TREND OFmrACREAeE 



RYE 



Rye produced its second largest crop 

 in Montana in 1927 when production was 

 estimated at 2,412,000 bushels. The larg- 

 est crop, 3,360,000 bushels, was grown in 

 1922. Rye is popular as a feed crop in 

 the state, especially in the unirrigated 

 areas. The crop is grown in nearly all 

 parts of the state, but the bulk of the 

 acreage is located in the north central 

 and northeastern parts of the state. Rec- 

 ords show that the yield per acre of this 

 crop in 1927 was the largest since 1916. 



SEED AND CANNING PEAS 



Acreage devoted to seed and canning peas was still further reduced in 1927. 

 Total pea acreage in the state was estimated at 16,800 acres, compared with 

 29,900 acres in 1926. Seed pea yields and prices, however, were both slightly 

 higher than in the previous year. 



The total value of the pea industry to the state in 1927 was estimated at 

 $885,000, a decrease of almost half from the estimated value of $1,535,000 for the 

 1926 crop. Of the total values, seed peas were worth $617,000 in 1927 and 

 $1,080,000 in 1926. 



Montana peas for both seed and canning purposes are recognized as of very 

 high quality. Unfavorable marketing conditions are somewhat of a handicap 

 to the development of the canning pea industry. Seed peas not used in this state 

 are marketed in other pea growing areas, several out-of-state seed companies 

 maintaining branch offices in this state for the purpose of buying seed. 



CHERRIES 



Certain varieties of sour cherries, chiefly Morello and Montmorency, have 

 proven to be adapted to parts of the state west of the mountains. It is estimated 

 that production in the state in 1927 was 312,000 boxes, valued at $31,000 as com- 

 pared with the production of 390,000 boxes the previous year, valued at $39,000. 

 Corresponding decreases in production due to unfavorable spring weather were 

 noted in the more important cherry regions. 



SUGAR BEETS 



SUGAR BEET PRODUCTION 



r-400,000 



300,000 



200.000- 



Sugar beets have come to be one of the 

 most popular crops for the irrigated val- 

 leys of the state, ordinarily paying good 

 dividends and working well into crop ro- 

 tation. In 1927 there were three fac- 

 tories operating in Montana, the pioneer 

 Great Western Sugar Co.rpany at Bil- 

 lings, the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company at 

 Chinook, and the Holly Sugar Company 

 at Sidney. Quite an extensive acreage of 

 beets was grown in Big Horn County for 

 processinfr in Wyoming. 



A new factory is now being constructed 

 at Missoula by the Amalgamated Sugar 

 Company, to serve beet growers in the 

 western part of the state. It is said that 

 the Big Horn beet growers are attempt- 

 ing to develop interest in the construction of a refinery at Hardin. 



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