Sec. B Pg 13 Missoulian Centennial Missoula County’s Farming Grows From Small Patches
Missoula County’s Farming Grows From Small Patches
After 1880 Missoula farming graduated from the small vegetable patch to a larger scale.
Before 1900 Missoula farmers were able to boast of the finest oats and hay grown in the world, receiving medals for both at the World’s Columbian Exposition.
Early farm efforts produced a potato which was preferred in some markets to the famous Greeley potatoes of Colorado. Farmers concentrated mostly on the grain crops. Oats, rye, barley, wheat, hay, vegetables and fruits comprised the larger crops.
Corn raising was in the experiment stage. The crop was not considered essential because farmers could raise the ground pea to feed hogs. Cultivation of the ground pea, their best substitute for corn, was comparatively easy. The plant made the hogs firmer and the bacon was considered better than that of corn-fed animals.
Missoula farmers were finding that hard wheat brought a better price for the same yield as compared to spring wheat. Wild hay, an abundant crop, was cut annually. Timothy and clover were grown in great quantities. Alfalfa was raised in small amounts.
Farming was an important industry in the valleys of the Missoula, Bitter Root, Clark Fork, Rattlesnake, Lolo, Big Blackfoot and other lesser streams. All were dependent upon irrigation. A few small valleys which had not yet been irrigated were farmed successfully.
County assessment records revealed that 8,901 acres were classified as first class grain land and 19,234 acres were classified as second class grain land. Classified as first class hay land were 3,025 acres. Second class hay land totaled 7,598 acres and fenced grazing land totaled 31,634 acres. Unfenced grazing land totaled 154,323. The assessed valuation of these lands was $1,307,339. The un-surveyed land in the county, most of which was unsuitable for agricultural purposes, was 3,289,645 acres.
In 1898 there were 791 entries made in the public land office for 79,705.32 acres, largely agriculture lands. The entries included timber claims, mining and railroad claims.