a varying amount of yield damage by a general early summer drouth in that area. 

 Some of the minor crops did not fare so well. Apples, due largely to unfavorable 

 weather conditions in the spring, produced only about half a normal crop and 

 the production of alfalfa seed was spotted throughout the state, because of a late 

 spring and injurious local rains that damaged the crop in many areas. 



GROWING SEASON GOOD IN 1927 



In spite of a continued lateness of the growing season progress of most 

 crops throughout the whole season proved to be the best in years. The reason 

 for this lay in the excellent moisture supplies that characterized the entire growth 

 period. Such late crops as did not mature at usual dates also were favored by 

 very favorable weather for maturity that came at the end of the season. 



The spring was a "slow" one. Temperatures were below normal until June. 

 Precipitation while below normal part of the time, was very evenly distributed 

 over the whole state and because of the lower temperatures was sufficient to 

 maintain the supply of reserve soil moisture. There was, furthermore, a supply 

 of soil moisture that had penetrated to great depth before freezing in the previous 

 fall which started the new crop under the best moisture conditions in years. 

 Plant growth was retarded until late May or early June in nearly all parts of the 

 state, but progressed rapidly from that time on. In fact, the fine growing 

 weather in June and the favorable soil moisture reserves encouraged the farmers 

 to plant the largest acreage in total crops that the state has ever known. At 

 the time prospects appeared good for all crops except those which need the full 

 growing season in Montana to come to maturity, in particular, sugar beets, corn, 

 and beans. 



Weather during the remainder of the growing season continued in the fav- 

 orable trend that was observed in June. Temperatures continued generally 

 slightly below normal and precipitation averaged above normal, coming in well 

 distributed general showers and light rains. Hail damage occurred in local areas 

 but was not unusually severe in any large sections of the state. Absence of hot 

 wind damage carried the grain crops through the critical period of July in excel- 

 lent shape. 



By the first of August most crops had somewhat overcome the late start. 

 Winter wheat and rye were from ten days to two weeks later than usual in 

 ripening, but the bulk of the spring grain acreage appeared to be approaching 

 maturity not much later than normal. August frosts caused some damage to 

 wheat and flax in isolated areas in some of the northern border counties. The 

 total effect of this damage, however, was small. 



In spite of local light showers throughout practically the whole harvesting 

 season threshing progressed at a rapid rate and except in a few sections where 

 crops were very late was finished ahead of the fall snows. . Killing frosts were 

 reported in different parts of the state from September 15 to September 25, but 

 the temperatures did not stay below freezing for any length of time and very 

 little damage was done to crops. The long Indian summer resulting from this 

 holding off of cold weather allowed corn, sugar beets, beans, and much late 

 wheat to mature. The percentage of mature corn in the state was about norm- 

 al. The bean crop developed to be by far the largest the state has known. 



MONTANA RETURN ON FARM INVESTMENT HIGHER 



That Montana wheat farmers enjoy a rate of income from their investment in 

 land that is probably higher than for many other states is shown in the accom- 

 panying table. In 1927, good plow land in Montana that was planted to spring 

 wheat, the most important single item of farm income in the state, returned to 

 the farmer 71 per cent on the 1925* estimated value of the land. Comparison 

 with other states is shown in the table. 



These figures are estimates derived from averages of reports of farmers 

 themselves. The land value, that of good plow land in all instances, is reported 

 in March of each year. Yield per acre data is the final estimate for each state. 

 The price used is the price per bushel received by the farmers on December 1. 

 Land value estimates are for March 1, 1925.* 



