ALFALFA SEED 



Production of alfalfa seed in 1928 was about double that of the short crop 

 of 1927. Both larger acreage harvested and a better average yield per acre 

 compared with 1927 brought about this increase. Prices paid to growers for 

 the 1928 crop averaged about $13.70 per bushel. This was about 70 cents more 

 per bushel than was received in 1927. 



Production of alfalfa seed in 1928 was placed at 39,600 bushels or 2,376,000 

 pounds on basis of 60 pound bushels. In 1927 production was 19,800 bushels or 

 1,188,000 pounds. Acreage harvested in 1928 was 16,500 with an average acre 

 yield of 2.4 bushels or about 144 pounds. In 1927 11,000 acres were harvested 

 with an average yield of 1.8 bushels, or about 108 pounds per acre. 



Nearly half of Montana's alfalfa seed production comes from growers of 

 registered Grimm and Cossack. Quality of Montana grown alfalfa seed is gen- 

 erally recognized and the crop usually finds a ready market outside of the state. 



Probably for no other Montana crop is the 1929 outlook so promising as in 

 case of alfalfa seed. National stocks of alfalfa seed are expected to be prac- 

 tically exhausted after spring and early summer plantings requirements have 

 been met. Imports during the year ending June 30, 1928, were only about one- 

 tenth of the average of the past five years and since July 1, 1928, have con- 

 tinued to run low, reflecting another short crop in Canada. 



CLOVER SEED 



Montana produces little red or alsike clover but has been increasing her 

 acreage of sweet clover for seed, for both local demand and outside markets. 



In 1928 from an acreage of about 7,000 Montana produced 31,500 bushels 

 of sweet clover seed. In 1927 from 6,000 acres the production was about 30,000 

 bushels. The average yield per acre in 1928 was 4.5 bushels or about a half bushel 

 lower than in 1927. 



Some sweet clover seed has been reported shipped from points in central 

 Montana to outside markets. National stocks of sweet clover seed at the close 

 of this spring will probably be the smallest in years, according to the U. S. 

 Bureau of Agricultural Economics. 



However, the 1928 acreage would have supplied more than enough for seed 

 requirements except for unusually bad weather in several of the most important 

 producing states. The national outlook therefore in 1929 is not promising since 

 the same acreage as was harvested in 1928, with average yields per acre, would 

 be more than ample to meet requirements in the spring of 1930. 



SUGAR BEETS 



Acreage of sugar beets harvested in Montana in 1928 was placed at 29,000 

 compared with 32,000 acres in 1927. The average yield per acre in 1928 was also 

 lower than that of 1927, being reported at 9.0 tons, compared with 11.4 tons the 

 preceding year. Total production on this basis was placed at 262,000 tons in 

 1928 against 364,000 tons for 1927. 



With the entrance of the new sugar factory at Missoula in 1928, there are 

 now four factories in the state, the other three being located at Billings, Sidney 

 and Chinook. 



RYE ' 



Rye production in Montana in 1928 declined in face of a larger acreage com- 

 pared with 1927. Yields per acre averaged substantially lower than in 1927 due 

 largely to damage by drouth in the spring growing season. 



In 1928 from an average yield per acre of 14.0 bushels from 154,000 acres 

 was produced 2,156,000 bushels. The 1927 crop from an acreage harvested of 134,000 

 with an average yield per acre of 18.0 bushels was 2,412,000 bushels. 



A lower average farm price for rye was reported in 1928 compared with 

 1927, the December price being 69 cents for 1928 compared with 73 cents in 1927. 



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