ings compared with 1928, but if this occurs it will be largely because they have 

 decided to expand their breeding power by holding back desirable stock cattle. 

 Sheepmen, on the other hand, unless expansion of holdings continues at the same 

 rate as in recent years, should have with average lambing conditions next spring, 

 larger potential marketings than in 1928. 



1928 GROWING SEASON 



Although winter and fall moisture preceding the 1928 growing season was 

 unusually favorable, the growing season itself was characterized by extreme dry 

 weather prevailing from the opening of spring until , the first week in June. 

 Plowing for spring planting began early and in a few instances on lighter soils 

 as early as the middle of March. As frosts began to leave the ground in April 

 considerable field work started and all early indications pointed to a considerable 

 increase in total planted acreage. 



However, continued dry weather throughout most of May and loss of moisture 

 from the top soils generally resulted in a modification of plans. By the first 

 of June winter wheat was generally showing marked drouth stunting, considerable 

 spring grain seedings had not emerged, pastures had not started and hay crops 

 were short. Farmers were resorting to flooding on irrigated lands to start potato 

 and sugar beet crops and the general outlook was discouraging. 



Early in June, however, general showers began to break the drouth and 

 weather then turned cool and wet throughout the month. Near normal tempera- 

 tures and precipitation above average characterized July while August was rela- 

 tively cool and wet. 



These weather conditions went far to offset the early season drouth and in 

 case of the spring grains resulted in average yields almost as good as in 1927. 

 Winter wheat and rye together with first cuttings of hay, however, had already 

 been permanently injured by drouth to the extent of reflecting this damage in 

 final yields. Flax and corn were generally damaged by early August frosts in 

 northern and eastern Montana while hail during the season apparently took a 

 larger than usual toll of yields. 



On the whole the growing season finally developed more favorably than 

 was expected and culminated in September weather that was dry and favorable 

 for maturing the late crops as well as permitting excellent progress of harvest 

 and threshing operations. 



A peculiarity of the spring drouth and dry top soils was reflected in the 

 spring grains, particularly spring wheat, which germinated in two crops, one 

 from the moisture that was available at seeding time and the other that came on 

 with June wet weather. This presented a harvesting problem for combine farm- 

 ers who in many instances were forced to windrow the grain before combining 

 in order to secure grain that was ripened uniformly. Favorable August weather 

 reduced this spread in maturity by delaying the ripening of the more advanced 

 grain, while dry September weather cured the cut grain with a minimum of the 

 loss that seemed likely earlier in the season. 



GROWING SEASON WEATHER 



The weather of the growing season as recorded by the Weather Bureau shows 

 the months of March, April and May averaging well below normal in rainfall 



