p p o rte d by la n d s in humid r e g io n s .
-5 9 Soon e r o r l a t e r i t m ust be r e a l i z e d t h a t e i t h e r th e u p la n d fa r m e r m ust g e t
a lo n g w ith o u t th e s e r v i c e s now a t h an d , o r h e must move to th e tow ns o r
v a l l e y w here th e s e r v i c e s can be m a in ta in e d .
The f o u r t h p ro b lem , th e e x p l o i t a t i o n o f s o i l and g r a s s , a r i s e s in
p a r t from a d i f f e r e n c e in t h e v a lu e s b etw een t h e i n d i v i d u a l and s o c i e t y .
The i n d i v id u a l i s t r y i n g t o make h i s ra n c h o r farm pay now---- a t p r e s e n t.
I f n e c e s s a r y , he w i l l lo w e r i t s f u t u r e p r o d u c t i v i t y , p e rh a p s i r r e p a r a b l y ,
in o r d e r t o m a in ta in h i s c o n t r o l o v e r h i s s p r e a d .
As s o c i e t y s e e s i t , t h i s
d e p l e t i o n o f r e s o u r c e s i s w a s te f u l an d d e s t r u c t i v e , f o r s o c i e t y h as l e s s
i n t e r e s t i n w h eth er th e in d i v i d u a l k e e p s h i s s p r e a d , b u t r a t h e r in th e
" b e s t " u s e o f t h e r e s o u r c e s o f th e a r e a .
I t i s from t h i s p o in t o f view
t h a t o v e r g r a z in g and s o i l e r o s io n , accom panied by a d e c r e a s e in m o is tu re
a b s o r p ti o n , a r e p ro b le m s.
Ig n o ra n c e , i n c o r r e c t p r a c t i c e s , u n c o n tr o lle d
ra n g e o v e r-u s e d by a number o f r a n c h e r s , and th e i n c r e a s i n g d i f f i c u l t y o f
c o n t r o l l i n g e r o s io n o n ce i t g e t s s t a r t e d a l l c o n t r i b u t e to th e problem o f
e x p l o i t a t i o n o f s o i l and g r a s s .
I n f l e x i b i l i t y o f la n d u s e w here th e c l im a t e i s h ig h ly v a r i a b l e ;
o v e r - s p e c i a l i z a t i o n w here d i v e r s i f i c a t i o n i s needed a s in s u r a n c e ; m ainte-.
n an ce o f p u b lic s e r v ic e s a t h ig h c o s t on s p a r s e l y p o p u la te d la n d ; and
e r o s io n and d e c l in in g p r o d u c t i v i t y o f la n d c a u se d by e x p l o i t a t i o n o f s o i l
and g r a s s a r e t h e m a jo r p ro b lem s o f th e a r e a .
-60.
PART I I I i
CRITIQUE
I n th e a r e a t h e r e a r e a number o f a g e n c ie s d e a lin g w ith th e s e
p ro b lem s w ith v a r y in g d e g r e e s o f s u c c e s s an d e x e r t i n g & c e r t a i n amount
o f in f lu e n c e o v e r th e la n d u s e .
The f o llo w in g p r a r g r a p h s d e s c r ib e th e
p o s i t i o n o f ea c h one in r e l a t i o n t o t h i s la n d use and c r i t i c i z e s t h e i r
r e s p e c t i v e program s i n te rm s o f th e p ro b le m s .
The S t a t e G razin g D i s t r i c t s
The S ta t e G razin g d i s t r i c t s w ere form ed to m eet t h e problem s o f
i n s e c u r i t y o f th e r a n c h e r and o v e r-u s e o f u n c o n tr o lle d r a n g e .
The f i r s t
e n a b lin g l e g i s l a t i o n f o r g r a z in g d i s t r i c t s was p a sse d i n 1933 b u t n o t
u n t i l e x te n s iv e r e v i s i o n o f t h e l e g i s l a t i o n was u n d e rta k e n i n 1939 w ere
th e g ra z in g d i s t r i c t s r e a l l y e f f e c t i v e .
They a re now u n d e r t h e s u p e r v is io n
o f t h e S t a t e G rass C o n s e rv a tio n C om m ission.
T here a re now t h i r t e e n g r a z in g d i s t r i c t s i n th e t h r e e c o u n t i e s .
(S ee f i g u r e 1 9 .)
A ll th e r a n c h e r s i n t h e a r e a a r e memb r s o f a t l e a s t one
o f th e s e d i s t r i c t s . C h arg es v a ry somewhat fro m d i s t r i c t t o d i s t r i c t b u t
a v e ra g e aro u n d |1 p e r a n im a l u n i t p e r e i g h t m onth g r a z in g s e a s o n .
In th e
B adlands D i s t r i c t i n s o u th V a lle y C o u n ty , f o r i n s t a n c e , a r a n c h e r pays $1
f o r g r a z in g a s t e e r o r a cow and h e r c a l f , &1.50 f o r a h o r s e , o r 20 c e n t s
p e r sh eep p e r g r a z in g s e a s o n w h ich ru n s from A p r il f i r s t th r o u g h Hovember
th irtie th .
The g r a z in g d i s t r i c t s have th r o u g h l e g a l means e s t a b l i s h e d a s e c u re
c o n t r o l o v e r th e r a n g e .
No o n e , f o r e x a m p le , c a n g ra z e l i v e s t o c k w ith i n
th e b o u n d a rie s o f th e d i s t r i c t w ith o u t a g r a z in g p e r m it e x c e p t on le n d
PO
I COOPERATIVE
Vicure 19*
GRAZING ASSOCIATIONS
Grssing D is t r ic t Botaaderies in the P ro ject Ares
-6 2 w hich h e owns o r l e a s e s .
L ik e w is e , th e g r a z in g d i s t r i c t can k eep a l l
p e rs o n s e x c e p t th e ow ner o r d i r e c t l e s s e e from g r a z in g la n d which i t does
n o t le a s e .
Members o f t h e g r a z in g d i s t r i c t s f r e q u e n t ly do g r a z e such la n d s
even th o u g h t h i s la n d i s n o t in c lu d e d i n t h e i r p e r m its .
T h is u n c o n tr o lle d
la n d , how ever, i s e q u a l ly w e ll managed a s th e r e s t o f th e la n d o f th e
g ra z in g d i s t r i c t .
A y e a r a f t e r t h e g r a z in g d i s t r i c t h a s b een form ed th e r i g h t s to u se
th e ra n g e te n d to become r i g i d and p e rm a n e n t.
b u te d on th e b a s i s o f t h r e e t e s t s :
p rio rity .
G razin g r i g h t s a r e d i s t r i ­
d ep en d en cy , c o m m e n s u ra b ility and
D ependency l i e s i n th e f a c t t h a t th e la n d c a n n o t be u sed c o r ­
r e c t l y w ith o u t a l s o th e u s e o f l a n d i n th e g r a z in g d i s t r i c t .
Gommensura-
b i l i t y i s th e a b i l i t y o f a p ie c e o f la n d to p ro d u c e w in te r fe e d d u rin g
" n o rm a l” y e a r s .
P r i o r i t y i s b a se d on th e f a c t t h a t th e i n d i v i d u a l r a n
l i v e s t o c k w ith in th e p r e s e n t b o u n d a rie s o f t h e g r a z in g d i s t r i c t some tim e
d u r in g p a r t o r a l l o f th e p e r io d I 929 t o 193^*
Both d ep en d en cy and com­
m e n s u r a b i lit y , th e n , a r e a t t r i b u t e s o f la n d w h ile p r i o r i t y i s an a t t r i b u t e
o f a g iv e n e n t e r p r i s e .
A f te r p r i o r i t y i s d e te rm in e d , how ever, i t i s th e n
t i e d to th e com m ensurate la n d .
I n th e p r o j e c t a r e a t h e r e i s more d ep en d en t and com m ensurable la n d
th a n t h e r e i s summer ra n g e .
Much o f t h i s com m ensurate la n d i s i n th e M ilk
R iv e r V a lle y an d was d ev elo p ed a f t e r t h e g r a z in g d i s t r i c t s w ere form ed a n d ,
t h e r e f o r e , a lth o u g h i t m akes a much m ore s e c u r e fe e d b a s e th a n th e commen­
s u r a t e la n d on th e u p la n d , i t h as no p r i o r i t y r i g h t s .
t h e r e i s no hope o f r e v i s i o n o f r i g h t s .
U nder th e p r e s e n t law
T h e r e f o re , b e c a u se o f p r i o r i t y ,
th e g r a z i n g d i s t r i c t s have a tta c h e d r i g h t s t o u se th e ra n g e to th e u n d ep en d -
-C5e b le u p lan d com m ensurate la n d s and have p erm a n e n tly p r e c lu d e d th e p o s s i ­
b i l i t y o f i r r i g a t e d f a r m e r s d e v e lo p in g a y e a r round l i v e s t o c k e n t e r p r i s e .
C ounty C oucniesionere
The C ounty C om m issioners have c h a rg e o f th e use o f a l l co u n ty l a n d .
S in c e th e y a r e e l e c t i v e o f f i c i a l s , t h e i r f i r s t i n t e r e s t i s t o o b ta in a s
much income a s p o s s i b le fro m th e s e la n d s f o r th e o p e r a t io n o f th e c o u n ty
g o v ern m en t.
T hey, t h e r e f o r e , t r y f i r s t to s e l l i t in o r d e r to p u t i t b a c k
on th e t a x r o l l s .
F a i l i n g t h i s , th e y l e a s e i t to th e h ig h e s t b id d e r on a
o n e -y o a r-c a s h -re n t-s u M e c t-to -s a le b a s is .
S t a t e l e g i s l a t i o n now p e rm its
th e c o u n ty t o l e a s e t h e i r la n c e on a t e n y e a r b a s i s , b u t th e C om m issioners
o f th e s e t h r e e c o u n tie s hav e n o t y e t s e e n f i t t o a v a i l th e m s e lv e s o f t h i s
o p p o rtu n ity .
Thus t h e p h ilo s o p h y o f th e C ounty C om m issioners c o n t r i b u te d
t o t h e m a la d ju s tm e n ts o f th e a re a by c r e a t i n g i n s e c u r i t y o f th e in d i v id u a l
and e n c o u ra g in g m isu se o f c o u n ty l a n d s .
The S ta t e o f M ontana
The a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f S ta te la n d s d o e s n o t c o n t r i b u t e , a s do th e
C ounty C o m m issio n ers, t o th e m a la d ju s tm e n ts o f th e a r e a , b u t n e i t h e r does
i t make any p o s i t i v e c o n t r i b u t i o n t o th e s o l u t i o n o f th e p ro b le m s .
The
S ta t e i s r e s t r i c t e d b y la w t o a o n e -y e a r l e a s e p e rio d f o r i t s l a n d s .
It
f o llo w s , a t th e p r e s e n t tim e , an a d m i n i s t r a t i v e p o li c y p e r m i t t i n g th o s e
in d i v i d u a l s who l e a s e
a r y
S ta t e la n d s t o be f a i r l y c o n f id e n t o f t h e i r
a b i l i t y t o c o n tin u e t h e i r c o n t r o l o v e r t h e s e !sends.
I t r e q u i r e s th e
g r a z in g d i s t r i c t s to l e a s e a l l S ta t e la n d o f f e r e d t o them a t a " r e a s o n a b le
re n ta l" .
64 The F e d e r a l Government
The la n d owned b y t h e F e d e ra l governm ent in th e p r o j e c t a r e a i a
a d m in is te re d by s e v e r a l d i f f e r e n t a g e n c ie s .
The B io l o g ic a l S u rv e y . — The B io l o g ic a l S urvey m a in ta in s w ild l i f e
r e f u g e s n o t u sed f o r a g r i c u l t u r a l p u r p o s e s .
The F o r e s t S e r v ic e . — The F o r e s t S e r v ic e c o n t r o l s th e sm all b i t o f
R a tio n a l F o r e s t i n th e p r o j e c t a r e a l y i n g in s o u th w e s t P h i l l i p s C o u n ty .
The p a r t w h ich i s le a s e d t o r a n c h e rs i s on a c o n t r o l l e d g r a z in g b a s i s and
g iv e s a s s u ra n c e o f c o n tin u e d r i g h t s .
The I n d ia n S e r v ic e . — The use o f th e F o r t B elknap I n d ia n R e s e r v a tio n
i s c o n t r o l l e d by th e I n d ia n S e r v ic e o f th e D epartm ent o f I n t e r i o r .
B la in e
C ounty r a n c h e r s g ra z e d o v e r 1 5 ,0 0 0 a n im a l u n i t s on th e r e s e r v a t i o n i n 1 9 4 0 .
I t h a s b een th e p r a c t i c e t o l e a s e th e s e la n d s on a y e a r to y e a r b a s i s .
R e c e n tly th e I n d ia n S e r v ic e announced t h a t i t i s b u i l d i n g up th e h e rd s o f
th e I n d ia n s a n d , t h e r e f o r e , in th e f u t u r e t h e r e w i l l b e l e s s and l e s s la n d
a v a ila b le fo r o u ts id e r s .
T h is p o li c y w i l l add c o n s id e r a b ly t o th e w e lf a r e
o f th e I n d ia n s , b u t i t w i l l f u r t h e r in c r e a s e th e p r e s s u r e on th e summer
ra n g e o f B la in e C o u n ty .
The G razin g S e r v ic e . — The G razin g S e rv ic e a d m in is te r s n o t o n ly th e
P u b lic Domain b u t a l s o th e la n d a c q u ir e d b y th e governm ent u n d e r th e Land
P u rc h a se p ro g ram .
To d a t e a l l t h i s la n d h a s b een le a s e d to th e g ra z in g
d i s t r i c t s who made th e i n d i v id u a l a l l o t m e n t s .
I t i s p ro b a b le t h a t i t w i l l
s h o r t l y make th e a l lo tm e n ts i t s e l f w ith th e a id o f a n a d v is o r y c o u n c il o f
r a n c h e r s a s i t h as done i n o t h e r s t a t e s .
Some d e f i n i t e p o li c y sh o u ld be
-
65 -
m & intained so t h a t b o th th e g r a z in g d i s t r i c t s and th e i n d i v i d u a l o p e r a t o r
w i l l know w here th e y s ta n d #
The B ureau o f R e c la m a tio n
The B ureau o f R e c la m a tio n , a lth o u g h i t d o es n o t d i r e c t l y a d m in is te r
any l a n d , h a s a v e r y r e a l c o n t r o l o v e r la n d i n t h i s a re a #
o f a d m i n i s t e r i n g t h e p h y s ic a l a s p e c t s o f i r r i g a t i o n #
I t h a s ch a rg e
The s to r a g e o f w a te r ,
th e d e l ! v e r y t o th e fa rm s in P h i l l i p s an d V a lle y c o u n t ie s and t o th e l o c a l
i r r i g a t i o n d i s t r i c t i n B la in e C o u n ty , th e c o l l e c t i o n o f f e e s and th e
c l a s s i f i c a t i o n o f v a l l e y la n d a r e a l l h a n d le d b y t h i s a g e n c y ,
h a te r fo r
i r r i g a t i o n i n t h e M ilk R iv e r V a lle y h a s had t o flo w some tw o hundred and
f i f t y m ile s 2 4 / from th e S t . M ary’ s r e s e r v o i r c lo s e t o G la c i e r N a tio n a l
P ark#
R e c e n tly th e B ureau o f R e c la m a tio n h a s b u i l t th e F re s n o dam w e s t
o f H avre w h ich s t o r e s w a te r c l o s e t o t h e i r r i g a t i o n p r o j e c t .
When th e M ilk R iv e r I r r i g a t i o n p r o j e c t was s e t up th e B ureau o f
R e c la m a tio n e x p e c te d t o hav e r e p a id t o i t a l l th e c o n s t r u c t i o n c o s t s a s
w e ll a s th e c u r r e n t c o s t s .
JL c o n s t r u c t i o n ch a rg e to be r e p a i d over a lo n g
p e r io d o f tim e i s le v i e d a g a i n s t a l l “i r r i g a b l e " la n d o f t h e v a lle y #
c o v e rs th e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f dams and c a n a l s .
T h is
I n P h i l l i p s and V a lle y
c o u n t ie s i t am ounts t o $57 p e r a c r e and w i l l b e in c r e a s e d b y a n o th e r $25
o r ^26 p e r a c r e when th e c h a r g e s f o r t h e F re sn o dam a r e a s s e s s e d .
In
B la in e C ounty w h ere l o c a l i r r i g a t i o n d i s t r i c t s w ere form ed t o h an d le d i s ­
t r i b u t i o n o f t h e w a t e r , c o n s t r u c t i o n c h a rg e s amount t o a b o u t $50 p e r a c re
2 j/
S la g s v o ld and Bingham, o p . c i t . , p . 1 8 .
66«
e x c lu s iv e o f th e F re sn o dam*
In a d d i t i o n , i n P h i l l i p s a n d V a lle y c o u n t i e s ,
t h e r e i s a g e n e ra l a n n u a l c h a rg e o f 15 c e n t s p e r a c r e , a n o p e r a tin g and
m a in te n a n c e c h a rg e o f 75 c e n t s p e r a c r e f o o t o f w a te r u s e d , and a w a te r
c h a rg e o f 75 c e n t s p e r a c r e f o o t .
In B la in e C ounty th e g e n e r a l c h arg e I s
n o t a s s e s s e d b u t th e w a te r c h a rg e an d o p e r a t in g and m a in te n a n c e c h a rg e s
t o t a l from $ 1 .7 5 t o $ 2 .7 6 p e r a c r e f o o t .
C o n s id e rin g th e q u a l i t y o f th e
la n d and t h e m a rk e t o p p o r t u n i t i e s o f th e v a l l e y t h e r e i s c o n s id e r a b le
d o u b t w h e th e r th e c o n s t r u c t i o n c h a r g e s can b e p a id o f f .
A lre a d y
m o rato riu m s have b een d e c l a r e d b u t no p erm an en t a d ju s tm e n t h a s b een m ade.
The A g r i c u l t u r a l A d ju stm e n t A d m in is tr a tio n
A lm ost a l l th e la n d in th e p r o j e c t a r e a n o t owned b y th e S ta te o r
F e d e r a l g o v ern m en ts now p a r t i c i p a t e s to some e x t e n t i n th e program o f th e
A g r i c u l t u r a l A d ju stm e n t A d m in is tr a tio n .
T h is program i s a c o m b in a tio n o f
an a tte m p t a t a p r o d u c tio n c o n t r o l p ro g ram , an a tte m p t t o en c o u ra g e
p r a c t i c e s w h ic h w i l l m a in ta in o r ev e n in c r e a s e p r o d u c t i v i t y o f th e l a n d ,
and a g e n e ro u s F e d e r a l s u b s id y .
P r o d u c tio n c o n t r o l i s e x e r c is e d by t h e
g r a n tin g o f l i m i t e d w h eat and s u g a r b e e t a l l o t m e n t s .
(T h ese tw o a r e th e
o n ly c ro p s w hose p r o d u c tio n s a r e b e in g c o n t r o l l e d u n d e r th e A g r i c u l t u r a l
A d ju stm e n t A d m in is tr a tio n i n t h i s a r e a . )
S o il b u il d in g p r a c t i c e s ta k e th e
form o f th e a p p l i c a t i o n o f f e r t i l i z e r s , th e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t e r r a c e s ,
r e s e r v o i r s and dams t o slo w down w a te r r u n - o f f , th e s e e d in g o f legum es and
g r a s s e s , and th e p r a c t i c e s o f s t r i p - c r o p p i n g and c o n t o u r i n g .
On ran g e la n d
s o i l b u i l d i n g p r a c t i c e s t a k e th e form o f d e f e r r e d g r a z i n g , a r t i f i c i a l r e ­
s e e d in g , c o n s t r u c t i o n o f dams and t e r r a c e s , and th e d e v elo p m en t o f w a te r
-6 7 fa c ilitie s .
S u b s id y i s c a r r i e d o u t by th e payment o f v a r io u s am ounts a s a
rew ard f o r th e c o m p le tio n o f "good fa rm in g p r a c t i c e s " , a s p a r i t y paym ents,
and a s " a llo tm e n t p ay m en ts".
I t would be d i f f i c u l t to g iv e an y in d e x o f th e s u c c e s s o f th e A g ri­
c u l t u r a l A d ju stm e n t A d m in is tr a tio n program a s a w h o le.
The w heat and s u g a r
b e e t c o n t r o l p ro g ram , f o r i n s t a n c e , c a n n o t be m easured by th e number o f
b u s h e ls o f w heat p ro d u ced i n any g iv e n y e a r o r y e a r s b e c a u se th e program
i s s u c c e s s f u l o n ly i n s o f a r a s i t r e s t r i c t s n a t i o n a l o u tp u t to th e e x te n t
t h a t p r i c e r i s e s , o r c a n be r a i s e d , an d b e c a u se to o many n a t u r a l f a c t o r s
a f f e c t th e p r o d u c tio n o f w h e a t.
The A g r i c u l t u r a l C o n s e rv a tio n program can be m easured by some o f
th e " s o i l b u il d in g p r a c t i c e s " .
T a b le IX shows th e c o u n ty s t a t i s t i c s f o r
th e f o u r m ost im p o r ta n t p r a c t i c e s i n t h i s a r e a . 2 5 /
P r a c t i c e B -I i s th e
s e e d in g o f b i e n n i a l o r p e r e n n i a l le g u m es, p e r e n n i a l g r a s s e s n o t in c lu d in g
tim o th y , r e d to p o r c r e s t e d w heat g r a s s .
P r a c t i c e C-2 c o n s i s t s o f s e e d in g
p erm anent g r a s s e s ( c r e s t e d w heat g r a s s , s le n d e r w heat g r a s s , w e s te rn w heat
g r a s s , o r grama g r a s s . )
e x p la n a to r y .
fa s h io n .
p ra c tic e s .
S e e d in g o f a l f a l f a and s t r i p c ro p p in g a r e s e l f -
The r a n g e c o n s e r v a tio n program can be m easured in s im i la r
T a b le X shows th e am ounts o f th e m ost Im p o rta n t ra n g e c o n s e rv in g
D e fe rre d g r a z in g c o n s i s t s o f n o t g r a z in g c e r t a i n la n d u n t i l
a f t e r th e t h i r t y - f i r s t o f A u g u st.
Range r e s e e d in g in v o lv e s s e e d in g th e
2 5 / S t a t i s t i c s a r e ta k e n from F a c ts f o r F u tu re P la n n in g , 1959
Annual R e p o rt f o r M ontana, U. S. D ep artm en t o f a g r i c u l t u r e , a g r i c u l t u r a l
A d ju stm en t A d m in is tr a tio n , Bozeman, 194-0, Mimeo. D e ta ile d d e s c r i p t i o n o f
p r a c t i c e s w i l l be fo u n d in M ontana H andbook, 1959 A g r i c u l t u r a l and Range
C o n s e rv a tio n P ro g ram s, U. S. D epartm ent o f A g r ic u lt u r e , w estern D iv is io n ,
F eb. 1939.
68-
TABLE IX. a / PRACTICES RESULTING FROM AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION
PROGRAM OF THE AGRICULTURAL ADJUSTMENT ADMINISTRATION
1959
6-1
Seeding
legum es
and
grasses
A cres
C-I
S eeding
a lfa lfa
C-2
Seeding
p e ren n ia l
grasses
A cres
A cres
A cres
H-4
S t r ip
crop p in g
B la in e
P h illip s
V a lle y
2 ,2 4 0
1,5 1 1
1 ,7 9 2
3 ,4 1 0
1 ,7 6 1
2 ,4 1 7
3 ,2 7 6
5,0 9 1
13 ,2 7 9
1 1 0 ,6 6 0
3 6 ,7 7 1
2 3 3 ,012
T o ta l
6 ,5 4 3
7 ,5 7 8
2 1 ,6 4 5
3 8 0 ,4 4 3
Data from F a cts f o r Future P la n n in g , o p . c i t .
TABLE X. a /
PRACTICES IN CONSERVATION WITH RANGE CONSERVATION
PROGRAM, 1959
D eferred
g ra zin g
acres
B la in e
P h il lip s
V a lle y
T o ta l
R eseed in g
acres
Earthen ta n k s and
r e s e r v o ir s
Number
Cu. yds
4 8 ,1 0 7
9 2 ,0 6 3
1 2 ,0 4 2
8 ,1 4 0
6 ,7 4 8
2 ,7 8 4
79
41
5
1 4 9 ,082
67,0 7 7
1 2 ,2 8 0
1 5 2 ,212
17,672
125
228,439
1936-1939
S p rin gs & se e p s
d ev elo p ed
B la in e
P h illip s
V a lle y
142
35
18
1937-1939
Range r e se e d in g
acres
2 ,0 7 6
2 ,9 6 8
977
T o ta l
6,021
195
Data from F a cts f o r Future P la n n in g , op. c i t .
D eferred g ra zin g
acres
1 0 6 ,1 3 6
2 7 3 ,3 0 4
70,419
4 4 9 ,8 5 9
-6 9 same g r a s s e s a s i n p r a c t i c e C-2 above w ith th e a d d i t i o n o f brome g r a s s .
The s u b s id y p h a se o f th e A g r i c u l t u r a l A d ju stm en t A d m in is tr a tio n
program i s p e rh a p s b e s t m easu red by th e am ount o f money which was g iv e n
o u t.
T a b le XI shows d i s t r i b u t i o n o f paym ents by ty p e , c o u n ty and am ount
in 1939*
T a b le X II (a and b) shows t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f p a y e e s o f A g ri­
c u l t u r a l and Range C o n s e rv a tio n p ro g ram s by th e am ounts r e c e iv e d .
The A g r i c u l t u r a l A d ju stm e n t A d m in is tr a tio n h as h e lp e d to d i v e r s i f y
some u n i t s .
I t h a s re d u c e d th e amount o f e r o s io n and h e lp e d to r e s t o r e th e
p r o d u c t i v i t y o f th e la n d .
But th e s u b s id y h a s h e lp e d to m a in ta in th e s u b -
m a rg in a l fa rm e r s on t h e d ry la n d and slo w down th e n a t u r a l m ig r a tio n to th e
i r r i g a t e d la n d .
The B o il C o n s e rv a tio n S e r v ic e
The Land P u rc h a se program o f th e S o il C o n s e rv a tio n S e rv ic o has been
one o f t h e most w id e s p re a d o f th e a c t i o n p ro g ram s in i t s e f f e c t s upon th e
u re a .
T h is program was d e s c r ib e d b r i e f l y a t th e end o f P a r t I .
The Land P u rc h a s e program had num erous and c o n f l i c t i n g o b j e c t i v e s ,
i n t h e o r i g i n a l '’M alta P la n ” th e o b j e c t i v e s o f la n d p u rc h a s e w ere s e c o n d a ry
to re s e ttle m e n t.
I n t e r e s t was fo c u s e d upon moving th e d e s t i t u t e u ry fa rm e r
o f f h i s la n d and o n to an i r r i g a t e d u n i t i n th e v a l l e y .
how ever, o b j e c t i v e s were q u i t e d i f f e r e n t .
In th e n a t i o n a l s c e n e ,
The program p la n n e r s in
J a s h in g to n were w o rrie d a b o u t th e seem ing c o n f l i c t b etw een th e program o f
th e A g r i c u l t u r a l A d ju stm e n t A d m in is tr a tio n , ta k i n g la n d o u t o f p r o d u c tio n ,
and t h a t o f th e B ureau o f R e c la m a tio n , p u t t i n g new IanQ in t o p r o a u c tio n . 2 b /
2 6 / JNourse, Edwin G .: Government i n R e l a ti o n to A g r i c u l t u r e ,
B ro o k in g s I n s t i t u t i o n , J a s h in g to n , 1 9 ^ 0 , p p . 9ZF~ffT~
TABLE X I.
3/
A llo tm e n t Payment
Wheat
G en eral
Cl0 1 ,0 6 8
I 31,471
8 8 ,9 5 7
V a lle y
T o ta l
B la in e
P h illip s
1939 AGRICULTURAL ADJUSTMENT ADMINISTRATION SUBSIDIES
P r a c t i c e Payment
R e s to r a ­
S o il
t i o n la n d B u ild in g
Range
S ugar
B eet
Paym ents
Grand
T o ta l
356
I 4 6 ,0 1 0
*25,805
162,831
$149,558
$416,099
2 6 ,9 3 5
5 ,6 2 7
3 0 ,5 7 0
1 8 ,1 0 2
5 3 ,1 6 8
5 7 ,7 3 0
281,089
2 2 7 ,3 3 0
4 4 ,9 2 3
2 2 ,5 9 7
9 2 ,7 5 5
3 ,3 1 5
143,092
2 9 ,7 6 0
563,772
4 1 7 ,3 5 5
1 0 3 ,3 2 9
2 8 ,5 8 0
1 6 8 ,3 3 5
47,222
259,091
237,048
1 ,2 6 0 ,9 6 0
3/
$
P a rity
Payments
Op. c i t . , F a c ts f o r F u tu re P la n n in g .
TABLE X II-A . « /
PAYEES - AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM
T o ta ls
TT100
100
200
200
300
300
400
400
600
500
1000
B la in e
818
371
178
97
47
40
78
3
3
P h illip s
999
481
311
106
46
24
27
4
—
V a lle y
1751
749
403
207
139
90
132
24
5
I
T o ta ls
5568
1601
892
410
232
154
237
31
8
2
TABLE X II-B .
1000
2000
2000
3000
3000
4000
I
4000
5000
Over
5000
«* —
—
—
I
I
PAYEES - RANGE CONSERVATION PROGRAM
T o ta ls
0
100
100
200
200
300
B la in e
67
20
22
P h illip s
67
27
V a lle y
21
T o ta ls
145
300
400
400
500
500
1000
9
4
I
16
7
I
13
5
I
60
43
17
?
1000
2000
2000
3000
3)00
4000
6
2
2
I
I
2
I
I
I
—
—-
I
6
2
S
4
3
Op. o i t . , Facta fo r Future P la n n in g .
4600
6000
Over
5000
—
I
—
I
I
—
-7 2 In 1933 th e Land P u rc h a s e program was c o n c e iv e d to a l l e v i a t e t h i s dilem m a.
T w e n ty -fiv e m i lli o n d o l l a r s was s e t a s i d e n a t i o n a l l y from W.P.A. fu n d s f o r
th e p u rc h a s e o f lo w -g ra d e farm la n d , t h i s la n d th e n to be p u t to some more
e x te n s iv e u s e , th e d ev elo p m en t o f th e la n d f o r th e new u s e to in v o lv e W.P.A.
la b o r.
I t i s common p r a c t i c e i n lo o k in g back a t th e program w ith a w id er
know ledge o f governm ent a c t i v i t y to a t t r i b u t e o b j e c t i v e s t o th e program
w hich i t d id n o t have a t i t s i n c e p t i o n .
say:
I t i s v e ry e a s y a t t h i s tim e to
" I f o n ly th e y had done th u s and s o ."
The program would have b een more e f f e c t i v e had i t c o n c e n tr a te d on
one o r two m ajo r o b j e c t i v e s , o t h e r b e n e f i t s b e in g r e l e g a t e d to th e s t a t u s
o f b y - p r o d u c ts .
Then com prom ise would hav e been e lim in a te d an d p r o g r e s s
c o n s e q u e n tly more r a p i d .
Suppose t h a t th e p rim a ry o b j e c t i v e s h ad been to move low -incom e
f a m i l i e s o f f th e d ry la n d and to h e lp th e re m a in in g u n i t s to become d i v e r s i ­
f i e d and d r o u g h t - r e s i s t a n t .
The c r i t e r i a f o r th e s e l e c t i o n o f la n d to be
p u rc h a se d would th e n have b een th e incom e o f th e o p e r a t o r o f t h a t la n d and
t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f u s in g t h a t la n d to im prove some o th e r u n i t .
I f , how ever, th e o b j e c t i v e s o f th e program had b een to d e c re a s e th e
am ount o f d r y - la n d c ro p s p ro d u ced and to s to p e r o s io n by r e s t o r i n g th e
g r a s s c o v e r o f lo w -g ra d e farm la n d s , th e c r i t e r i a would have been q u it e
d iffe re n t.
A s o i l s u rv e y v o u ld have p re c e d e d any p u rc h a s e and th e s e l e c ­
t i o n o f la n d would have been b ased on th e lo w -g ra d e c h a r a c t e r o f th e la n d
and th e f a c t t h a t i t was th e n , and would have c o n tin u e d i f n o t p u rc h a s e d ,
in th e p r o d u c tio n o f s u r p lu s d r y - la n d c r o p s .
Now su p p o se t h a t th e o b j e c t i v e s o f th e program h ad b e e n :
to b r in g
-
73-
Iand in to F ed eral ow nership , r e g a r d le s s o f c h a r a c te r ; to d is t r ib u t e a s much
money a s p o s s ib le ovor a sh o r t p erio d o f tim e r e g a r d le s s o f who would
r e c e iv e the money; w ith accompanying advantages o f d e c r e a sin g p ro d u ctio n o f
w h eat, moving p eo p le o u t o f an overp op u lated a r e a , and p ro v id in g jo b s f o r
Tf,P.A. la b o r i n d e v e lo p in g t h i s la n d .
Then th e program, would have b een t o
buy th e land as f a s t a s p o s s ib le a t a p r ic e c l o s e t o th e r e a l v a lu e , w ith ­
o u t any o th er s e l e c t i o n w h a tso e v e r .
T h is i s th e form th e program to o k .
And th e o b j e c t iv e s in the minds
Oj. th e u ltim a te p o lic y m akers, th o s e in W ashington, were e s s e n t i a l l y th o se
s ta te d in th e l a s t paragraph.
was a r e a l s u c c e s s .
end in i t s e l f .
From t h i s p o in t o f v iew th e lan d purchase
I t brought la n d in t o F ed eral ow n ersh ip , w hich was an
I t put money in t o c i r c u la t io n w ith perhaps a s g r e a t a
v a r ie t y o f r e c e iv e r s a s any pump prim ing program.
I t moved d e s t it u t e
la m .ilie s o f ^ th e land#
( Perhaps 500 t o 600 o f the r e s id e n t o p era to rs cou ld
come in t h i s c a te g o r y • )
I t to o k c o n s id e r a b le sub-m arginal cropland o u t o f
p ro d u c tio n .
These were th e o b j e c t iv e s in s p it e o f th e f a c t th a t th e "Malta Plan"
was th e o r ig in a l in s p ir a t io n fo r a purchase p r o je c t in t h i s a r e a .
Much
d a ta had been gath ered o r e stim a te d ab out th e a rea and th e b e n e f it s w hich
th e progra
would b r in g to i t , but th e r e w ere no su rv ey s o f la n d ow nership,
o p e r a tin g u n i t s , land i n c u l t i v a t i o n or d e t a il e d s o i l su rv ey o r land
c la s s ific a tio n .
In l a t e r purchase p r o j e c t s , vhere th e o b j e c t iv e s had been
c l a r i f i e d , th e need f o r th e s e su rveys was r e a l iz e d and th e y v e r e obtained
b e fo r e th e purchase b egan .
In the M ilk R iver-N orth ern Montana p r o j e c t ,
how ever, th e purposes o f s e l e c t i o n o f th e la n d purchased was n o t r e c o g n is e d ,
-7*One o f th e re a s o n s why th e r e s i d e n t s i n t e r e s t e d i n th e "M alta P la n " d id
n o t demand s e l e c t i o n was t h a t th e y e x p e c te d 2 , 0 0 0 ,0 0 0 a c r e s o f la n d to be
p u rc h a s e d .
T h is amount would hav e s a t i s f i e d b o th t h e i r o b j e c t i v e s and
th o s e o f th e n a t i o n a l p la n n e r s .
The fu n d s w ere c u t s h o r t , how ever, and
t h e p u rc h a s e program n e v e r a c q u ir e d much o v e r 9 0 0 ,0 0 0 a c r e s o f la n d .
Ih u s
i t s a t i s f i e d th e n a t i o n a l demands w ith o u t e v e r b e in g a b l e to s a t i s f y th e
n e e d s w hich were c o n s id e r e d m ost p r e s s in g b y th e l o c a l p e o p le .
One c r i t i c i s m which h as been le v e l e d a g a i n s t th e p u rc h a s e program i s
th e f a c t t h a t th e la n d th e y b o u g h t was so s c a t t e r e d .
and 5 .)
(S ee f i g u r e s
3»
4,
As p o in te d o u t a b o v e , th e s i m p l if y in g o f th e o w n e rsh ip p a t t e r n was
n o t one o f t h e o r i g i n a l o b j e c t i v e s o f th e p r o j e c t .
T h e r e f o r e , th e c r i t i ­
cism i s o f th e p u rp o se and n o t th e m ethods o f th e pro g ram .
In so fa r as
b lo c k e d o u t p u rc h a s e s w ould have s i m p l i f i e d th e te n u r e r e l a t i o n s h i p s in
th e a r e a , th e c r i t i c i s m i s v a l i d .
I t was p la n n e d a t th e o u t s e t , how ever,
t o t u r n th e s e la n d s o v e r to c o o p e r a tiv e , l o c a l l y c o n t r o l l e d g r a z in g d i s t r i c t s
w hich w ould th e n manage a l l th e la n d w ith in t h e i r b o u n d a r ie s n o t s p e c i f i c a l l y
re se rv e d fo r o th e r u s e s .
T hese g r a z in g d i s t r i c t s a r e now f u n c tio n in g in
a l l o f th e p r o j e c t a r e a , and i t , t h e r e f o r e , makes l i t t l e d i f f e r e n c e so f a r
a s th e r a n c h e r s ’ te n u r e r e l a t i o n s h i p s a r e c o n ce rn ed w h e th e r th e p u rc h a se la n d
i s in b lo c k s o r in s c a t t e r e d p ie c e s a s lo n g a s th e g r a z i n g d i s t r i c t l e a s e s
i t a l l and makes i n d i v i d u a l a l lo tm e n ts .
The pro b lem o f th e r i g i d i t y o f ra n g e r i g h t s h as come up i n th e
p ro g re ss o f th e re s e ttle m e n t u n it s .
As th e c l i e n t s have re a c h e d f u l l p ro ­
d u c tio n th e y have found t h a t th e y n eed ed some k in d o f l i v e s t o c k e n t e r p r i s e
to round o u t t h e i r o p e r a t i o n s .
In a l l b u t a few c a s e s th e y have been
-7 5 u n a b le t o s e c u re g r a z in g r i g h t s .
I t i s now s u g g e s te d t h a t i f th e la n d
p u rc h a s e program had b o u g h t i t s la n d i n b lo c k s , i t co u ld w ith d ra w p a r t o f
i t to u s e a s a com munity p a s tu r e f o r th e s e r e s e t t l e d f a r m e r s .
The S o il
C o n s e rv a tio n S e r v ic e may s t i l l be a b le t o u se t h e t h r e a t o f w ith d raw in g
p a r t o f i t s la n d in o r d e r to s e c u re r i g h t s f o r th e F a ra S e c u r it y A dm inis­
t r a t i o n c l i e n t s , b u t o n ly w ith th e d a n g e r t h a t t h i s a c t m ig h t f u r t h e r
s t r a i n th e r e l a t i o n s b etw een r a n c h e r s and i r r i g a t e d f a r m e r s .
The a c q u i s i t i o n o f la n d by th e F e d e r a l governm ent h a s had s e v e r a l
im p o rta n t e f f e c t s upon p u b li c f in a n c e a s p e c t s in th e t h r e e c o u n t ie s . 2 7 /
As would b e e x p e c te d , th e la n d p u rc h a s e h a s red u ce d th e t a x b a se o f th e
t h r e e c o u n t i e s , p ro b a b ly by more th a n $ 1 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0 .
t h e re v e n u e from t a x e s b u t n o t i n p r o p o r ti o n .
L ik e w is e , i t h as re d u c e d
R e c e ip ts from back ta x e s
more th a n made up f o r th e governm ent in d e b te d n e s s c h a rg e d a g a i n s t th e
p u rc h a s e d l a n d s .
R e d u c tio n s i n governm ent o p e r a t in g e x p e n se s w i l l n o t be
fo rth c o m in g u n t i l r e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f sc h o o l d i s t r i c t s , p e rh a p s o f c o u n tie s ,
- i s a c h ie v e d .
Even w ith re d u c e d c o s t s t h e r e i s j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r th e
F e d e r a l governm ent co m p en sa tin g l o c a l governm ent f o r th e r e d u c tio n i n th e
t a x re v e n u e .
T h is c o m p e n sa tio n , p ro v id e d f o r i n th e B ank'head-Jones ^ c t t o
th e am ount o f 25 p e r c e n t o f th e income from th e g r a z in g r i g h t s o f t h i s
l a n d , i s now i n o p e r a t io n .
A f te r th e la n d had been p u rc h a s e d , t h e S o il C o n s e rv a tio n S e rv ic e
u n d e rto o k a program o f ra n g e d e v elo p m en t.
T h ree h u n d red f o r t y - n i n e s to c k
w a te r r e s e r v o i r s w ere b u i l t w ith a c a p a c it y a v e r a g in g
a c re fe e t per
2 7 / F o r f u l l tr e a tm e n t o f P u b lic F in a n c e a s p e c t s se e H a g g e rty ,
John J . : P u b lic F in a n c e A sp e cts o f th e M ilk R iv e r Land A c q u is itio n P r o j e c t ,
U. S . D epartm ent o f A g r i c u l t u r e , R e s e ttle m e n t A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , W ashington,
1937» Mimeo.
-7 6 r e s e r v o i r a t c o s t s v a r y in g from $0 c e n t s to $2 .2 0 p e r a c r e f o o t ,
s p r in g s w ere c le a n e d o u t and 4- w e lls su n k .
S ix hu n d red f o r t y - e i g h t farm ­
s te a d s w ere r a z e d , c e l l a r h o le s and d r y w e lls were f i l l e d
t h i r t y m ile s o f fe n c e w ere b u i l t .
b u i l t f o r c o o p e r a tiv e u s e .
s tru c te d .
e ig h te e n
in .
T hree h u n d red
E lev en c o r r a l s and 9 d ip p in g v a ts w ere
S ix c a t t l e g u a r d s , &J m ile s o f ro a d s w ere con­
One th o u s a n d s i x h u n d red and tw e n ty a c r e s w ere t e r r a c e d o r con­
to u r e d f o r d e m o n s tra tio n se e d p r o d u c tio n p l o t s and f lo o d i r r i g a t i o n .
G ra ss
was p la n te d on th e r e s e r v o i r dams and t r e e s w ere p la n te d aro u n d th e e d g e s .
F our h u n d red e ig h ty - tw o th o u sa n d a c r e s w ere co v e re d i n t h e r o d e n t c o n t r o l
program .
F i f t y - t h r e e th o u s a n d sev en h u n d red and s i x t y - s e v e n a c r e s w ere r e ­
seed ed e i t h e r t o a m ix tu r e o f c r e s t e d w heat g r a s s an d w e s te rn w heat g r a s s o r
c r e s t e d w heat g i;ass and brome g r a s s a t a c o s t o f ab o u t f$0 c e n ts p e r a c r e . 2S>/
The Land P u rc h a se pro g ram by b u y in g o u t fa rm e rs h a s h e lp e d to d e c r e a s e
th e amount o f p u b lic s e r v i c e n eed ed on th e u p la n d ; and by r e t u r n i n g farm
la n d to g r a s s h a s h e lp e d t o d e c r e a s e th e e x p l o i t a t i o n Cj. a g r i c u l t u r a l
reso u rces.
The Farm S e c u r it y A d m in is tr a tio n
The r e s e t t l e m e n t p r o j e c t o f th e Farm S e c u r it y A d m in istra tio n , l i k e
th e Land P u rc h a s e pro g ram , was one o f th e f i r s t o f i t s k in d .
how ever, w ere c l e a r .
I t s o b je c tiv e s ,
The f i r s t m a jo r m is ta k e was t h a t o f tim in g .
In
t h e M ilk R iv e r P r o j e c t t h e c l i e n t was d is p la c e d b e f o r e an y new lo c a t i o n
was re a d y f o r o c c u p a n c e .
T h is w a itin g p e r io d p re c lu d e d th e p o s s i b i l i t y
2 g / T hese d a ta h a v e a l l b e e n ta k e n from : A n n u a l R e p o r t, 1 9 5 9 »
S o il C o n s e rv a tio n S e r v ic e an d Farm S e c u r ity A d m in is tr a tio n P ro g ram s; Mimeo.
A p r il I , 1940, M a lta , M ontana.
77.
o f th e c l i e n t s a v in g very much o f h is p rev io u s equipment o r l i v e s t o c k f o r
h is new o p e r a t io n s .
I t fo rced him t o use up a l l or most o f th e money he
had, u s u a lly o n ly h i s e q u it y in h i s lb ra er la n d .
r e s e ttle m e n t u n it from sc r a tc h *
Thus he s ta r te d on th e
He had to borrow money f o r th e la n d ,
b u ild in g s , equipm ent, l i v e s t o c k and h i s own l i v i n g u n t i l th e u n it was pro­
d u c in g .
R e se ttle m e n t o p p o r tu n ity , th e n , e i t h e r should be developed b e fo r e
th e in d iv id u a l i s d is p la c e d from h i s form er u n it , or th e c l i e n t should be
employed in i t s d evelopm en t.
Land f o r r e s e t t le m e n t was ch o sen on a number o f c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .
S o i l q u a l i t i e s , the amount o f l e v e l i n g , d it c h in g and d r a in in g needed, c le a r
t i t l e and w ill in g n e s s o f th e owner t o s e l l a t the governm ent’ s ap p raised
v a lu e , a v a i l a b i l i t y in la r g e b lo c k s so t h a t com m unities o f c l i e n t s could
be b u i l t u p ,— a l l en tered in to th e c h o ic e .
One c r i t ic i s m w hich i s made o f
t h i s p r o je c t i s th a t th e p r o je c t s o i l s are so poor t h a t no farmer would
c u l t i v a t e them o f h is own f r e e w i l l .
The s o i l s o f the b lo c k s o f land
ch osen fo r r e s e t t le m e n t are b e t t e r th an th e v a lle y average and c e r t a in ly
th e ir r ig a t e d u n it s o f f e r th e in d iv id u a l a b e t t e r o p p o r tu n ity o f making
a l i v i n g y ea r in and y ea r ou t th a n d id h i s p rev io u s dry land u n it .
In d iv id in g up th e u n it s an attem p t was made to g iv e each c l i e n t
some good s o i l .
s i s t in
T his was done in a l l but a few c a s e s i
th e s e u n it s con­
e n t i r e l y o f h ea v y , c la y e y s o i l s were reserv ed fo r use in c o n n e c tio n
w ith upland l i v e s t o c k o p e r a tio n s .
The developm ent o f th e u n i t s , th e t r a n s f e r from row o r p a r tly de­
veloped land to u n it s read y fo r in t e n s iv e farm ing was done by th e Farm
S e c u r ity A d m in is tr a tio n .
Large s c a le power m achinery was used fo r the
-
l e v e l i n g and d itc h in g *
78-
C lea rin g was u sed by th e Farm S e c u r ity A dn ini-
c t r a t io n as a way t o keep YieP .A* or g r a n t c l i e n t s busy d u rin g th e w in ter*
B u ild in g s on th e "Malta O r ig in a l Homesteads" w hich make up most o f
th e u n it s in th e South Wagner community were e r e c te d by th e C o n stru ctio n
D iv is io n o f th e Farm S e c u r ity A d m in is tr a tio n .
In la r g e p a rt th e se were
ex p erim en ta l b u ild in g s , a l l o f them sound, warm and com fortab le*
T h eir
o n ly f a u lt was th e f a c t t h a t th e y c o s t somewhere in the neighborhood o f
$ 7 ,0 0 0 e a c h .
T h is was a l l charged a g a in s t th e farm ers though i t i s con­
s id e r a b ly more th an th e y ca n a f f o r d .
A ll o th e r c l i e n t s ch o se t h e i r house
p la n s from s e v e r a l w hich th e Farm S e c u r ity A d m in istra tio n had on f i l e .
Then th e b u ild in g s were put up by a p r iv a te c o n tr a c to r u s in g m a te r ia ls
su p p lied by th e Purchase D iv is io n o f th e Farm S e c u r ity A d m in istr a tio n , and
a cco rd in g t o government s p e c i f i c a t i o n s .
The barns and p o u ltr y h o u se s, though s m a ll, are d i s t i n c t l y good
q u a lit y .
The h o u se s, on th e o th er hand, are d i s t i n c t l y u n s a t is f a c t o r y .
They have m eta l r o o fs w hich are n e it h e r warm nor q u ie t .
are made o f f i t t e d lum ber.
The o u ts id e w a lls
T his typ e o f w a ll i s n o t t i g h t enough f o r th e
w inds and co ld o f th e n o rth w est p la in s ev en when w e ll-s e a s o n e d wood i s u sed .
But th e lumber used was n o t w e ll-s e a s o n e d due t o a m ista k e o f the Purchase
D iv is io n .
No in s u la t io n was used betw een th e o u tsid e and in s id e w a l l s .
The in s id e w a lls are a ls o o f wood, a k n o tty pine f i n i s h w h ich , though i t
i s very a t t r a c t i v e , i s n o t r e s i s t a n t to r o d e n ts .
s tr u c te d o f lumber n ot th o ro u g h ly sea so n e d .
They were a ls o con­
Thus b o th in s id e and o u tsid e
wtil . s have c r a c k s , making i t d i f f i c u l t to keep th e house w&m in w in te r
and im p o ssib le during w in d s.
The h ou ses were b u i l t w ith o u t basem en ts.
-7 9 c l o s e t o th e g ro u n d , w hich c o n d i tio n , a lth o u g h i t h as n o t y e t caused
t r o u b l e , p ro b a b ly w i l l c a u s e d i f f i c u l t i e s l a t e r .
F e n c e s, to o , were b u i l t
by th e Farm S e c u r it y A d m in is tr a tio n .
I t would be im p o s s ib le t o g iv e a d e t a i l e d a n a l y s i s o f c o s t s o f th e
irrig a te d u n its .
T a b le X III g iv e s a summary o f th e c o s t s on 73 u n i t s which
do n o t in c lu d e th e "M alta O r ig in a l H om esteads" o r th e la b o r u n i t s ,
a g a in st
th e s e u n i t s t h e r e was an a v e ra g e t o t a l c h a rg e o f $ 37-93 Pa r a c r e *
11 c o s t
t h e Farm S e c u r it y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n an a v e ra g e o f $ 3 ,6 5 0 .5 3 p e r u n i t .
T hese
c o s t s seem e x c e s s iv e , c e r t a i n l y more th a n t h e fa rm e rs w i l l be a b le to re p a y
w ith h a y , sm a ll g r a in and s u g a r b e e t u n i t s , v a r y in g from 30 t o l6 o a c r e s
in s i z e .
A d i f f e r e n t s e t o f d a ta shows th e breakdow n o f th e t o t a l developm ent
c o s ts .
T a b le XIV shows p e r c e n ta g e s in v o lv e d in th e d i f f e r e n t p a r t s ox th e
d ev elo p m en t.
I t w i l l b e n o te d t h a t a b o u t t h r e e - q u a r t e r s o f t h e developm ent
c o s t s a r e in v o lv e d in th e ite m s :
d i t c h e s , d r a i n s , l e v e l i n g and b u rd en .
A f u r t h e r breakdow n o f t h e f a c t o r s m aking u p "b u rd en " i s g iv e n in T a b le
aV.
The fa rm e r had l i t t l e o r no hand in t h e d ev elo p m en t o f h i s u n i t ,
a lth o u g h i n some c a s e s he moved i n t o h i s ho u se w e ll b e f o r e th e la n d was
re a d y f o r c u l t i v a t i o n .
I n s te a d o f t h e c l i e n t u s in g h i s own r e l a t i v e l y i n ­
e x p e n s iv e l a b o r , he i s b u rd en ed w ith th e d e b t o f c o s t l y l a b o r on a l l th e
d ev elo p m en t o f h i s u n i t .
T h is f a u l t h a s been r e c o g n iz e d by th e Farm S e c u r i t y
A d m in is tra tio n in t h e F la th e a d Lake r e g io n where t h i s ag en c y i s s u b s id iz in g
i t s c l i e n t s u n t i l th e y g e t t h e i r u n i t s i n t o o p e r a t io n , a s k in g them to re p a y
o n ly th o s e fu n d s u se d f o r th e p u rc h a s e o f l i v e s t o c k , m a c h in e ry , and th e
'8 0 -
TABLE X I I I a /
SIM AHY OF COSTS ON SEVENTY-HIRES RESETTLE!, ENT UNITS
T o ta l C o st
P u rc h a se c o s t o f la n d
P er a c re
cost
Per u n it
cost
$ 1 4 5 ,8 1 8 .4 2
$ 2 0 .3 0
4 1 ,9 9 7 .5 1
D evelopm ent c o s t o f la n d
2 1 4 ,9 4 6 .0 1
2 9 .9 3
2 ,9 4 4 .4 7
Im orovem ents ( b u i l d i n g s ,
e tc .) co st
2 7 0 ,7 0 8 .1 0
3 7 .6 9
3 ,7 0 8 .3 3
TOTAL
6 3 1 ,4 7 2 .5 3
8 7 .9 2
8 ,6 5 0 .3 1
NuirLer o f u n i t s . . . . 7 3
T o ta l a c r e a g e . . . 7 , 1 3 1 . 6 A
A verage s i z e o f u n i t . . . . . . 9 3 .4 a c r e s
a/
D ata ta k e n fro m Sunrvary i n F a m S e c u r it y A d m in is tr a tio n o f f i c e a t
N a lta
■81
TABLE XIV a /
DEVELOPMENT COSTS OlJ I ILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT PROJECT
ITElS
COST
% o f TOTAL COST
Burden
$ 1 6 2 ,0 8 0 .7 8
27.38
D ito h e s
1 3 3 ,2 3 4 .8 9
2 2 .5 0
D ra in s
1 0 0 ,6 3 4 .0 7
1 7 .0 0
L e v e lin g
6 2 ,9 4 8 .0 6
10.63
F ences
3 3 ,6 3 3 .0 2
6 .5 2
C o n s tr u c tio n
3 5 ,9 4 7 .9 2
6 .0 7
Roads
1 6 ,1 7 9 .2 8
2 .7 3
C le a r in g
1 5 ,9 1 8 .9 2
2 .6 9
L an d scap in g
1 0 ,3 7 5 .6 1
1 .7 5
F I u im s
6 ,9 7 4 .2 9
1 .1 8
P u rp in g S ta t io n s
3 ,7 6 0 .4 9
.6 4
C u lv e r ts
3 ,6 7 9 .9 1
.6 2
B rid g e s
1 ,6 9 5 .6 0
.2 9
5 9 2 ,0 6 2 .8 4
100 .0 0
TOTAL
D ata ta k e n from Farm S e c u r it y A d m in is tr a tio n o f f i c e
in l a l t a
- 8
2
TABLE XV a /
BREAKDOWN OF "BURDEN" COSTS, KILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT PROJECT
ITEVS
I n d i r e c t L abor
BURDEN COST
% o f TOTAL COST
$ 7 9 ,7 4 7 .2 8
4 9 .2
S a la rie s
4 5 ,2 9 9 .5 7
2 7 .9
M a te r ia l & s u p p lie s
2 3 ,6 9 7 .6 0
1 4 .7
Equipm ent
9 ,1 9 6 .7 5
5 .7
C o n tr a c te d S e r v ic e s
4 ,1 3 9 .5 8
2 .5
1 6 2 ,0 8 0 .7 8
1 0 0 .0
TOTALS
e/
D ata from. Farm S e c u r i t y A d n i n i s t r a t i o n o f f i c e , M alta
Iik e .
In such a program th e i n d i v i d u a l i s g iv e n a n o p p o r tu n i ty to d e v e lo p
h i s own u n i t an d whan he f i n i s h e s he w i l l n o t be b u rd en ed by an o p p r e s s iv e ly
l a r g e d e b t.
Even i f th e fa rm e r i s n o t a co m p eten t c r a f ts m a n , in w hich c a s e
l i t t l e a c t u a l s a v in g s c o u ld be m ade, t h i s a t l e a s t vsculd, p s y c h o lo g i c a ll y ,
be a b e t t e r m ethod o f s u b s id y th a n w r i t i n g o f f th e c h a rg e s l a t e r , w hich
w i l l lieve t o b e done in t h e M ilk R iv e r p r o j e c t .
U n t i l 19^0 i t was e x p e c te d t h a t th e c l i e n t s would r e p a y a l l c o s t s .
They w ere g iv e n "L ease an d P u rc h a s e " c o n t r a c t s by w hich th e y w ere to make
a g iv e n a n n u a l payment c o v e r in g a paym ent on th e c a p i t a l , i n t e r e s t a t t h r e e
p e r c e n t, and t h e c u r r e n t c o s t s :
and m a in te n a n c e c o s t s .
paym ent in l i e u o f t a x e s , w a te r c h a rg e s ,
T h ese am ounts Were d e te rm in e d f o r th e f o r t y y e a r s
o v e r w hich t h e s e paym ents w ere t o ta k e p l a c e .
h ig h i n m ost c a s e s .
They w ere found t o be to o
I t was n o t p o s s i b le to d e c r e a s e th e am ount to be p a id
u n d e r th e p u rc h a s e c o n t r a c t .
D uring t h e l a s t y e a r , t h e r e f o r e , a l l b u t n in e
c l i e n t s have b een t r a n s f e r r e d to a s im p le l e a s e c o n t r a c t .
U nder t h i s co n ­
t r a c t t h e c l i e n t p a y s th e c a sh v a lu e o f o n e - f i f t h o f th e s u g a r b e e t c ro p ,
o n e - h a l f o f th e h ay c r o p , o n e - t h i r d o f th e g r a i n , and o n e - f o u r th o f th e
p o ta to e s s o l d .
T h is s h a re m ust a t l e a s t e q u a l a m a in te n a n c e ch a rg e o f
$ 6 0 .0 0 , in s u r a n c e , and paym ent i n l i e u o f t a x e s .
I t i s now e x p e c te d t h a t
a H om estead C o r p o r a tio n o r A s s o c ia tio n w i l l be form ed w hich w i l l h a n d le
th e l e a s e s and s a l e s .
I n t h i s t r a n s a c t i o n t h e governm ent w i l l be a b le to
w r i t e o f f some o f th e s e h ig h c o s t s w hich th e c l i e n t i s u n a b le to pay.
U n t i l t h a t tim e th e p r e s e n t l e a s e s w i l l c o n tin u e i n e f f e c t .
Any e x c e s s
o f t h e s h a re r e n t o v e r th e minimum r e n t a l ( in s u r a n c e , t a x e s , e t c . ) w i l l be
T
-ac­
c r e d i t e d t o t h e c l i e n t u n t i l h e i s a b le t o s t a r t b u y in g h i s u n i t .
T h ere seems to have b een a c e r t a i n amount o f o f f i c i a l m is r e p re s e n ­
t a t i o n on th e p r o j e c t .
A t y p i c a l exam ple i s a fa rm e r who v n s p rom ised
t h a t h i s u n i t would b e l e v e l e d in tim e f o r s p r in g p l a n t i n g .
was n o t done u n t i l midsummer.
The l e v e l i n g
T h is n o n f u l f i l l m e n t o f p ro m ise s h a s le d to
some d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n end d i s t r u s t .
’h e n th e le n d p u rc h a s e b e g a n , t h e r e w ere 901 f a m i l i e s c l a s s e d so
r e s i d e n t o p e r a t o r s on t h e p u rc h a se d la n d . 2 9 /
b a c h e lo r s to p a r e n ts w ith many c h i l d r e n .
T h e " f a m ilie s " v a r ie d from
T h e ir e q u i ty in th e la n d p u rc h a se d
v a r ie d from f u l l o w n ersh ip t o p u re te n a n c y .
T k e ir e x p e r ie n c e v a r ie d from
h a v in g farm ed tw e n ty y e a r s to h a v in g farm ed o n ly p a r t o f one y e a r ,
tto s t o f
them l i v e d a l l y e a r round on t h e i r f a rm s , b u t many w ere s u i t c a s e fa rm e rs ,
l i v i n g in tow ns w ith in t h e p r o j e c t a r e a , p e rh a p s o p e r a t in g a b u s in e s s in
t h e tow n, and sp e n d in g J u s t enough t i n e on t h e i r la n d to p l a n t and re a p a
c ro p o f w h eat.
O f th e 901 " d is p la c e d " o p e r a t o r s , C06 had moved from th e p r o je c t
a r e a by F e b ru a ry 1 5 , 1 9 3 ^.
A d m in is tr a tio n in
T h ree o f t h e s e were a c c e p te d by th e R e s e ttle m e n t
V ashington end Id a h o .
The o t h e r C03 made t h e i r own ad­
ju s tm e n ts , e i t h e r r e t u r n i n g to t h e i r p r e v io u s o c c u p a tio n s i f th e y had had
o n e , o r s t a r t i n g t o farm a g a in in t. more humid r e g io n .
T h ere i s no e v id e n c e
to i n d i c a t e w h e th e r o r n o t th e y have made good a d ju s tm e n ts .
A n o th er 321 f a m i l i e s had moved i n t o e t h e r p a r t s o f th e p r o j e c t a r e a
22./ D ata on d is p la c e d f a m i l i e s a r e ta k e n from R eed, D avid:
p la c e d F a m i l i e s , 1 3 , I e b . , 193^*
D is ­
. d $ -
by th e s p r in g o f 193^•
One h u n d red f i f t y - f o u r moved i n t o tow ns in th e a r e a
to t r y t h e i r b o n d s a t o c c u p a tio n s o t h e r th a n a g r i c u l t u r e .
I n t h i s g roup
o r e t h e r e who had p r e v io u s l y l i v e d i n th e tow ns an d o n ly farm ed p a r t- t im e ,
a l s o in t h i s g ro u p a r e th o s e who had been fa rm in g o n ly a s h o r t tim e .
T M r t y - e i g h t f a m i l i e s , m ost o f whom w ere I n e l i g i b l e f o r r e s e t t l e m e n t
f o r o n e re a s o n o r a n o t h e r , a few who d e c l in e d a Farm S e c u r i t y a d m in is tr a ­
t i o n o f f e r o f r e s e t t l e m e n t , had r e l o c a t e d th e m s e lv e s in th e M ilk R iv e r
T a lle y e n t i r e l y on t h e i r own r e s o u r c e s .
been v e ry s u c c e s s f u l .
t i o n o f t h e i r new la n d .
T h ese f a m i l i e s u s u a l l y have n o t
They d id n o t e x e r c i s e to o good Judgm ent i n th e s e l e c ­
O f te n th e y d id n o t have s u f f i c i e n t a s s e t s to a c ­
q u ir e a u n i t , d e v e lo p i t , and o p e r a t e i t on a .m ind b a s i s .
Cf n e c e s s ity
th e y w ere f o r c e d to a t t e n d f i r s t t o p u t t i n g t h e i r u n i t s in o p e r a t io n , o n ly
l a t e r t o r a i s i n g t h e i r l i v i n g c o n d i tio n s t o n d o c a n t l e v e l .
,!even f a m i l i e s , d is p la c e d by p u r c h a s e , were g iv e n l i m i t e d a i d .
The
Farm G e c u rity A d m in is tr a tio n h e lp e d them in t h e s e l e c t i o n o f t h e i r u n i t s o r
g av e them lo a n s th ro u g h th e R u ra l R e h a b i l i t a t i o n d i v i s i o n , o r b o th .
T h ir ty - tw o f a m i l i e s , d is p la c e d by p u rc h a s e , w ere h e lp e d by o th e r
form s o f a i d .
Tw enty-tw o f a m i l i e s , f o r i n s t a n c e , r e c e iv e d o ld age p e n s io n s ;
th e o t h e r 10 r e c e iv e d o t h e r form s o f r e l i e f .
N in e ty f a m i l i e s who had s o l d la n d t o t h e governm ent w ere, in F e b ru a ry
193^ , ta k e n c a r t . o f on th e r e s e t t l e m e n t p r o j e c t .
F iv e w ere on th e l i t t l e
la b o r u n i t s ; £5 w ere on o r h ad bean p ro m ise d farm u n i t s .
t h e s e had cro p p ed t h e i r u n i t s i n 1937*
c ro p in 193^*
O nly u few o f
Most o f them e x p e c te d to g e t a
4 t t h i s tim e t h e r e w ere a number o f f a m i l i e s s t i l l l i v i n g on p u r­
ch ased o r o p tio n e d la n d who would be f o r c e d t o move.
la n d who would move on t h e i r own r e s o u r c e s .
men who c o u ld move e a s i l y .
A d m in is tra tio n u n i t s .
T h ere w ere 44 on d ry
More th a n h a l f (2J) wore s i n g l e
Some had tu r n e d down o f f e r s o f Farm S e c u r ity
In a d d i t i o n t h e r e w ere n in e f a m i l i e s who needed h e lp
b u t c o u ld n o t be a id e d by t h e Farm S e c u r it y A d m in is tr a tio n .
w ere ?.6 f a m i l i e s b e in g c o n s id e r e d by th e Farm S e c u r i t y
F in a lly , th e re
d m ini a t r a t i o n f o r
farm o r l a b o r u n i t s .
The l a s t g ro u p o f f a m i l i e s who s o ld Land t o th e governm ent u n d e r th e
p u rc h a s e program c o n s i s t o f th o s e who p la n n e d to rem ain o n d ry la n d and who
s o ld o n ly o n r t o f t h e i r la n d .
F i f t y - o n e w ere o p e r a t in g sh e e p o r c a t t l e
ra n c h e s in s a t i s f a c t o r y c o n d i tio n .
T h i r t y - f o u r f a m i l i e s , h a l f o f whom ( I J )
w ere s i n g l e men, p la n n ed to c o n tin u e w heat fa rm in g su p p lem en ted by a few
liv e s to c k .
Ten f a m i l i e s , two o D e ra tin g ra n c h e s and e i g h t o p e r a t in g fo rm s,
need ed h e lp i f th e y w ere t o c o n tin u e , a s th e y d e s i r e d , on d ry la n d .
I t was
f e l t a t t h a t tim e t h a t some o f th e s e f a m i l i e s would have t o move, t h a t th e
r e s t c o u ld su cceed w ith h e lp from R e h a b i l i t a t i o n l o a n s .
These d a ta on d i s ­
p la c e d f a m i l i e s a r e sum m arized in T a b le XVI.
F a m ilie s who had b een d is p la c e d by th e la n d p u rc h a s e w ere g iv e n f i r s t
p r e f e r e n c e f o r r e s e t t l e m e n t i f th e y f u l f i l l e d c e r t a i n q u a l i f i c a t i o n s 7O/
w hich w ere d iv id e d i n t o two g ro u p s .
1.
2.
3*
G e n e ra l q u a l i f i c a t i o n s w ere:
E x p e rie n c e in fa rm in g .
Low incom e, o r d e g re e o f n e e d .
In some c a s e s , r e c e i p t o f lo a n s o r o t h e r a i d
from f e d e r a l 01 s t a t e r e l i e f a g e n c ie s .
3 0 / D ata on f a m ily S e le c tio n i s ta k e n m a in ly from L y a l l , L. B .:
Farm f a m i l i e s cm th e M ilk R iv e r Farm S e c u r it y P r o j e c t , M a ste r o f s c ie n c e
t h e s i s a t M ontana S t a t e C o lle g e , Bozeman, 193^*
-8 7
TABLE XVI a /
FAMILIES SELLING IAKD TO THE GOVERNi aTT
GRAND TOTAL
901
1.
F a trd lie s moving on own r e s o u r c e s
F a m ilie s #10 h ad moved fro m a r e a by F e b ., 1 9 3 8 . . . . . . . . . 4 0 6
F a m ilie s who h ad moved t o tow ns i n a r e a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 5 4
F a m ilie s who h ad moved t o i r r i g a t e d t r a c t s i n
M ilk R iv e r V a lle y w ith o u t a i d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
F a m ilie s who w ould ro v e on own r e s o u r c e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
G42
2.
F a m ilie s a id e d by o th e r a g e n c ie s th a n F . r’.A .
F a m ilie s r e c e iv in g o ld a g e p e n s io n s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F a m ilie s r e c e iv in g o th e r a i d s . . . . . ............
F a m ilie s n e e d in g o th e r a i d s . ................................................
41
___
22
10
9
3.
F a m ilie s u n d e r F .S .A . c a r e
F a m ilie s u n d e r F .S .A . R e s e t t l e m e n t .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Those on p ro m ised fa rm u n i t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 5
Those on p ro m ise d la b o r u n i t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Those u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 6
F a m ilie s u n d e r F .S .A . R e h a b i l i t a t i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e_T7
F a m ilie s h e lp e d i n m oving by R e h a b i l i t a t i o n . . . 7
Those who need r e h a b i l i t a t i o n in p l a c e . . . . . . . . 1 0
133
-----
4.
F a m ilie s who w i l l rem ain on d ry la n d
F a m ilie s o p e r a tin g r a n c h e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . 5 1
F a m ilie s o p e r a t in g w h eat o r com bined u n i t s . . . . 3 4
35
-----
ty '
From R eed, D avids
D is p la o e d Fa; H i e s , o p . c i t
•>
-AX-
S p e c i f i c q u a l i f i c a t i o n s r e q u ir e d o f p r o s p e c ti v e c l i e n t s w ere:
1.
2.
3-
5.
b.
7.
A.
D e s ire o f whole f a m ily t o e n t e r th e r e s e t t l e m e n t p r o j e c t .
S u f f i c i e n t i n i t i a t i v e and r e s o u r c e f u l n e s s .
P o t e n t i a l a b i l i t y t o e n t e r com munity l i f e an d ta k e a d v ic e
and i n s t r u c t i o n .
A b i l i t y t o become s t a b l e enough t o w a rra n t assu m in g l a r g e
lo a n s .
A c e r t a i n s t a b i l i t y o f r e s id e n c e .
Freedom from i n f e c t i o u s d i s e a s e s and p h y s ic a l h a n d ic a p s
w hich m ig h t i n t e r f e r e w ith a b i l i t y t o c a r r y on farm in g
o p e ra tio n s .
F am ily h ead had to be a t l e a s t 21. P r e f e r e n c e g iv e n to
th o s e u n d e r 5 5 .
F a m ilie s m ust c o n s i s t o f m a rr ie d p a r e n ts and o n e o r more
d e p e n d e n ts .
{Dome e x c e p tio n s a s to d e p e n d e n ts ,e re m ade.)
I n a d d i t i o n t h e r e w e re o t h e r f a c t o r s
w h ic h w e re c o n s id e r e d a s a s s e ts b u t
n o t r e q u ir e d o f a p p l i c a n t s :
1.
2.
a
ru d im e n ta ry e d u c a tio n a t l e a s t .
C o o p e ra tiv e and h arm o n io u s fa m ily l i f e .
3.
A s iz e and a g e - s e x c o m p o s itio n o f t h e f a m i l y s u c h a s t o
p r o v id e f a m i l y l a b o r f o r fa r m o p e r a t io n s .
4.
5*
i n t e l l i g e n c e , a l e r t n e s s , r e s o u r c e f u l n e s s , and ju d g m en t.
R e lig io s ity .
The m ethod o f s e l e c t i o n was f i r s t t o h av e F am ily S e le c tio n C om m ittees i n
v a r io u s p a r t s o f th e t h r e e c o u n t ie s go o v e r l i s t s o f a p p l i c a n t s .
Those
f a m i l i e s n o t e lim in a te d by t h e co m m ittees w ere in te r v ie w e d by th e F am ily
S e le c tio n s p e c i a l i s t s o f th e Farm S e c u r it y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n .
A m a jo r it y o f th e c l i e n t s had had no e x p e r ie n c e on i r r i g a t e d farm s
when th e y e n te r e d t h e r e s e t t l e m e n t p r o j e c t .
Many had hom esteaded betw een
I qIO and 1917 and w ere s t i l l l i v i n g on t h e i r o r i g i n a l fa rm s .
Thus, th e y
w ere w ell a c q u a in te d w ith th e c l i m a t i c c o n d itio n s o f th e a r e a ; th e y had
p e r s i s t e n c e a t l e a s t i f th e y had managed to s t a y on th e d ry la n d t h a t lo n g .
Many p e o p le a c q u a in te d w ith th e p r o j e c t f e e l t h a t th e s e d r y la n d fa rm e rs
h av e done b e t t e r th a n fa rm e rs e x p e rie n c e d in i r r i g a t i o n in o th e r a r e a s would
h av e done.
The Farm S e c u r i t y A d m in is tr a tio n r e s e t t l e m e n t u n i t s can be c l a s s e d
a s g e n e r a l, d i v e r s i f i e d i r r i g a t e d f a rm s .
S u g ar b e e t s , a l f a l f a , sm a ll g r a i n s
and g a rd e n p ro d u ce make up th e b u lk o f th e p r o d u c tio n .
m a jo r c a s h c ro p .
S u g ar b e e t s a r e th e
I n 1939 e ig h ty - o n e c l i e n t s h a r v e s te d 1 1 ,8 9 0 to n s o f b e e t s
w ith an a v e ra g e y i e l d p e r a c r e o f 1 0 .6 t o n s .
Some c l i e n t s who have been a b le
t o s e c u r e summer g r a z in g r i g h t s on d ry la n d a r e engaged in l i v e s t o c k p r o ­
d u c t io n .
O th e rs have s t a r t e d f a t t e n i n g la m b s.
Some have sm a ll d a i r y h e rd s
w h ile o t h e r s d e v o te t h e i r e n e r g ie s to t h e p r o d u c tio n o f t r u c k c r o p s .
In
g e n e r a l , t h e c l i e n t s have n o t re a c h e d a f i n a l a d ju s tm e n t, b u t a r e s t i l l t r y ­
in g to f i n d what e n t e r p r i s e b e s t f i t s t h e i r a b i l i t i e s and r e s o u r c e s .
D u rin g
th e l a s t y e a r o r two t h e r e h as b een a w id e s p re a d f e e l i n g t h a t more l i v e s t o c k
w ould be a d v a n ta g e o u s .
p ric e s o f liv e s to c k .
T h is f e e l i n g a r i s e s in p a r t from th e p r e s e n t h ig h
B ut u n d o u b te d ly p a r t i s b ased on a v e ry r e a l n eed .
The d i f f i c u l t y o f o b t a i n i n g summer r i g h t s h a s b een e x p la in e d ab o v e.
Mot
u n t i l some a rra n g e m e n t i s made w hereby t h e c l i e n t can o b t a i n summer ra n g e
w i l l any ex p a n sio n in y e a r-ro u n d l i v e s t o c k p r o d u c tio n be p o s s i b l e .
F a tt e n in g
h a s been v e ry p r o f i t a b l e u n d e r r e c e n t c o n d i tio n s and welcomed by th e r a n c h e r s
o f th e a re a .
T h ere i s some d o u b t, h o w ev er, w h eth er f a t t e n i n g i s s a t i s f a c ­
t o r y a s a perm an en t e n t e r p r i s e .
The Farm S e c u r it y A d m in is tr a tio n th ro u g h i t s r e s e t t l e m e n t program
h a s c o n t r i b u te d to th e s e c u r i t y o f th e a r e a by d e v e lo p in g i r r i g a t e d u n i t s ,
and h a s c o n c e n tr a te d s e t t l e m e n t r e s u l t i n g in g r e a t e r e a s e in s u p p ly in g
p u b lic s e r v i c e s .
I n re v ie w i t i s n o te d :
t h a t t h e G ra z in g D i s t r i c t s have e s t a b l i s h e d
-9 0 c o n tr o l over ra n g e, hut havo r i g l d i f i a l th e p a tte r n o f uaa; th a t th e
Oounty Commleaionero a re c o n tr ib u tin g t o th e raaladjuat ie n ts ra th a r than
t o th e s o lu t io n o f th e problem s; t h a t th e a d m in is tr a tio n o f S t a t e la n d s
i s s a t is f a c t o r y ; th a t th e p o l i c i e s o f b oth th e In d ia n S e r v ic e and th o
G razing S e r v ic e a re in a s t a t e o f f lu x ; th a t th e Bureau o f R eclam ation
-V lll have to r e c o n s id e r I t s repayment p o lic y ; th a t the A g r ic u ltu r a l ,d Iustm ent A d m in istra tio n I e h e lp in g t o c o u n tera ct th o ten d en cy toward
e x p lo i t a t io n o f a g r ic u lt u r a l r e s o u r c e s , but i s m a in ta in in g th e subinarrg in a l farm ers on th e la n d through su b sid y ; th a t th e t o i l C onservation
S e r v ic e h as caused farm ers t o move o f f t h e dry la n d , and has r e s to r e d th e
g r a s s co v er o f c o n s id e r a b le farm la n d , Aut cou.i I have done much mare i f
i t had fo llo w ed l o c a l r a th e r than n a t io n a l o b j e c t iv e s ; th a t th e Farm
S e c u r ity A d m in istra tio n ham made nemo u n it s more se c u r e and more e a s i l y
reached by p u b lic s e r v ic e s .
PART IV:
CONCLUSION
S ta g e s Of _A R esettlem en t P r o je c t
In th e l i g h t o f th e stud y o f th e M ilk R iv er r e s e ttle m e n t p r o je c t
some broad g e n e r a liz a t io n s about a g r ic u lt u r a l r e s e ttle m e n t p r o j e c t s a s a
w hole can now be made.
Such a p r o je c t n a t u r a lly f a l l s in to fo u r s ta g e s :
( I ) c o n cep tio n ; (2) p ro p o sa l and r esea r ch ; ( 3) developm ent; and (4-) fin a n ­
c i a l ad ju stm en t.
C onception
The need fo r a r e s e ttle m e n t p r o j e c t i s reco g n ized by th e l o c a l
-9 1 p eo p le b ecau se o f an e x i s t i n g m aladjustm ent between th e p o p u la tio n and r e ­
sou rces.
T h is m aladjustm ent shows up a s a r e a l iz a t i o n o f h a r d sh ip ;—hard­
s h ip n ot measured in a b s o lu te term s but r a th e r compared to th a t o f th e
a r e a s w ith in th e view o f th e lo c a l p e o p le .
The p eo p le who w i l l f i r s t
r e a l i z e a need a re n o t n e c e s s a r il y th o se who a re undergoing th e h ardship and
whose view i s li m it e d , but w i l l be th o s e who a re a t l e a s t a s te p removed
from t h i s h ard sh ip and who have no v e s te d i n t e r e s t in th e m aladjustm ent.
Thus in P h i l l i p s County th e need vys re c o g n iz e d by H. L. L a n tz, th e County
A gent.
The id ea w i l l not sp read , however, u n le s s i t i s l i k e l y to c o n t r i­
b u te to th e p r o s p e r it y o f th o s e p eo p le g e n e r a lly co n sid ered th e le a d e r s in
th e community.
P rop osal and R esearch
In a few c a s e s l o c a l p eo p le may attem p t to t a c k le th e problem and
c a r r y on th e p r o j e c t s th e m s e lv e s .
q u ired .
More o f t e n , however, o u t s id e h elp i s r e ­
E n ab lin g l e g i s l a t i o n may be a l l th a t i s needed.
may be n e c e s s a r y .
F in a n c ia l h elp
In many c a s e s an o u t s id e a u th o r ity , f a r enough removed
so th a t i t can w ith stan d th e b arrage o f l o c a l c r i t ic i s m , may have to be
brought in t o a d m in iste r th e p r o j e c t .
In t h e s e c a s e s th e r e i s a p eriod o f
a g i t a t i o n , d u rin g which th e l o c a l le a d e r s s e t ou t to co n v in ce o u t s id e r s o f
t h e i r n eed s.
U su a lly d u rin g t h i s p erio d c o n s id e r a b le r e se a r c h o f a more
or l e s s s c i e n t i f i c n atu re i s c a r r ie d on in o rd er to prove th e need fo r th e
r e s e t t le m e n t , th e f e a s i b i l i t y , and th e b e n e f i t s to be d e r iv e d .
U nless
t h i s i s done im p a r t ia lly and s c i e n t i f i c a l l y t h e j u s t i f i c a t i o n o f th e p r o je c t
-9 2 can be determ ined o n ly by th e amount o f p o l i t i c a l p ressu r e e x e r te d by th e
l o c a l p e o p le .
F re q u en tly d is in t e r e s t e d resea r ch i s not c a r r ie d on u n t il
a f t e r th e p r o j e c t i s w e ll under way.
Such i s th e s it u a t io n in th e Grand
C oulee p r o je c t where r e s e a r c h e r s now r e a l i z e th a t perhaps th e p r o je c t i s
n o t j u s t i f i e d b u t a re t r y in g t o make th e b e s t o f a d i f f i c u l t s it u a t io n .
Development
The th ir d phase o f th e r e s e ttle m e n t p r o j e c t , th e developm ent, comes
a f t e r th e p r o je c t has been a ccep ted and approved by w hatever a g e n c ie s are
in a p o s it io n o f such a u t h o r it y .
two p a r ts:
The developm ent i t s e l f i s d iv id e d in to
th a t o f th e p h y s ic a l developm ent and th a t o f th e economic and
s o c i a l a d ju stm en ts.
The p h y s ic a l developm ent may be c a r r ie d on by th e
agency in charge o r by th e in d iv id u a l b ein g r e s e t t l e d o r b o th .
U n til r e ­
c e n t ly i t has been th e p o lic y o f th e R e se ttle m e n t D iv is io n o f th e Farm
S e c u r ity A d m in istra tio n to com plete th e p h y s ic a l developm ent b efo re th e
r e s e t t l e e moved onto h is new u n it .
T h is has p la ced upon th e c l i e n t an ex­
c e s s i v e l y heavy burden, p s y c h o lo g ic a l a s w e ll a s f i n a n c i a l .
In some pro­
j e c t s a t l e a s t th e p o lic y i s now to s u b s id iz e th e in d iv id u a l w h ile he
d ev elo p s h i s own u n it and have him rep ay o n ly the c o s t o f th e m a te r ia ls .
I n so fa r a s th e in d iv id u a ls who are r e s e t t l e d a re d e s t i t u t e and unable to
ta k e ca re o f th e m s e lv e s , o r i g in a l c o s t s sh ould be k ep t a t a minimum and
th e r e s e t t l e e sh ould be g iv e n a s much o p p o r tu n ity as p o s s i b l e to c o n tr ib u te
h is own la b o r to th e developm ent o f h i s u n it .
A fte r th e p h y s ic a l p la n t i s d evelop ed th e r e s e t t l e e must th en
tran sform i t in t o a working farm and a l i v i n g community.
Only in ra re
-9 3 c a s e s w i l l th e r e s e t t l e s have th e c a p it a l to s t a r t o p e r a tio n s w ith ou t some
f in a n c ia l a id .
I f h e i s n o t burdened by to o high an o r ig in a l c o s t th e r e
i s no reason why he co u ld n o t in t in e repay even a la r g e o p e r a tin g lo a n .
In th e p r o c e ss o f t h i s tra n sfo rm a tio n th e r e s e t t l e s must le a r n new farm ing
m ethods, a d ju st h im s e lf to a new r o u tin e o f work, and f i t h im s e lf in to a
new community.
At t h i s c r i t i c a l tim e ed u ca tio n and ex p ert a s s is t a n c e in
farm ing methods and community l i f e a r e in d is p e n s a b le .
Such a s s i s t a n c e has
been g iv en to th e c l i e n t s o f th e Farm S e c u r ity A d m in istra tio n in th e Milk
R iv e r V a lle y .
F in a n c ia l Adjustm ent
Ih e fo u r th p erio d i s one o f f in a n c ia l a d ju stm en t.
The lo n g er th e
p erio d th e l e s s th e farm er w i l l have t o b le e d h is s o i l to meet th e paym ents.
The repayment i s o n ly a tem porary phase o f th e t o t a l l i f e o f th e farm and
t h e r e fo r e i t s e f f e c t upon th e permanent o r g a n iz a tio n o f th e u n it s should be
k ept below th e s i g n i f i c a n t l e v e l by p u ttin g payments on a lo n g -tim e b a s is .
The f in a n c ia l repayment p o s s i b i l i t i e s have alw ays been one measure
o f th e j u s t i f i c a t i o n o f r e s e ttle m e n t p r o j e c t s .
T h is measurement a r i s e s
from our c o n c e n tr a tio n upon money economy and th e r e s u lt i n g folkw ay:
th a t
any e n te r p r is e which i s sound w i l l a t l e a s t pay i t s own way, i f not make
a p r o fit.
In r e c e n t y ea rs p eo p le have begun to r e a l i z e th a t s o c ia l c o s t s
and b e n e f it s a re not alw ays id e n t i c a l w ith f in a n c ia l c o s t s and r e tu r n s .
Now i t must be r e a liz e d th a t th e b e n e f it s d eriv ed from a d ju s tin g the
s e ttle m e n t p a tte r n a r e en joyed not o n ly by th e in d iv id u a ls a c t u a ll y under­
g o in g th e ch ange, but a ls o by th e w hole community, and, t o a c e r t a in
e x t e n t , by th e e n t ir e n a tio n .
The f a c t th a t th e r e i s no ready system o f
s o c i a l c o s t a cco u n tin g sh ould n ot p rev en t ch argin g some o f th e c o s t o f r e ­
s e ttle m e n t a g a in s t th e in d ir e c t b e n e f i c i a r i e s .
The Mature Landscape
The con cep t o f th e "mature lan d scap e" has been u sed by geographers
t o d e s c r ib e a r e a s in which th e p eo p le and th e c u ltu r e are in adjustm ent
w ith th e n a tu r a l environm ent; in which th e economy i s in p e r f e c t b alan ce
w ith th e n a tu r a l r e s o u r c e s .
problem s.
I t in f e r s th a t th e r e a re no major la n d -u se
H ereto fo re i t has been used a s a s t a t i c co n c e p t.
The fo llo w in g
paragraphs t r y to f o r e c a s t a d yn am ically m ature lan d sca p e fo r th e p r o je c t
area.
T h is demands n o t o n ly t h a t th e r e be an e q u ilib riu m between th e
changing p o p u la tio n and r e s o u r c e s but a ls o th a t th e c u lt u r e and land use
be a d ju s ta b le t o p o t e n t ia l problem s.
There w i l l be no trea tm en t here o f
th e method or f e a s i b i l i t y o f b r in g in g about th e change from th e p resen t to
th e fu tu r e la n d sc a p e , but
o n ly in d e s c r ib in g th e mature la n d sca p e. A
d is c u s s io n o f th e meaning
o f t h i s d e s c r ip t io n t o th e p resen t a c t io n
pro­
gram f o llo w s .
There a r e c e r t a in g e n e r a l req u irem en ts which must be f u l f i l l e d i f
a la n d sca p e i s to a c h ie v e
dynamic m a tu r ity .
in d iv id u a l a s w e ll a s o p p o rtu n ity
I t must o f f e r s e c u r it y
and in c e n t iv e f o r th e a m b itio u s. I t
must be f l e x i b l e enough t o d ea l w ith a l l p o t e n t ia l problem s,
c o u n te r a c t th e ten d en cy toward ex p a n sio n and o v e r -u s e .
i t must
I t must g iv e th e
in d iv id u a l th e o p p o rtu n ity to m ain tain th e "American standard o f liv in g "
w ith o u t su b sid y .
to th e
-9 5 A n atu re lan d sca p e in th e Great P la in s Im p lie s c e r t a in p a r tic u la r
ele m e n ts.
I t i s th e o p in io n o f th e au th or th a t th e s e a r e :
co n cen tra ted
a s a g a in s t s c a tte r e d s e ttle m e n t; community c o n tr o l ov er lan d u se; d i v e r s i ­
f i c a t i o n o f in d iv id u a l u n it s ; and f in a n c ia l arrangem ents in accordance
w ith c lim a tic c o n d it io n s .
C oncentrated S ettlem e n t
C oncentrated s e ttle m e n t i s im p lied in m a tu rity in th e Great P la in s .
P eo p le must l i v e in groups and n o t s c a tte r e d o u t o v er th e ra n g e.
g a ted a rea s t h i s can ta k e th e form o f sm a ll u n it s c l o s e to g e th e r .
In i r r i ­
T h is
grou p in g w i l l make i t p o s s ib le to have prim ary groups and th e consequent
s o c i a l c o n t r o ls .
I t w i l l en a b le good sch o o l f a c i l i t i e s to be m aintained
a t n ot to o g r e a t a c o s t .
I t w i l l r e q u ir e both" a d u lt s and c h ild r e n to
le a r n to g e t a lo n g in a gen u in e community.
I t w i l l a c c e le r a t e th e exchange
o f id e a s and r e s u l t in a g r e a te r i n t e r e s t in p a r t ic ip a n t r e c r e a t io n , p o l i ­
t i c s , p la n n in g , and p u b lic p o lic y .
I t w i l l encourage th e form ation o f
c o o p e r a tiv e s and th e j o in t u se o f e x p en siv e m achinery.
I t w i l l in c r e a se
th e p o s s i b i l i t y o f mutual a s s i s t a n c e w ith in groups in tim e o f s t r e s s .
C oncen trated s e t t le m e n t , th en , w i l l h elp to s a t i s f y th e requirem ent
o f s e c u r it y through th e p o s s i b i l i t y o f m utual a s s i s t a n c e .
I t w i l l h elp
to s a t i s f y th e f l e x i b i l i t y requirem ent through th e in c r e a se d flo w o f
id e a s and g r e a te r i n t e r e s t in p o l i t i c s and p la n n in g .
I t w i l l c o n tr ib u te
to th e r e s is t a n c e to expansion through th e growth o f s o c i a l c o n t r o ls .
I t w ill h e lp m ain tain th e standard o f l i v i n g in s o fa r a s s e r v ic e s , both p u b lic
and p r iv a t e , a re m aintained a t low er c o s t
h e r e p o p u la tio n i s co n cen tra ted .
-9 6 Community C o n tro l
In a m a tu re la n d s c a p e i n th e G re a t P l a i n s eac h community w ill
a c c e p t r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r la n d - u s e c o n t r o l s t h a t w i l l p r o v id e f o r s o c ia l
a s w ell a s i n d i v id u a l v a lu e s and c o s t s .
E i t h e r p u b lic o w n e rsh ip o f la n d ,
t h e u se o f w hich i s c o n t r o l l e d by th e com m unity, o r th e f o r m a tio n o f some
g o v e rn m e n ta l u n i t su ch a s a s o i l c o n s e r v a tio n d i s t r i c t w hich c o u ld re g u ­
l a t e t h e la n d u s e , w ould make t h i s c o m m u n ity -so c ia l c o n t r o l p o s s i b l e .
The c o n t r o l i s n e c e s s a r y s in c e t h e i n d i v i d u a l o p e r a t o r , even i f he
r e a l i z e s t h a t h i s i n t e r e s t i s i d e n t i c a l w ith t h a t o f th e com m unity, c a n ­
n o t a f f o r d t o b a s e h i s o p e r a t i o n s on s o c i a l v a lu e s and c o s t s u n le s s
ev e ry o n e e l s e d o es l i k e w i s e .
The s u c c e s s o f th e s e c o n t r o l s , how ever,
l i e s i n e d u c a tio n o f th e i n d i v i d u a l s and i n t h e f u l l p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f a l l
members in th e p la n n in g and dev elo p m en t o f th e s e c o n t r o l s .
One o f th e s e c o n t r o l s would be z o n in g , a l r e a d y em ployed i n c i t i e s
and some r u r a l a r e a s .
Y e a r-ro u n d r e s i d e n c e , f o r i n s t a n c e , m ig h t be zoned
o u t o f th e d r y - la n d a r e a s , t h u s e n f o r c in g c o n c e n tr a te d s e t t l e m e n t and i t s
a s s o c ia te d b e n e f its .
',Vheat fa rm in g c o u ld be l i m i t e d by zo n in g t o th e
b e t t e r farm la n d a s s e t up by a d e t a i l e d s o i l c l a s s i f i c a t i o n , th u s h e lp in g
to c o u n te r a c t t h e te n d e n c y to w a rd o v e r - e x p a n s io n and o v e r - u s e .
In o r d e r
t o m a in ta in f l e x i b i l i t y some p r o v is io n s h o u ld be made f o r p e r io d i c r e v i s i o n
o f th e z o n in g o r d in a n c e s i n th e l i g h t o f c h an g in g c o n d i tio n s and p ro b lem s.
T hese c o n t r o l s c o u ld a l s o be u se d f o r th e e n fo rc e m e n t o f c o n s e r v a tio n
p r a c t i c e s su ch a s s t r i p fa rm in g , c o n to u r p lo w in g and th e u s e o f summer
fa llo w ,
-9 7 D iv e rs ific a tio n
M a tu r ity in v o lv e s d i v e r s i f i c a t i o n o f i n d i v id u a l u n i t s .
N e ith e r
s t r a i g h t ra n c h in g n o r s t r a i g h t d r y - la n d f a n n in g y i e l d s a s te a d y income
o r a ro u n d ed work p a t t e r n f o r th e f a rm e r.
Even a c o m b in a tio n i s n o t
s a t i s f a c t o r y , f o r lo n g p e r io d s o f d ro u g h t a f f e c t th e p r o d u c tio n o f b o th
g r a s s and d r y - la n d c r o p s .
T h e r e f o r e i r r i g a t i o n s h o u ld , i f p o s s i b l e , be
th e b a s i s o f th e i n d i v i d u a l u n i t .
I t s h o u ld be r e a l i z e d t h a t th e ty p e o f
i r r i g a t i o n p r a c t i c e d on many ra n c h e s a t th e p r e s e n t , t h a t o f f lo o d i r r i g a ­
t i o n from sm a ll u p la n d s tre a m s , i s a l s o im p o s s ib le d u r in g s e v e re d r o u g h ts .
A lthough t h i s i s th e c h e a p e s t s h o r t- ti m e m ethod o f p ro d u c in g h a y , i n th e
lo n g ru n i t le a v e s t h e u n i t in s e c u r e .
An
i r r i g a t e d farm a lo n e i s im p ra c ­
t i c a l s in c e s u g a r b e e t s i s th e o n ly c ro p w hich y i e l d s enough c a sh income
t o pay f o r th e h ig h in v e s tm e n t and o p e r a t in g ex p e n se s in v o lv e d i n i r r i g a ­
tio n .
S u g ar b e e t s y i e l d s t h i s h ig h c a s h incom e o n ly u n d e r th e p r e s e n t
h ig h s u b s id y .
V ith o u t s u b s id y th e c o m p a ra tiv e a d v a n ta g e o f th e M ilk R iv e r
V a lle y l i e s a lm o s t w h o lly i n th e p ro d u c tio n o f h ay .
T h e r e f o re th e i n d i ­
v id u a l u n i t m ust c o n ta in b o th r a n c h in g and i r r i g a t e d fa rm in g .
T h is com bi­
n a t i o n w i l l g u a r a n te e a c e r t a i n am ount o f s e c u r i t y .
The q u e s tio n a r i s e s a s t o w h eth er t h e d ry la n d i s w ith in re a c h o f
th e i r r i g a t e d la n d .
F ig u re 20 shows t h e i r r i g a t e d la n d o f t h e a r e a , th e
m ajo r w heat r e g io n s , and th e a r e a s t h i r t y m ile s o r more away from t h e
i r r i g a t e d la n d .
A ll th e w heat a r e a s a r e c l o s e to th e i r r i g a t e d la n d ex­
c e p t two w hich a r e from tw e n t y - f i v e to t h i r t y m ile s away.
e a s i l y re a c h e d from h e a d q u a r te r s on i r r i g a t e d la n d .
T hese can be
F o r g r a z in g p u rp o se s
97a
|? y g
AREAS 3 0 MILES OR MORE FROM IRRIGATED LAND
F ig u re 2 0 .—D i s t r i b u t i o n o f th e Dry Land i n R e fe re n c e t o th e I r r i g a t e d Land;
B la in e , P h i l l i p s and V a lle y C o iin tie s
-
9^
-
a l l th e Itm d i s w ith in ro a c h f o r t h e r e i s no l i m i t t o th e d i s t a n c e sh eep
and c a t t l e can be s e n t i f th e y a r e i n l a r g e enough h e rd s to s u p p o rt a
h e rd e r o r r id e r .
U nder th e c o o p e r a tiv e i n s t i t u t i o n s w hich w ould n a t u r a l l y
grow up w ith c o n c e n tr a te d s e tt le m e n t t h e r e w ould be no d i f f i c u l t y in com­
b in i n g h e r d s o r f l o c k s i n t o l a r g e enough h e r d s f o r t h i s p u rp o s e .
T h ere i s some d o u b t w h e th e r o r n o t d r y - la n d w heat fa rm in g s h o u ld be
p r a c t i c e d in th e a r e a a t a l l .
The i n d i v i d u a l s d ep en d in g upon wheat f o r
t h e i r Income h av e r e c e iv e d l a r g e am ounts o f s u b s id y in th e form o f seo d
lo a n s a t f i r s t and l a t e r i n th e form o f w heat a llo tirie n t p ay m en ts.
If it
Ls t o b e p r a c t i c e d i t c e r t a i n l y m ust be r e s t r i c t e d to o n ly th e b e s t g ra d e s
o f la n d .
I t h a s b een e s tim a te d t h a t in o r d e r t o r a i s e w h eat a g r o s s i n ­
come o f $ 3 .0 0 to $ 1 0 .0 0 p d r a c r e m ust be fo rth c o m in g .
T h is would in v o lv e ,
on second g ra d e farm la n d ( s e e f i g u r e 12) y i e l d i n g an a v e ra g e o f ab o u t
s e v e n te e n b u s h e ls p e r a c r e , a p r i c e o f b etw een 50 c e n ts and 55 c e n ts p e r
b u s h e l.
To fa rm t h i r d g ra d e la n d s y i e l d i n g tw e lv e to f i f t e e n b u s h e ls p e r
a c r e a p r i c e betw een 60 c e n t s and 65 c e n ts i s n e c e s s a r y .
a r e b ased on a v e ra g e y i e l d s .
d u r in g some d ro u g h t y e a r s .
T h ese e s tim a te s
B ut even th e b e s t farm la n d y i e l d s no c ro p
T h e r e f o r e , th e in d i v i d u a l m ust n o t depend upon
t h e income from w heat fa rm in g .
In t h e m a tu re la n d s c a p e th e w heat e n t e r ­
p r i s e m ig h t w e ll be l e f t a s in c e n t i v e to th o s e in d i v i d u a l s who w ish to r i s e
above th e g e n e r a l p la n e o f l i v i n g i n th e a r e a .
Even s o , p r o d u c tio n sh o u ld
be l i m i t e d to th o s e la n d s w hich th e community f o o l s can be farm ed p r o f i t a b l y .
F in a n c ia l A rran g em en ts
A th o ro u g h f i n a n c i a l re fo rm i s n o t p r e s e n te d h e r e .
O nly th o s e
f i n a n c i a l a rra n g e m e n ts w hich in v o lv e paym ents o v e r a p e r io d o f y e a r s a r e
-9 9 d ia c u s s e d , f o r i t i s o n ly t h i s a s p e c t w hich i s a f f e c t e d u n iq u e ly by th e
G re a t P l a i n s e n v iro n m e n t.
A t p r e s e n t th e p ay m en ts, o f t a x e s o r on lo a n s ,
a r e s e t up on a f ix e d y e a r l y b a s i s .
T h is a rra n g e m e n t i s q u i t e s a t i s f a c t o r y
in humid a r e a s where a b i l i t y to pay i s d e te rm in e d more by th e i n d i v i d u a l ’ s
e f f o r t s th a n by th e c l im a t e .
In th e G re a t P l a i n s , how ever, th e c l im a t ic
v a r i a t i o n s p la y su ch an im p o r ta n t p a r t i n th e p r o s p e r i t y o f th e in d i v id u a l
and even o f th e community t h a t some f i n a n c i a l a d j u s t a b i l i t y m ust be a r ­
ran g ed .
P e rh a p s an in d e x o f p r o d u c t i v i t y b a se d on somewhat lo w er th a n
a v e ra g e y i e l d s c o u ld be w orked o u t , and y e a r l y paym ents a d j u s t e d by t h i s
in d e x .
Such a scheme would have to be re c o g n iz e d n a t i o n a l l y , how ever, a s
many f i n a n c i a l o b l i g a t i o n s c r o s s r e g i o n a l b o u n d a r ie s .
Some such f i n a n c i a l a d j u s t a b i l i t y w ould h e lp t o m a in ta in a norm al
s ta n d a r d o f l i v i n g a s w e ll a s c o n t r i b u t e g r e a t l y t o th e i n d i v i d u a l 's and
t h e co m m u n ity 's s e c u r i t y .
A g en cie s and th e M atu re L andscape
',Vhat a r e th e i m p lic a tio n s o f a m a tu re la n d s c a p e to th e p e o p le and
a g e n c ie s o f th e a r e a ?
m a tu re la n d s c a p e ?
VVhat i s b e in g done to w ard th e e s ta b lis h m e n t o f t h i s
What more sh o u ld be done and by whom?
B e fo re an y r e a l
a d ju s tm e n t can be a c h ie v e d t h e r e m ust be ag reem en t a t l e a s t among th e
le a d e r s o f th e community a s to w hat form th e m ature la n d s c a p e w i l l ta k e
an d by what m ethods i t i s t o be r e a c h e d .
The f i n a l and r e f i n e d form c a n ­
n o t be im posed from th e o u t s i d e b u t must a r i s e from d is c u s s i o n and th o u g h t
w ith in t h e a r e a .
The E x te n s io n S e r v ic e and th e P la n n in g Groups r e a l i z e th e need i o r
-
100-
a d i f f e r e n t p a t t e r n o f o c c u p a n ce, b u t th e y h av e a s y e t made no recommenda­
t i o n s w hich w ould change th e p a t t e r n s i g n i f i c a n t l y .
o n ly s u p e r f i c i a l ch an g e s i n th e p r e s e n t p a t t e r n .
They have s u g g e s te d
In l a r g e p a r t i t i s th e
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e s e g ro u p s to l a y th e groundw ork, th r o u g h e d u c a tio n ,
f o r t h e s u p e r s t r u c t u r e o f a c t io n which m ig h t le a d t o a m a tu re la n d s c a p e .
,
r
The work o f th e G ra z in g D i s t r i c t s h a s been d e s c r ib e d above and was
shown n o t o n ly to e s t a b l i s h th e n e c e s s a r y c o n t r o l o v e r r a n g e , b u t to m ain­
t a i n r a n c h e r s on t h e u p la n d s , t o a t t a c h g r a z in g r i g h t s to la n d whose p ro ­
d u c t i v i t y i s in s e c u r e , an d to make th e p a t t e r n i n o r d i n a t e l y r i g i d .
The
c o n t r o l o f ra n g e m ust c o n tin u e b u t o t h e r s b e s id e s r a n c h e r s m ust have a
v o ic e in t h i s c o n t r o l .
Some p r o v is io n must be made w hereby r e v i s i o n o f
g r a z in g a l lo tm e n ts can be made from tim e to tim e .
The A g r i c u l t u r a l a d ju s tm e n t a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , a lth o u g h i t i s su c c e e d ­
in g in m a in ta in in g th e p r o d u c t i v i t y o f la n d in th e a r e a , i s k e e p in g th e
su b m a rg in a l fa rm e r on th e la n d th r o u g h i t s s u b s id y ,
a lth o u g h i t i s e x e r t i n g
some c o n t r o l i n c o u n t e r a c ti n g th e te n d e n c y to w ard e x p a n s io n in w heat p ro ­
d u c tio n , i t do es n o t r e s t r i c t p r o d u c tio n to t h a t la n d w hich can be most
s u c c e s s f u l l y farm ed i n t h e lo n g r u n .
The s u b s id y o f t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l Ad­
ju s tm e n t A d m in is tr a tio n sh o u ld be c o n s id e re d a s o n ly te m p o ra ry .
I t c o u ld
b e v e ry u s e f u l i n h e lp in g to b r in g a b o u t a d ju s tm e n ts r a t h e r th a n in t r y i n g
to m a in ta in th e s t a t u s quo.
M ost o f t h e work o f th e B ureau o f R e c la m a tio n i s c o m p le te d .
i s c o m p a ra tiv e ly l i t t l e
aore i r r i g a t i o n dev elo p m en t n e e d e d .
T h ere
The q u e s tio n
o f rep ay m en t c o s t s , h ow ever, sh o u ld be r e c o n s id e r e d , ta k i n g s o c i a l v a lu e s
i n t o a c c o u n t.
be w r i t t e n o f f .
I t i s th e f e e l i n g o f th e a u th o r t h a t some o f th e c o s t s h o u ld
-
101-
The C ounty C o m m issio n ers, a s h a s b een p o in te d o u t ab o v e , a d m in is te r
la n d s f o r th e g r e a t e s t s h o r t- r u n money incom e f o r th e c o u n ty .
t o in c r e a s e t h e m a la d ju s tm e n ts .
T h is te n d s
The C ounty C om m issioners m ust change
t h e i r p h ilo s o p h y and d e v o te t h e i r in f l u e n c e to w ard th e ach iev em en t o f th e
m a tu re la n d s c a p e .
The S o il C o n s e rv a tio n S e r v ic e th r o u g h th e la n d p u rc h a s e program c o n ­
t r i b u t e d t o th e a d ju s tm e n t o f th e a re a i n t a k i n g lo w -g ra d e farm la n d o u t o f
p r o d u c tio n , in moving low -incom e f a m i l i e s o f f th e d ry l a n d , in d e v e lo p in g
w a te r f a c i l i t i e s on th e la n d th e y had p u rc h a s e d , an d , to a c e r t a i n e x t e n t ,
i n s im p lif y in g te n u r e r e l a t i o n s h i p s .
As was p o in te d o u t ab o v e, how ever,
th e y c o u ld hav e c o n t r i b u te d much more t o th e a d ju stm e n t o f t h e a r e a had
th e y u n d e rs to o d p r e c i s e l y w hat th e y w ere t o d o .
T h is program h a s been
s u p e rs e d e d by o n e o f e d u c a tio n f o r c o n s e r v a tio n th ro u g h d e m o n s tra tio n p ro ­
j e c t s , w hich h a s a c o m p a ra tiv e ly m inor f u n c tio n i n t h e d ev elo p m en t o f th e
m a tu re la n d s c a p e .
The Farm S e c u r it y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n th r o u g h th e r e s e t t l e m e n t program
h a s come c l o s e r t o c o n t r i b u t i n g t o a r e a l a d ju s tm e n t th a n any o f th e above
a g e n c ie s .
I t h as n o t , how ever, made an y t i e - u p betw een i r r i g a t e d farm s
and t h e d ry l a n d .
T h e ir u n i t s , d ep e n d e n t upon h ay , s m a ll g r a in s and tr u c k
c r o p s , w i l l y i e l d o n ly a low incom e u n le s s th e y e i t h e r depend upon su g a r
b e e t s w ith a s u b s id y , o r can d e v e lo p some l i v e s t o c k e n t e r p r i s e .
I f ra n g e
la n d s can be p ro c u re d f o r th e c l i e n t s th e y w i l l have u n i t s which r e a l l y f i t
i n t o t h e c o n c e p t o f a m a tu re la n d s c a p e .
The R e h a b i l i t a t i o n D iv is io n o f th e
Farm S e c u r it y A d m in is tr a tio n , how ever, h a s no p la n f o r a lo n g - r u n a d ju s tm e n t
b u t i s m e re ly h e lp in g low -incom e fa rm e rs t o d e v e lo p b e t t e r u n i t s .
I f i t is
-1 0 2 t o c o n t r i b u t e i t s maximum to th e m a tu re la n d s c a p e i t sh o u ld d e te rm in e
w here s e ttle m e n t s h o u ld be lo c a te d and what form u n i t s s h o u ld t a k e , and
s h o u ld th e n h e lp t o d e v e lo p su ch u n i t s .
SUMMARY
A re v ie w shows t h a t th e p ro b lem s w hich a r i s e from a m a la d ju stm e n t
betw een human an d n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s a r e :
in s e c u r ity , o v e r-s p e c ia liz a tio n ,
e x p l o i t a t i o n o f a g r i c u l t u r a l r e s o u r c e s , and i n a b i l i t y o f th e s p a r s e ly
p o p u la te d u p la n d to s u p p o r t t h e e x p e c te d s e r v i c e s .
F u r t h e r , th e a g e n c ie s w orking in th e a r e a a r e n o t m aking any r e a l
a tte m p t t o s o lv e th e s e p ro b lem s b u t f o r th e m ost p a r t a r e a c t i n g a s
p a l l i a t i v e s to m a in ta in t h e s t a t u s quo.
In o r d e r t o r e a c h a d y n a m ic a lly m a tu re la n d s c a p e ev ery b o d y in th e
a r e a m ust work to w ard c o n c e n tr a te d s e t t l e m e n t , community c o n t r o l s o f la n d
u s e , d i v e r s i f i c a t i o n o f in d i v i d u a l u n i t s , and f i n a n c i a l a d a p t a b i l i t y to
c lim a tic v a r ia tio n s .
The a tta in m e n t o f th e s e g o a ls would i n t u r n y i e l d
s e c u r i t y f o r th e i n d i v i d u a l and o p p o r tu n i ty f o r t h e a m b itio u s , f l e x i b i l i t y
in m e e tin g p o t e n t i a l p ro b le m s , r e s i s t a n c e t o e x p a n s io n , an d an American
s ta n d a r d o f l i v i n g , a l l o f w hich a r e fu n d a m e n ta l i n t h e c o n c e p t o f a
m a tu re la n d s c a p e .
-1 0 3 ACKNOWLEDGMBNTS
The a u th o r w ish e s t o e x p r e s s h i s th a n k s and
a p p r e c i a t i o n t o D r. R. R. Renne an d Mr. 0 . H. C ra ig
f o r i n s p i r a t i o n an d c o u n s e l in t h i s s tu d y , to H. L.
L a n tz f o r in f o r m a tio n a b o u t Land P u rc h a s e and R e s e t t l e ­
m ent p ro g ram s, and to th e E x te n s io n S e r v ic e a a d th e
B ureau o f A g r i c u l t u r a l Econom ics f o r g e n e r a l in fo rm a ­
t i o n a b o u t th e a r e a .
C r e d it i s a l s o due t h e
o rk
P r o j e c t s A d m in is tr a tio n f o r th e p r e p a r a t io n o f th e
maps an d c h a r t s
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BOOj
U. S.
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S e r i e s , W ashington, 1 9 ^1 .
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D epartm ent o f Commerce, B ureau o f th e C en su s: f i f t e e n t h
C ensus o f th e U n ite d S t a t e s , 1910, A g r i c u l t u r e , V o l. I I ,
P a r t 3» W estern S t a t e s , W ashington, 1932«
U* S .
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A g r i c u l t u r e , 19 3 5 , V o l. I , S t a t i s t i c s by C o u n tie s w ith
S t a t e and U n ite d S t a t e s Summar i e s , W ashington, 1 9 3 ^
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S u rv e y , P r o f e s s i o n a l p a p e r , 17^» W ashington, 1932«
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on I r r i g a t e d Farm s in M ontana, M ontana A g r i c u l t u r a l E xperim ent
S t a t i o n , B u ll . No. 33^» A p r i l , 1937•
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M ilk R iv e r-N o rth M ontana Land U t i l i z a t i o n P r o j e c t , 1919-19^-9,
N o v ., 1939» Mimeo.
S ta r c h , E. A .: Farm O r g a n iz a tio n a s A f f e c te d by M e c h a n iz a tio n , M ontana
a g r i c u l t u r a l E x p erim en t S t a t i o n , B u ll. No. 270, 1933*
The
U. S .
U. S .
'es t e r n R an ee. S e n a te Document 199» a p r i l , 1936»
D ep artm en t o f A g r i c u l t u r e , A g r i c u l t u r a l a d ju s tm e n t A d m in is tra ­
t i o n : F a c ts f o r F u tu r e P la n n in g , 1939 u in u a l R e p o rt f o r
M on tan a, Bozeman, 19^0.
D epartm ent o f A g r i c u l t u r e , A g r i c u l t u r a l A d ju s tm e n t A d m in is t r a ­
M o n ta n a H a n d b o o k , 1 9 3 9 , a g r i c u l t u r a l and Range C o n serv a t io n P ro g ram s, - a s h in g to n , F e b . , 1939»
tio n :
MANUSCRIPTS
L a n tz , H. L . :
F in a l P l a n , M ilk R iv e r -N o r th e r n M ontana Pr o j e c t , P ro p o sa l
No. A - I , M a lta , M ontana, J u l y I , 1935»
L y a l l , L. B .: M ilk R iv e r Farm S e c u r i t y F a m i lie s , M a s te r o f S c ie n c e
T h e s is , M ontana S t a t e C o lle g e , Bozeman, M ontana, J u n e , 193d.
Reed, D avid: D is p la c e d F a m i lie s , R e p o rt f o r Farm S e c u r it y A d m in is tra ­
t i o n , M a lta , M ontana, F e b . , 193^»
V a lle y County and Community a g r i c u l t u r a l P la n n in g C om m ittees, a g r i c u l ­
t u r a l P la n n in g i n V a lle y C ounty, A S ta te m e n t o f P r o g r e s s , Nov. ,
\yy3f.
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