10 MONTANA FARM REVIEW 



15 degrees were reported in the western division. 10 dejjrei'S in the central di- 

 Tision and 15 degrees in the eastern division. These o(*<ni;red on the 10th of the 

 month. Occasional temperatures below 40 decrees continued to be reported until 

 the end of the month, which in the corn and bean areas tende<l to hold back 

 plantings. May precipitation occurred mostl.v after the middle of the month, and 

 although some complaints of grain seedings needing rain were made durinir the 

 first part of the month, the moisture situation was generally rcirnrdcd as satis- 

 factory at the close. 



June was characterized by showery weather over most of the first half of 

 the month. General showers also occurred on the 21st and 22nd and again from 

 the 28th to 30th. Temperatures continued low during the first part of the month 

 and throughout the central sections of the state were mostly below 40 degrees for 

 the minima day temperatures. June on the whole was too cool for corn planting 

 until well along in the month. Small grains, however, made an excellent stand 

 and growth and the general prospect at the close of the month was very promising. 



July opened with light showers and comparatively warm weather, which on 

 the 9th and for a period extending to the 17th was characterized by day maxima 

 temperatures ranging mostly above the 100 mark. Precipitation was also very 

 light covering the period of the 7th to the 21st. From the 21st to the 25th cooler 

 weather with showers set in, this rainfall being satisfactory in the western half 

 of the state, but too light to bring relief to the eastern third. The dry hot weather 

 effects of July were quite noticeable in case of small grains and tended to force 

 maturity of the early sown and curtail stooling of the late grain: Irrigated (r(»i)s 

 suffered slight burning during the period of hot w^nds, but non-irrigated crops 

 especially in the eastern districts were quite badly damaged by the end of the 

 month. Corn, due to a late start, had not developed sufficiently to resist the 

 drought and heat and was generally stunted throughout the important east central 

 and southeastern districts. Some early flax in the important producing eastern 

 sections held up well, but the bulk of the crop suffered from weed growth and 

 forcing due to the hot dry w^eather. 



Comparatively dry warm weather continued through the first half of August 

 but was broken in the central and western parts of the state by general showers 

 from the 13th to 16th and again on the 23rd and 24th and 26th to 28th. In the 

 eastern third of the state, amounts were too light and scattered to be of much 

 benefit. Drought in this section was not generally relieved until a general rain 

 on the 28th. August weather in the eastern half of the state further reduced 

 prospects and considerable grain by this time had been forced to maturity a full 

 two weeks ahead of usual. 



In accounting for the reduced yields of 1925, the hot dry spell in July appears 

 to have been the principal factor, although in the eastern third of the state 

 continued dry weather during August further curtailed the prospect. Irrigated 

 grain crops came through in generally good shape as did also both irrigated 

 and non-irrigated grain crops in the western third of the state, where the 

 seasonai rainfall and temperatures were more favorable. The state average, how- 

 ever, reflects the importance of the eastern third of the state in amount of 

 acreage involved. 



ACRE VALUES 



Offsetting to some extent the lower yields per acre in 1925 farm prices re- 

 ceived for the various crops in the case of winter wheat, spring wheat, oats, 

 barley, and potatoes were higher than last year and for the other crops were only 

 slightly lower, except in the case of rye. Compared with 1923 and the 1920-1924 

 average farm prices were in practically all cases higher. Average prices received 



