OATS 



Oats production in Montana in 1927 

 was 23,840,000 bushels, the largest since 

 1916, ranking sixteenth among the states. 

 Most of the oats in this state is grown 

 for farm feed, only a small percentage 

 being sold on the markets. The yield per 

 acre last year was higher than for any 

 year since 1915. Only four states had 

 oats yields per acre which equalled or 

 exceeded Montana's yield. 



The price received by farmers for their 

 oats in 1927 was about nine cents less 

 than was received in 1926. However, the 

 proportionate decrease was smaller in 

 Montana than in many states as is shown 

 by the fact that in 1926 there were 26 

 states in which prices were as low or 

 lower than in Montana, while in 1927 

 there were only nine such states. 



Oats acreage in the state this year was 



decreased moderately due to the late 



spring and the shift from oats to barley 



for feed purposes that has developed during the past few years in some sections 



of the state. 



BARLEY IN MONTANA 



Acreage devoted to barley in 1927 was the greatest in the history of the 

 state and continues the upward trend that has been evident steadily since 1921. 

 The yield per acre of this crop in 1927 was the largest since 1915. 



Barley is becoming a feed crop on Montana farms, and evidences, by in- 

 creases in acreage in nearly all counties, a steady growth. Gallatin county led 

 in barley acreage in 1927, followed by Fergus, Flathead, Park and Pondera. In 

 some sections, particularly the Gallatin Valley, a part of the crop is shipped to 

 markets. Barley production in 1927 was almost doubl e that of 1926. 



ALFALFA AND CLOVER SEED 



Alfalfa and sweet clover seed produc- 

 tion have become important in sections 

 of the eastern third and in the central 

 and south central parts of the state. Al- 

 falfa seed production decreased consid- 

 erably in 1927, but clover seed was estim- 

 ated at the same amount as in 1926. 

 Prices of both crops were lower in 1927 

 than in 1926. 



The alfalfa seed crop was spotted in 

 1927, due chiefly to unfavorable weather 

 in local areas over the whole alfalfa seed 

 section at the season when the seed was 

 forming and developing. Considerable of 

 the alfalfa seed production is of certified 

 seed, about half the reported acreage in 

 1926 being devoted to the growing of 

 certified seed. 



^£:ED I^RODUCTIOJ\i 



r-ao ooo- 



- 70. OOO 



—eo, OOO- 



—so, OOO 



—40, OOO 



—30^ OOO- 



—20, OOO 



L£(S£ND: 



C/over* 



YEAR Acreage 



1924 19,000 



1925 28,000 



1926 23,000 



1927 11,000 



ALFALFA AND SWEET CLOVER 



ALFALFA SEED 



Acre Yield Production 



(bu.) 8 (bu.) 



2.5 47,000 



2.8 78,000 



2.7 62,000 



1.8 20,000 



PRODUCTION 



SWEET CLOVER SEED 



Acre Yield Production 

 Acreage (bu.) (bu.) 



5,000 

 5,000 



5.0 

 5.0 



25,000 

 25,000 



—29— 



