Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-04-06
A LATE SPRING

According to the calendar March 20 ends the
winter season and ushers in spring. It is true
that very often in these latitudes, "spring lin
gers in the lap of winter" but cold and blizzards
are not common with the advent Of spring. The
first week in April is past, and we have not
heard of anyone working on the land in these
parts. Indeed, in many parts of the state the
ground is covered with snow and more falling.
Most years at this date the farmers are busy
with spring seeding. It is not pleasant out
look especially for the farmer who has wintered
little bunch of cattle or sheep. In the foothill
mountains where these cattle ranches are often
located, winter started in early. Some of them
had to commence feeding in September The
hay crop was abnormally light last year. The
price of cattle was low. The grain crops were
a failure Naturally, where they were able to
do so the farmers shipped in hay and grain and
tried to keep as many cattle over the winter
as they thought they could with safety. A most
unusually early winter, coupled with an unus-
ually late spring, has played havoc with many
farmers calculations. He has had to buy far
more feed than he expected, and where he could
not buy it he is likely to suffer heavy losses.
We are informed that in many cases it has cost
the cattle owner very nearly the present value
| of his cattle to bring them through the winter
from $50 to $75 per head, counting the hay fed
at it's present market value.
Yet. there is remarkable optimism every
where among the farmers and those dependent
on them Nearly everyone predicts bumper
crop year in 1920. Asked to specify the ground
of that faith they generally fall back on the
| assertion that the ground is unusually we'll
soaked with moisture this year, and that is un-
| doubtedly fact and a most favorable one. The
farmer who seeds this spring starts out with one
big chance in his favor, an abundant moisture
stored in the soil from precipitation last fall
! and winter and early this spring. If we could
have early warm weather in addition to this
! gift of moisture in the ground, and so get an
early start In growth, it would have been an
| ideal combination Apparently the latter ad-
vantage is not to be ours this year, and we will
have to rest content with the fact that the
ground is we'll soaked with moisture. That is
a good deal in itself. If we can only keep it in
the ground till the warm weather forces plant
growth we will have good hay crop at least.
| For three years now we have suffered agricul-
turally by insufficient moisture. On the law OF
chances we are entitled to a good year In 1920.
Perhaps that adds to the general conviction that
we will have such year in 1920. But the old
timer who has lived in Montana many years has
had 1t borne In on him by sad experience that
the Montana climate is capricious and hardly to
be depended on. Nearly every year you will hear
it said that this is an unusual year. And 1t is
One can hardly count on any season being like
its predecessors. One is never sure of a bumper
crop until it is harvested. Yet, it is surely true
that the farmers Of Montana need good CROP
this year as they have seldom needed it in the
past, and SO do the business men in the cities
who have loyalty stood by the farmers and taker
chance with them sometimes pletty lona