The outlook for the 1930 crop of alfalfa seed, both nationally and locally, is 

 encouraging. The carryover is considerably smaller than last year although the 

 fall demand was somewhat lighter than a year ago. Because of unfavorable cli- 

 matic conditions during the fall of 1929 much of the acreage intended for fall 

 sowing will undoubtedly be sown in the spring of 1930, which will reduce the 

 carryover still more, and thus effect in part or entirely a possible curtailment 

 in the demand for alfalfa seed because of relatively low clover seed prices. 

 Imports (1,146,000 pounds) for the past fiscal year were larger than in 1928 but 

 were about one-sixth the average for the preceding five years. 



CLOVER SEED 



Montana produces little red or alsike clover but up until 1929 had been 

 steadily increasing her acreage of sweet clover seed for both local demand and 

 the outside market. In 1929 from an acreage of 3,000 acres Montana produced 

 13,500 bushels of sweet clover seed. In 1928 from 7,000 acres the production was 

 31,500 bushels. The* average yield per acre in 1928 was the same as in 1929 or 

 4.5 bushels per acre. Prices paid to growers averaged about $4.30 per bushel 

 for both the 1928 and 1929 crops. 



Although nationally the 1929 crop was only slightly larger than the 1928 

 crop, growers were again cautioned in the spring of 1930 not to increase their 

 sweet clover seed acreage as production for a number of years has been running 

 ahead of consumption, resulting repeatedly in large carryovers and low returns 

 to the growers. Doubtless low prices for three consecutive years will discourage 

 many from harvesting a seed crop this year unless storms and early frosts 

 should greatly reduce yields in the heaviest producing areas and raise prices 

 sharply. Imports from July 1, 1929, to the end of the year were unusually small, 

 much below the average, and are expected to continue small for the first half 

 of 1930 or longer. 



SUGAR BEETS 



Acreage of sugar beets harvested in Montana in 1928 was placed at 37,000 

 acres compared with 28,000 acres in 1928. The average yield per acre in 1929 was 

 higher than the 1928 yield, being reported at 9.7 tons per acre compared with 9.2 

 tons per acre the preceding year. Total production on this basis was placed at 

 362,000 tons in 1929 and 258,000 tons in 1928. The long, dry summer was con- 

 ducive to the rapid growth of the beets and this resulted in the higher yield. 



There are now four factories operating in Montana. The Utah-Idaho company 

 is located at Chinook, the Amalgamated Sugar company, at Missoula; the Great 

 Western Sugar company at Billings and the Holly Sugar corporation at Sidney. 



BEANS 



Again Montana ranks seventh place in national production of edible beans. 

 The bulk of Montana's crop is made up of the Great Northern variety in which 

 the principal competition comes from Idaho and Wyoming. Average yield per 

 acre and production for the three states in 1929 and 1928 were as follows: 



19 2 9 19 2 8 



State Acrease Yield Production Acreagre Yield Production 



Montana 50,000 10.6 525,000 40,000 14.5 580,000 



Idaho 92,000 23.0 2.116,000 86,000 19.0 1,634,000 



Wyoming 26,000 18.5 481,000 24,000 15.0 360,000 



Bean yields in Idaho and Wyoming were higher in 1929 than in 1928 while 

 in Montana they were considerably lower. This is accounted for by the fact that 

 a large percentage of Montana's bean crop is grown on non-irrigated land and 

 consequently yields were greatly reduced by the 1929 drought. Idaho and Wyom- 

 ing grow more of their bean crop on irrigated land. 



Acreage and production in all three states increased in 1929 with the excep- 

 tion of production in Montana which was reduced below that of 1928 by the low 

 average yield. 



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