MONTANA CROPS 15 



Montana Crops in 1923 



Largest The farmers of Montana in 1923 produced the largest total crop ton- 



Total Crop nage in the history of the state. This includes the second largest 

 Tonimge wheat crop ever raised, one of the largest hay crops, and by far the 



biggest harvest of corn, while the production of oats, barley, sugar 

 beets, apples, beans, and a few other minor crops was above the average for recent years. 

 This great tonnage was harvested in the face of not a few adverse factors which seriously 

 operated against normal yields in parts of the state. 



Net Farm Considering the state as a whole, the year 1923 may be regarded as 



Returns a fairly successful one so far as yields and production alone are 



Low concerned. But from the standpoint of net returns to farmers it 



furnished great disappointment, mainly because of the low market 



value of wheat. One can realize how seriously this has affected our farmers, when 



It is recalled that more than 70 per cent of the cash crop income of Montana farmers 



normally comes from the sale of wheat. In addition to this, practically all other 



products of the farm had a very low purchasing power in terms of other commodities, 



including labor. It is noteworthy that low market values particularly applied both to 



wheat and to cattle, which are the two most important products of Montana's farms 



and ranges. 



The total value of all crops produced in 1923 exceeded by about two and one-third 

 million dollars that of the 1922 crops, the decreased value of wheat being more than offset 

 by the increased total values of corn, oats, flax, sugar beets, barley, apples, beans and 

 a few others. 



More General tendencies toward diversification and the attempts of farmers 



Diversification to find lines of profitable production were reflected in the shifts be- 

 tween crop acreages that took place in 1923. Wheat acreage was cut 

 down to make room for more feed crops, such as corn, oats, barley and hay; 

 while more flax, sugar beets and beans were grown as sources of cash income. In line 

 with such changes in crops, farmers increased their holdings of milk cows, hogs and 

 poultry. These changes indicate definitely that Montana farmers are growing into diver- 

 sified farming steadily, and probably as rapidly as they should under prevailing 

 conditions. 



Total The estimated total area in crops in 1923 was 6,848,000 acres, which 



Cropped is about 90,000 acres more than in 1922. The total acreage has more 



Area than held its own despite the fact that quite a number were forced 



to leave their farms after the 1922 crop season, due to the continued 

 low prices for farm produce following several years of adversity. Several factors con- 

 tributed toward maintaining the total area in crops. The average acreage of wheat 

 and corn per farm was larger than ever before, more summer-fallow and com ground 

 were available for seeding in 1923 than in former years; corn took the place of much 

 summer-fallow ; there was more tame hay, mainly on non-irrigated lands ; and there was 

 some new land broken out, mostly for flax. 



Crop Growing A late spring delayed seeding of crops. Moisture conditions were 

 Conditions, generally favorable up until June, although not entirely so for all 

 1923 localities. Short periods of drouth and hot winds during the grow- 



ing season injured the prospects for small grains in about the eastern 

 fifth of the state, and caused poor average yields in that section. Black rust was 

 responsible for some additional loss in the eastern counties. Heavy June rains over 

 practically all of the state were extremely beneficial, but were excessive in places, and 



