production in the United States. Production in these states increased from about 

 19,000,000 bushels per year during the period 1903-1913, to about 55,000,000 

 bushels annually during the years 1925-1929. 



CHERRIES 



Sour cherries of the Montmorency and Morelli varieties grown for canning 

 purposes in the Bitter Root valley and packed at Hamilton and Stevensville and 

 a small commercial acreage of sweet cherries of the Bing and Lambert varieties 

 grown along the shores of the Flathead lake make up the commercial cherry crop 

 of Montana. Production is practically limited to that part of Montana west of the 

 Continental Divide. 



In 1929 the pack of sour cherries was about 125 tons which, on a fresh fruit 

 basis, was about 198 tons compared with 67 tons on the same basis in 1928, and 

 260 tons in 1927. Allowance for local and other consumption of sour cherries 

 places the 1929 production at about 218 tons compared with 80 tons in 1928. 



Production of sweet cherries in 1929 was about 84,000 pounds compared with 

 80,000 in 1928 and 40.000 pounds in 1927. Practically all of this production origin- 

 ates from the orchards along the shores of the Flathead lake. 



Total production of cherries for Montana in 1929 was estimated at 260 tons 

 compared with 120 tons in 1928; 300 tons in 1927; 336 tons in 1926; 260 tons 

 in 1925; and 200 tons in 1924. The census of 1920 found a total of 65,633 bearing 

 trees and 4,073 trees of non-bearing age. The large bulk of these trees were 

 found in counties making up the Bitter Root and Flathead valleys of western 

 Montana. 



The present trend of production of both sour and sweet cherries is upward. 

 In the case of sour cherries the canning factories have taken practically the entire 

 production during the last four years. Planting of sour cherries during this period 

 have averaged about 50,000 trees each year, according to the state horticulturist. 



STRAWBERRY PRODUCTION IN MONTANA 



Nineteen-twenty-nine, due to a late cold spring and later drought, was a 

 season unfavorable for strawberry production in Montana and resulted in an 

 estimated crop of 225,000 quarts compared with 450,000 quarts in 1928. For the 

 1929 crop Montana growers took about the same prices as in 1928 in spite of the 

 shorter state crop, a large national crop tending to hold down the 1929 prices. 



The total value of the 1929 crop was about $32,000 compared with $65,000 

 which strawberries returned to Montana growers in 1928. 



NATIONAL OUTLOOK FOR STRAWBERRY GROWERS IN 1930 



Prospects for strawberry growers now seem to be better than in any year 

 since 1926. With material decreases in acreage among the second early and inter- 

 mediate sections and only a moderate increase in picking in 1930 in the early 

 states, the marketing problem should be greatly relieved this season, provided 

 yields are not above average and the ripening periods are normal. 



Not only are smaller acreages in prospect for 1930 but there is a likelihood 

 that lower yields per acre will occur in some districts. Old fields in a number of 

 districts are in relatively poor condition because of drought last season and lack 

 of care following low prices. Tentative reports indicate little change in the 1930 

 acreage in the late states compared with recent years. 



