ALFALFA SEED 



?^.ft^s«* Q ^j^umeration of alfalfa seed production 

 jVj in the state has been made since the Fed- 



X\ eral Census of 1919 in which year 23,328 



bushels were produced. Production since 

 then has expanded rapidly and the crop has 

 become an important cash crop in south- 

 eastern Montana. In this section of the 

 state Garfield, Big Horn, Rosebud, Powder 

 River and Treasure counties have become 

 important producers, although commercial 

 production is also now found in other sec- 

 tions of the state, including counties in the 

 Milk River valley. 



Considerable of the present production 

 is certified seed, there being reported for 

 1926 nearly 12,000 acres, or half of the 

 total in registered Grimm and Cossack. 



Grimm, however, constitutes the bulk of this acreage with 11,015 acres reported 



in 1926 against 993 acres of Cossack. 



Estimates of production during the past three years have been as follows: 



Acre Produc- Produc- 



Year Acreage Yield tion tion 



(Bu.) . (Bu.) (Pounds) 



1924 19.000 2.5 47,000 2,820,000 



1925 28,000 2.8 78,000 4.680,000 



1926 23,000 2.7 62,000 3,720,000 



1925-1926 SHIPMENTS— 1926-1927 SUPPLY 



From the 1925 crop total railroad shipments from October 1, 1925 to Sep- 

 tember 30, 1926, show a total of 3,665,749 pounds of alfalfa seed shipped from 

 Montana, which with an additional allowance of 100,000 bushels for seed would 

 indicate a carry-over from the 1925 crop of about 900,000 pounds. The total 

 supply for 1926-1927 season, therefore, including carry-over and excluding seed 

 needs is very nearly as large as the preceding season. 



STATE DEPARTMENT ORIGIN RECORDS 



The State Department of Agriculture "tags" and seals cars of Montana 

 alfalfa seed certifying origin of the seed. In 1925 out of a total of 3,665,749 

 pounds shipments as reported by railroads, the State Department sealed 1,800,000 

 pounds and rejected about 120,000 pounds. During the 1926-1927 season to date 

 (February) a total of 2,800,000 pounds have been sealed with about 430,000 

 pounds expected to go in the near future. However, it is believed that a much 

 larger percentage of the total shipments will be handled through department 

 sealing this season compared with last and that total shipments for the entire 

 season will approximate those of the 1925-1926 season. 



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