BEANS 



Beans are grown in Montana as a cash crop and production has increased 

 rapidly since 1920. In 1923 the industry was credited with 23,000 acres on 

 which an average yield per acre of 11.5 bushels gave a total production of 

 264,000 bushels. The farm price of beans in 1923 was $3.70 per bushel giving 

 an acre value of $42.55 and a total farm value of $977,000. The acreage in- 

 creased in 1924 to 25,000 with an average yield of 12 bushels and total produc- 

 tion of 300,000 bushels. Prices were not so good in 1924 as in 1923, the 

 unit value of $3.30 per bushel giving a total farm value for the crop of 

 $990,000 and an acre value of $39.60. In 1925 the bean acreage was further 

 increased 12,000 acres to 37,000 while the average yield per acre also increased 

 a half bushel over 1924 and at 12.5 bushels gave a state production of 462,000 

 bushels, on which the average farm price was $3.05 per bushel; the total farm 

 value, $1,411,000, and the acre value, $38.13. A further acreage increase of 

 4,000 acres in 1926 was more than offset by a lower acre yield of 10.0 bushels. 

 Production was 410,000 bushels. December 1st price of $2.80 per bushel placed 

 total farm value at $1,148,000 and average acre value at $28.00. 



BEAN VARIETIES 



The bulk of Montana's commercial production of beans is devoted to the 

 Great Northern variety, a dry white bean of excellent eating quality, developed 

 from a native bean grown by the Indians of the Upper Missouri valleys. The 

 market for the Great Northern bean has been a shade better than for other 

 varieties of dry beans in the past three years of heavy national bean pro- 

 duction. Idaho is the principal competitor of Montana in the production of 

 the Great Northern beans. 



Other beans grown in Montana include a small amount of chili and colored 

 beans, in dried beans; and a small, but growing, production of green beans for 

 canning. 



September weather at bean harvest has been unfavorable during the past 

 two years, 1925 and 1926, resulting in more than usual loss by discoloration, 

 splits and frost damage. With average harvest conditions, however, the Great 

 Northern bean shows a high quality and small dockage. 



In 1925 there were packed in the state 20,095 cases of green beans worth 

 about $50,238. The 1926 season saw an increase in the pack of green beans 

 with a total of 22,502 cases worth about $56,300. 



BEANS BY COUNTIES FOR 1925 AND 1926 



1925 REVISED 1926 (DEC. EST.) 



r,:<,+„:„i „„j Acre Produc- Acre Produc- 



r^ fJ:+,^ Acreage Yield Hon Acreage Yield tion 



'-^°""'^y (Bu.) (Bu.) (Bu.) (Bu.) 



NORTHWESTERN 



Lake 100 10 1,000 100 9 900 



NORTH CENTRAL 



Blaine 700 14 0.800 800 8 6.400 



Hill , 300 12 3,600 300 10 3,000 



NORTHEASTERN 



Phillips 700 5 3,500 900 5 4,500 



Roosevelt 100 8 800 150 8 1,200 



Sheridan 100 5 500 150 8 1,200 



Valley 500 9 4,500 600 6 3,600 



CENTRAL 



Cascade 400 10 4,000 500 12 6,000 



Fergus 200 12 2,400 300 12 3,600 



Golden Valley 100 9 900 200 8 1,600 



Musselshell 200 10 2,000 300 6 1,800 



EAST CENTRAL 



Dawson 500 12 6,000 500 6 3,000 



Prairie 1,200 8 9,600 1,500 7 10,500 



Richland 1,500 14 6,000 2,000 9 18,000 



SOUTH CENTRAL 



Carbon 3,000 14 42,000 3,500 13 45,500 



Stillwater 3,000 14 42,000 4,000 15 6,000 



Yellowstone 16,000 13.5 216.000 15,000 12 180.000 



SOUTHEASTERN 



Big Horn 4,000 14 56,000 5,000 13 65,000 



Carter 200 10 2,000 300 10 3,000 



Custer 200 8 1,600 300 9 2,700 



Powder River 700 10 7,000 800 10 8,000 



Rosebud 3,000 12.5 37,500 3,500 " 9 31,500 



Treasure 300 11 3,300 300 10 3,000 



STATE TOTALS 37,000 12.5 462,000 41,000 10 410,000 



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