MONTANA AGRICULTURE IN 1929 



GENERAL REVIEW 



The year 1929 was characterized by a summer drought that curtailed crop 

 production generally and resulted in larger than normal marketings of livestock. 

 Price movements during the year were likewise unfavorable to Montana pro- 

 ducers in case of some major agricultural commodities including wool, lambs, 

 cattle and dairy products. On the other hand, higher prices were received for 

 most of the farm crops including the more important cash crops such as wheat, 

 flaxseed, potatoes and apples. 



The two preceding seasons, being more favorable than average for pro- 

 ducers of both crops and livestock, laid the foundation for increased acreage of 

 crops planted in 1929 and plans of livestock producers to increase their holdings. 

 The unfavorable climatic conditions during the growing season by reducing yields 

 and in some cases by acreage abandonment lowered the harvested amounts of 

 crops considerably below the levels of the preceding two years and somewhat 

 below the average of the past five years. 



Likewise in case of livestock, larger marketings as a result of short feed sup- 

 plies had at the close of 1929 reduced holdings of cattle, hogs and milk cows to 

 the levels of a year ago, although sheep holdings were somewhat larger in spite 

 of the increased 1929 marketings. 



Both the total value of crop production and cash returns from crops in 1929 

 were considerably below the high levels reached in 1927 and 1928, due principally 

 to the reduced production. Some offset, however, occurred in the value of the larger 

 marketings of livestock and livestock products with the result that the total in- 

 come of Montana's agriculture in 1929 was finally indicated to be about 15 per 

 cent lower than in 1928 and about 17 per cent lower than in 1927. 



THE 1929 GROWING SEASON 



Following a preceding fall season of below normal precipitation the 1929 

 growing season opened colder and drier than normal. April and May were un- 

 seasonably cold and moderately below normal in precipitation. Farm work was 

 retarded during this period although the weather was not particularly unfavor- 

 able to calf and lamb crops, both of which were larger than in 1928. 



June was for most part a cool and relatively dry month with frosts and freezing 

 temperatures prevailing well into the third week of the month. The low tempera- 

 tures were damaging in places to susceptible vegetation and hindered germina- 

 tion and early plant growth, but on the other hand helped conserve moisture 

 supplies with the result that at the end of June a fairly favorable crop outlook 

 had been established. 



Such a prospect was encouraged by fact that although June moisture came 

 from showery weather, the showers were fairly general and the state average 

 precipitation at the close of the month was only about half inch below the normal. 

 A sudden shift to warm weather the last week of June brought about a decided 

 improvement in the appearance of crops generally. 



July, which is the month in Montana that has buried many a fine crop pros- 

 pect, opened hot and dry and the first week found the non-irrigated crops showing 

 spotted damage. From the 6th to the 9th general light showers and lower tem- 

 peratures promised relief, but with the recurrence of high temperatures on the 

 10th, crop damage again became apparent on a wide scale. July, 1929, developed 

 into one of the three driest Julys in Montana weather records and although aver- 

 aging but 2.2 degrees above normal in mean temperature for the entire month, 

 a succssion of clear dry days from the 10th to the 17th and again from the 20th to 

 the close of the month combined with short reserves of soil moisture caused a 

 steady decline of spring sown crops and grass. 



August, apparently not satisfied with July's record, established one in turn 

 of being the hottest August on record with a state mean temperature averaging 

 4.9 degrees above normal, or 1.3 degrees better than the previous record holder, 

 which was August, 1898. Not to be outdone as to dryness, August. 1929, finished in 

 second place as the driest month of that name since 1895 with August, 1897, 



