The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-01-12

since they have learned that genuin:
northern grown seed does not winter
kill for them. They seed the alfalfa
crop for pasture and hay as sol
builder. The eastern farmers seeC
down field for three to five years
using it for hay and pasture, and
then pillow it under to build up the
soil. They cannot produce seed, sc
some one else must produce it. He
wants northern grown seed because
it is hardy and does not winter kill.
Registered Grimm seed is preferred
even though the price is more.
If the northern Montana farmers
are to produce seed for the eastern
trade and produce it in the quanti-
ties required, more attention must be
given to this valuable crop and the
production greatly increased. Nor
thern Montana soil and climate is
wonderfully adapted to the growing
of alfalfa seed. Why not realize on
this opportunity? The east wants
seed produced in this section and are
willing to pay a premium on it,
Seed Growing in Valley County
Let us now turn to Valley county,
no more favorably located than any
other northern Montana county and
see what the alfalfa seed growers
have accomplished there through
organization
Valley county farms this year pro-
duced more than 256,800 pounds of
alfalfa seed and with a market al
ready assured, 1t is estimated that
the crop will yield the growers more
than $51, 900, the largest net returns
per acre of any crop grown in the
county. A total Of 1900 acres we're
average yield of 1870 pounds of seed
per acre, according to good authority.
From present indications, Valley
county will ship about as much seed
as all the rest of the state together
and shipments to date have been we'll |
scattered, assuring the county of sub
stantial advertising. The five car
loads have gone to two seed houses
in the state and to seed firms in Min
and Illinois. The association
has orders for car load shipments and I
local shipments that it cannot fill. |
Valley county seed growers have just |
begun to realize the value of an al
falfa seed crop and are making eff
forts to increase the production sub
Perhaps no crop grown in Valley
county has enjoyed such a rapid rise
n value as has alfalfa seed. The
figures reveal that its returns have
increased approximately 1900 per
,ent in the last few years. In 1917
he crop was valued at $4,000 and
his last year (1922), at $51,227.20. H
This great increase is mainly due to II
he growers being educated to the
-alue of the seed crop through CO. II
operative marketing and the sale of II
70. 1 seed. Three kinds of seed are II
,rown and sold in Valley county II
ffidavit Grimm, registered Grimm, II
nd common. The common alfalfa :
eed nets the growers 20 cents per l.
ound, at Glasgok. Affidavit Grimm
eed, which is produced from regis /
cred Grimm seed, but not in turn /
egistered, has been yielding the
armer between 20 and 80 cents with |
lost of it selling at %. One farmer,
ON Pointer of Glasgow, who prof.
uced 1900 pounds, will at the
rice of % cents realize more than Il
$500 from his crop of 40 acres. II
registered Grimm seed produced Il
ON registered seed, bought in seal II
! bags, seeded on clean fields and
at least once by a represen-l
tive of the Montana Seed Growers
5sociation, will be sold under seal by
lie county agent. Registered Grimm
,ed is selling for fifty cents per
)und. There was about 12,000Il
ounds of registered Grimm seed
'oduced in Valley county this year.
rejection of Montana Alfalfa Seed
Some seed houses have taken adj II
lntage of the hardness of Montana
ed which sold at premium on the
stern markets and purchased one
three car loads of Montana seed, H
It'll which they mixed southern seed II
Id in some instances the two or II
rec cars of Montana seed amounted II
over 80 car loads when sold to II
g eastern buyers. Therefore, Mon
ma seed was losing it's reputation II
the eastern market and something II
ID to be done to re-establish it's II
anding and protect it so that its
Iality and identity would be pro-
cted.
To accomplish this, the county re-
ives from each grower an affidavit H
to the amount of seed produced
d the amount sold, to whom sold, II
d the date of sale. The county II
ent also receives an affidavit from
. purchasers which is an itemized II
ltement of their purchases and the
ties of shipment. The county agent
IN receives from the railroad COM
ny the car and seal numbers. All ]
IS information is then filed with