STATE OF MONTANA 7 



MONTANA CROPS AND LIVESTOCK— 196 T 



Total 1961 crop production, excluding fruit, dropped 19 percent from 1960 and was 17 percent 

 below the 1950-59 average. Harvested acreage declined 11 percent from the previous year and was 



17 percent below average. 



Crops: The year 1961 will be remembered by many Montana residents as one of severe drought 

 Extreme moisture shortages during the growing season caused concern among farmers and ranchers 

 in all non-irrigated areas east of the Continental Divide. Although snow cover was inadequate the 

 mild 1960-61 winter temperatures resulted in light winterkill of winter wheat. Warm, dry weather in 

 early spring enabled many farmers to start seeding early — during the latter part of March. How- 

 ever, other farmers in the drier eastern part of the State delayed seedings because of moisture 

 deficiencies. Moderate percipitation during late April and much of May brightened prospects through- 

 out the State, but germination was spotty and somewhat slow. Stands of spring seeded grains 

 turned out better than expected. 



Light to moderate precipitation during early June benefited crops. However, hot weather and 

 the large requirements of moisture by rapidly growing crops quickly depleted soil moisture supplies 

 east of the Divide. Continued hot, dry weather forced maturity and greatly reduced yields of dry- 

 land crops. For the State as a whole, the June-August period was one of the driest of record. Spring 

 grains suffered the greatest damage as development of winter wheat and rye was far enough ad- 

 vanced so that fairly good yields were attained. The relatively poor outturn of dryland crops was 

 offset to some extent by unusually good yields of most irrigated crops. 



Harvesting of winter wheat started during the third week in July, nearly two weeks earlier than 

 normal and was concluded by the middle of August. Harvesting of most of the other grain crops 

 also progressed rapidly and most of the acreage was combined by September 5. However, harvest- 

 ing of late season crops including sugar beets, potatoes, safflower, dry beans and corn was slowed 

 by rain and cold weather in mid-September and continued into October. 



Montana's 1961 all wheat production was the smallest since 1940. It totaled only 54,048,000 

 bushels, 32 percent less than the 79,397,000 bushels produced in 1960. The small outturn was chiefly 

 the result of a smaller acreage harvested and unfavorable growng conditions for hard spring 

 wheat. The winter wheat production of 39,102,000 bushels was the lowest since 1956 but acreage 

 harvested was the second highest on records beginning in 1909. Output of spring wheat, excluding 

 durum, at 13,518,000 bushels, was less than one-half of the previous year. It was from the smallest 

 acreage harvested since 1919 and the poorest yield since 1937. Durum wheat production was also 

 much below average. 



Output of barley at 26,370,000 bushels was the lowest since 1953. The yield at 18 bushels per 

 acre, was the poorest since the severe drought year of 1936. Production of oafs totaled only 

 5,032,000 bushels and was the smallest crop since 1937. The 1961 rye crop was estimated at 495,000, 

 36 percent below the 1960 production. Acreage and production of flaxseed were both the smallest 

 since estimates for this crop began in 1902. 



In contrast with the drought-reduced outturn of non-irrigated crops, yields of irrigated crops 

 were very good. Acreage planted to sugar beets at 68,200 was the largest since 1947 and produc- 

 tion totaling 893,000 tons was the largest since 1947. The large production was attained in spite 

 of the fact that several thousand acres of beets froze in the ground and were abandoned. A total 

 of 1,400,000 cwt. of potatoes v/as produced. This was the largest crop since 1950. Most of the 

 acreage was irrigated and yield at 180 cwt. per acre was the largest of record. Production of dry- 

 beans, also principally irrigated, at 240,000 cwt. was the largest since 1954. Yield at 1,850 pounds 

 per acre was the highest of record. 



Mustard seed production totaled 17,130,000 pounds from 54,000 acres. This compares with 

 22,414,000 pounds from 87,300 acres in 1960. Alfalfa seed output at 3,200,000 pounds was the 

 lowest since 1938. Production of crested wheatgrass seed, estimated at 300,000 pounds, was the 

 smallest since 1956. 



Hay crops were also reduced by the droughty condition. All hay production totaled 2,527,000 

 tons, 13 percent below 1960 and the lowest since 1951. The acreage cut for hay was the smallest 

 since 1941. Cuttings of alfalfa totaled 1,630,000 tons, smallest in 5 years. The 367,000 tons of wild 

 hay harvested was the smallest output since the drought-reduced 1936 crop. 



The sour cherry production at 570 tons was the largest ever harvested and the sweet cherry- 

 crop at 2,000 tons was exceeded only by the 2,180 tons produced in 1958. The apple crop at 

 40,000 bushels was about equal to the 5-year average. 



Livestock: The number of cattle and calves on Montana farms and ranches decreased 2 per- 

 cent during 1961 to 2,112,000 head on January 1, 1962. This was the smallest inventory since 

 January 1, 1952. Prices of beef cattle rose to a peak in April 1961, fell to a low for the year in 



1 Based on preliminary data. 



