MONTANA LIVESTOCK 



39 



Poultry raising in the past year has faced lower prices than in 1923 for chickens 

 and eggs which have held down gross returns from the industry. Improvement 

 in marketing practices may be expected to better the prices to producers. 



Turkey raising has expanded rapidly during recent years and reached a peak in 

 1923 when it was estimated that 241,500 turkeys were raised. Production in 1924 fell 

 off somewhat from that figure according to the evidence available, due largely 

 to unsatisfactory prices for the 1923 crop. 



0ees and Honey. 



With the increase in acreage of crops affording bee pasture, apiculture has made 

 a steady progress in Montana in recent years. The 1920 census placed the number 

 of bee colonies in the state at 12,000 and the 1924 number will total fifty per cent 

 larger. Estimated income from honey and wax in 1924 was $176,000 compared with 

 $170,000 in 1923. Montana usually ranks first among all other states in average pro- 

 duction of surplus honey per colony, having an average yield of 82 pounds per colony 

 over the ten-year period 1913-1921. The 1924 season was not as favorable as 1923 

 and average yield per colony dropped to 88 pounds compared with 118 pounds in the 

 preceding year. 



Figure XVL 



Aug Sept Oc:^ 



A/ou 



Dec 



Jd/ 



rc.6 



/y/ar 



Aor/7 



m 



'^ 



^^, 





Hotv /VIONTANA L/vesiocA sr^ Shippec/ 



/yfonfhy percentdges of se^soo^/sh/pmenf^ 

 o/" edch c/dss andd// Iji/estock show?7'by /he 

 rtc orals oF c&r/of sh/pme^ Xr re^r/ec/ h the . 



US D/V/S/OA/ or C/iOP AA/D I /t/SSTOC/^ /^ST/MATTS 



Aup1930 To Jlify 1924 



MONTANA WOOL PRODUCTION. 



1919 



1920 



1921 



1922 



1923 



1924 



Wool Produced (thousands of pounds) | 18,2671 16,000| 16,400| 16,770| 17,775| 19,316 



Montana's Rank with other States I 3 1 5 1 5 1 4 1 3 1 3 



