YEAR 



Number of 



Testa 



Average Per Cent 

 Protein 



1923 1322 



1924 2394 



1925 9271 



1926 10101 



1927 15826 



5-year Average 



13.12% 

 13.55% 

 14.29% 

 18.91% 

 12.21% 



13.41% 



The protein content of wheat is influenced chiefly by the amount of nitrogen 

 which is available for the use of the growing crop. Therefore, factors which 

 affect the supply of available nitrogen in the soil have a rather direct influence 

 on the protein content of the wheat. 



Excessive rains during the spring months of 1927 accompanied by rather cool 

 temperatures not only washed out of the soil some of the available nitrogen, but 

 retarded the action of bacteria which aid in nitrate formation, thus resulting in 

 a low average protein content for the state as a whole. However, there was some 

 variation in the protein content of wheat from the different counties and even 

 more variation between farms within any one county. This suggests that the 

 protein content may be affected by other factors than seasonal conditions. 



For example, the process of summer tillage or "fallowing" increases the 

 availability of nitrogen to such an extent that it is now generally known that 

 wheat produced after fallow will contain more protein than wheat after crop 

 under identical conditions. Likewise wheat produced after leguminous crop such 

 as alfalfa, sweet clover or peas may show a higher average protein content than 

 wheat on the same kind of soil which has not grown a legume. Furthermore, a 

 soil which contains an abundance of organic matter usually produces wheat with 

 a higher protein content than soils in which the supply of organic or vegetable 

 matter is becoming exhausted. 



The experience of the past few years indicates that farmers who employ ap- 

 proved methods in the production and marketing of their wheat crops are the 

 ones who profit mostly by the premiums paid for high protein wheat. 



NUMBEB OF CARS SHIPPED FROM MONTANA AND AVERAGE PREMIUMS BY MONTHS 

 AUGUST TO DECEMBER, 1927 f 



Number of cars shipped Average premium over prevailing 

 MONTH from Montana points. * future at Minneapolis 



August 3,425 7.6c 



September 12,147 9.2c 



October 9,853 8.8c 



November 4,630 10,5c 



December 2,321 14.7c 



ALL CARS 32,376 9.8c 



t Data compiled by Montana Experiment Station, Bozeman, Montana. 



* Data from Montana Railway Commission. 



AVERAGE PROTEIN CONTENT HARD SPRIN6 WHEAT 1927 



MONTANA 



OVER 13, 'i 



