The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-04-30
WHEAT AND RYE
CONDITION GOOD
MONTANA OUTLOOK FAVORABLE
SAYS HEAD OF BUREAU OF
CROP ESTIMATES
Farm Labor Supply Is Short; Re-
ductIon OF Number of Brooding
Sows Is Shown by April Report;
Grass Growth Is Starting Slowly;
Spring Is Belated.

spring is beIated.
A favorable outlook for white
wheat, rye in good shape, an unsat
isfacvory farm labor situation. an,
large reduction in the number O
breeding sows are shown in the Apri
crop report for Montana issued by F
w. Beier, Montana field agent TO,
the United States bureau of crop es
Inmates in Helena, as follows:
Winter Wheat-The winter whea-
OUTLOOK for Montana shows an i'm
proVement over last fall and the lacl
OF moisture at seeding time has beer
followed by sufficient moisture IL
produce a condition SO per cent Of
norman compared with 81 per cent
one year ago and 1O-year average
of SO per cent.
The condition on December /
1919, was 80 per cent compared with
1O-year average of "a per cent.
Little damage has been found and
a few reports of limited areas that
have suffered from winter killing
and other damage in the central and
north central parts of the state have
been received.
The condition at this time fore
casts a yield of 100000 bushels.
The acreage sown last fall is esti-
mated at 425,00O acres compared
with 605,O0O acres in the fall of
1918. Considering the condition at
seeding time last fall, it can safely
be stated that winter wheat has sur
viyed the winter in a condition far
beyond expectations and should Mon
tana be favored with good moisture
conditions this season, the crop will
no doubt be good.
Winter Wheat Outlook
''The winter wheat outlook for the
United States is less encouraging
with a condition of 1916 per cent as
compared with 1913 per cent one
year ago, and 10-year average of
84.1 per cent. The forecasted yield
for the United States is 485,617,0O0
bushels compared with an estimated
production of 731,636,OOO bushels
in 1919 and 565, 099,0O0 bushels in
1918. The acreage sown in the fall
Of 1919 was 38,77O,00O acres com
pared with 50,489,000 in the fall of
1918.
"Rye-The condition of rye is es-
,imated. at SO per cent of normal as
compared with go per cent year
ago and 10-year average of 95 per
'ent. The forecasted production of
we lis 900 bushels based on an
estimated planted acreage of $4,000 !
Lcres. III,
Farms Need Men
Farm Labor - Reports from all
ounties in the state show that the
arm labor situation is unsatisfac-
DRY. The supply of farm labor is
stimated to be IS per cent of last
ear and IA per cent of normal. The
emand for farm labor is estimated
be 80 per cent of last year and 81
er cent of normal.
with the shortage of farm labor
nd the high wages, there seems to
ave developed feeling among the
armers that they can afford to plant
My such acreage as can be handled
Y themselves and with the assist
nee of their neighbors.
THE whole outlook tends toward
onservative farming since the farm
: feels that the present condition
i'll not result in a reasonable profit
tier taking into consideration the !
Ipense of operating his farm and
lie work of himself and family.
The farm labor situation for the !,
lt1re United States reflects a short :
&c and a heavy demand. The sup :
y of farm labor is estimated to be {
7.3 per cent of last year and 72.4 :
r cent of normal. The demand is
timated at 99.7 per cent of one year 9
20 and 153 per cent of normal \
High Feed Effects .
breeding Sows-The number of +
eeding sows on the farms in Mon c
ma show a serious reduction and is =
timated at 20 per cent of the num- :
r on hand one year ago and but 64 o
r cent of the usual number. This =
duction seems to be the result of n
gh feed and tendency to sell the =.
eeding sows when the prices were
gh. =
s'The number of breeding sows in Z
9 United States is estimated to be
. per cent of the number held one
ar ago.
General Conditions-The month
March was cool with considerable
IN and snow resulting in a good
'isture condition, delay in spring
,wsng and seeding. The snowfall
: irrigation is about normal. Grass
.rted slowly and some suffering
d losses of livestock was reported.
e delay in the opening of spring
Used heavy feeding of the limited
Dply of hay and heavy demand