TOTAL TONNAGE OF 1927 CROP WITH COMPARISONS 



Expressed in tons, the 1927 crop production exceeded that of the best preced- 

 ing crop by more than 37 per cent. Gross tonnage of the principal crops was 

 7,510,531 tons for 1927 compared with the gross tonnage of 5,398,550 for the 

 same crops in 1924, the year of the heaviest preceding crop. The total for 1927 

 was 60 per cent greater than for 1926, when the tonnage was estimated at $4,- 

 662,477. The tonnage in 1925 was 4,702,440 tons. 



Wheat, for the first time in this state, passed the two million mark in tonnage 

 production with a total of 2,391,060 tons. Oats, barley, rye, flax, all hay, potatoes, 

 beans and sugar beets all surpassed in tonnage, the production for any previous 

 year. The hay crop was especially heavy, aggregating more than three and a 

 half million tons. The tonnage of rye and barley were both almost double that of 

 previous high records. 



In contrast with the crop of last year, production of nearly all principal crops 

 was uniformly high. Such crops as show a decrease in total production found a 

 general decrease over the entire state and not a spotted condition, as last year. 

 Com had an unfavorable year, due to the cold wet spring and the consequent late 

 start in growing. In spite of this handicap, however, the crop was greater than 

 that of the previous two years. The apple crop suffered from unfavorable weather 

 during pollenization and shows a tonnage smaller than 1926 or 1924. Alfalfa seed 

 alone reflects a spotted condition, due to a poor start and rains at the time of 

 maturity of the seed. 



These estimates do not include all the minor crops grown within the state, 

 but the total figure used is very close to the real total for all crops. 



The following table shows the production estimates of the important crops 

 in tons for the current year, compared with the estimates for the previous three 

 years. 



TONNAGE PRODUCTION OF MONTANA CROPS 



CROPS 1924 1925 1926 1927 



Corn 226,800 197,520 118,470 200,704 



All Wheat 1,553,970 1,050,630 1,387,064 2,391,060 



Oats 259,600 217,792 266,656 381,440 



Barley 62,400 78,624 186,400 154,440 



Rye 33,600 30,000 35,952 67,536 



Flax 59,920 30,744 19.404 68,264 



All Hay „ 2,708,000 2.631,000 2,263,000 3,689,000 



Potatoes 89,760 113,400 89,250 162,000 



Beans 16,800 12,936 12,900 29,700 



Seed Peas 11,760 15,630 16,200 9,450 



Canning Peas 2,100 3,984 3,792 2,679 



Alfalfa Seed 1,410 2,340 1,860 600 



Sugar Beets 365,000 315,000 352,000 346.000 



Cherries 200 260 325 260 



Clover Seed -. 270 660 900 750 



Apples 6,960 1,920 8,304 6,648 



TOTAL TONNAGE 5,398,550 4,702,440 4,662,477 7,510,531 



TREND OF YIELDS 



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AVERAGE YIELDS PER ACRE 



That the 1927 yields of Montana's prin- 

 cipal crops were greater than ever before 

 is shown in the accompanying table of av- 

 erage yields. The average yield per acre 

 of every crop in the table, with the ex- 

 ception of sugar beets, is substantially 

 higher for 1927 than for any of the pre- 

 ceding three years or than the five-year 

 average of 1920 to 1924. This was caused 

 by the lack of crop failure for any of the 

 field crops in any part of the state dur- 

 ing the past season. Wheat, the most 

 important single crop in the state, aver- 

 aged higher this year than since 1911, 

 records show. 



-18— 



