Gallatin County. One of the Richest Agricultural Counties of the State, Reaping a Rich Reward Each Year as a Return for the Investment of Labor on the Farm and the Range. Journeying westward from St. Paul on the Northern Pacific railway the first mountains that are encountered. by the railway grade is the Gallatin range, which is the dividing line between Park and Gallatin counties. Laboriously the west coast limited train, drawn by one Mogul engine and propelled by a second, makes its way up the eastern slope for a distance of 15 miles, through some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in a state noted for the majesty of its peaks and ranges. Well nigh to the summit of the Muir (sometimes called Bozeman) tunnel is reached and passed. This tunnel, nearly a mile in length, lined throughout its entirety with brick laid in cement, is a grand tribute to negineering skill, cutting off, as it does, nearly three miles of the heaviest grades on the Northern Pacific railway. Once the tunnel is passed, the second engine is dropped, and the train speeds on its way, dropping nearly 1,000 feet in the first eight miles from the mouth of the tunnel. The canyon traversed is known as Rocky canyon, and well known it is truly, so narrow and precipitous is the canyon, that when the railway was granted the right-of-way through this canyon it was necessary to use the public highway for its roadbed, and to blast out and excavate a new highway along rocky ledges and narrow shelves, far above the original site. On either side of the train views are to be had of scenery of the wildest and most picturesque character imaginable. At the mouth of the canyon the railway passes through old Fort Ellis, where barely two decades ago were stationed in the interests of peace and harmony, four companies of United States troops, whose hands were full in repressing the raids and outbreaks of the hostile Sioux, who, by the right of possession, owned the valley of the Yellowstone. As one passes Fort Ellis, far to the northwestward, 50 miles as the crow flies, is to be seen the Tobacco Root range of mountains, while to the northward, and farther still, are to be outlined the Boulder mountains. Swinging to the right a little the Bridger mountains, the Eastern boundary of the county, are seen and skirted, while to the north the Horseshoe Hills fill the gap intervening between the Bridger and Big Belt mountains. Never did so beautiful a valley have such wondrous setting as is given to this exquisite dimple on nature's face by the encircling and protecting ranges. Nerve-racked by the unceasing winds of Minnesota and Dakota, with the eye wearied by the glare of the sage brush plains of Eastern Montana, one drops down (or upward) into a green oasis, hedged about by lofty mountain ranges, whose sides are clad with the greenery of the abundant conifers; the vast plain (if in the summer) is like a mighty checker-board of color, the varying shades of green and golden, being the composite effects of the fields of wheat, barley, oats, the meadows of clover, alfalfa, timothy and red top encircling the valley, or the boundless and endless fields of winter wheat and rye, literally a golden setting for the emerald low lands beautiful in the dress of spring crops. Threading this beautiful Titanic garden are streams, clear, cold and pure, leading out of every mountain canyon and valley at intervals of a mile or two apart, nearly a hundred in number, all heading for a common center, the three forks of the Missouri. Each and every one of these en route is made to pay tribute to the husbandman, and does its full share to increase the natural productivity of the soil. Over and over again is this water used, first diverted to the soil at or near its exit from the mountains, it quickly finds its way (much of it, likely a third) by subterranean passages, back into the original stream bed, to be again carried out in ditches into other fields and meadows, and again comes a resurrection and added life to its vegetation. A holy union is that of land and water, blessing and fructifying the world as it does, especially if the control is in the hands of a son of old Gallatin, all of whom are accomplished irrigators, with a maximum temperature of 93 degrees in the height of summer, with an abundance of water, and soil as highly charged with nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash as this is, we have every requisite for ample and abundant production. Proximity to the mountains compels ample moisture precipitation for grain germination, clear skies through the growth period, and equable temperature guarantees freedom from blight. Damp soil from irrigation is death to the chinch bug, hessian fly and the grasshopper, and natural richness and fertility promote such a growth of fibre and fruit as renders Gallatin county yields the wonder of the civilized world. California boasts of its wheat lands (with an average production of 15 bushels), Iowa of its corn fields, Connecticut claims distinction as a producer of tobacco rare in quality, Arkansas is the home of the big red apple, and Missouri's best crop are the energetic boys and girls who, emigrating to Montana, have helped to make Gallatin famous by their intelligent, faithful labor. Gallatin has no specialty. Every good thing in agricultural production becomes the better for association with her sunkissed, brook-bedewed fields. Wheat, oats, barley, winter rye, field peas, vegetables, potatoes, sugar beets, carrots, sweet corn, flint corn, clover, alfalfa, timothy, blue joint, red top, blue grass, swine, sheep, cattle, poultry and boys and girls are here bred that are beyond compare. Given twelve months notice, and with no help from any other county of Montana, Gallatin will gladly undertake to feed a population double in number that now to be found in Montana. Nor is the Gallatin farmer distressed at the prospects of depleted fertility of soil. The experiment of the station under the efficient management of its first director, devoted seven years quite largely to promoting the culture of the legumes, clover, alfalfa and field peas. So thoroughly was this propaganda conducted that the acreage of legumes now growing far outstrips that of any other one crop. There is scarcely an acre in Gallatin susceptible of being plowed that is not ideal clover land. There is no waiting for the slow process of nitrification of the soil (clover germ deposition). When these fat lands were made, they were clover lands, ab initio, from the beginning. That clover in Gallatin county will beget grain is fully proven in the behavior of barley for three successive years following clover of a single current season's growt. (about 125 days). First year, 63 bushels; second year, 83 bushels; third year, 84 bushels of first-class number one barley. This being the sole means used to fertilize the soil. Fields of oats have yielded 129 bushels per acre, machine measure; by weight this would have been increased fully 15 per cent., Wheat occasionally turns out 60 bushels per acre. The valley is studded with flourishing villages and towns. Chestnut, Bozeman, Belgrade, Central Park, Manhattan, Logan, Willow and Three Forks Creek are railway points, while in the interior are Salesville, Duncan and Baker. The Northern Pacific railway runs every day in the year four daily trains over its main line, and a good service over its branches to Trail Creek. The |