The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-01-11

since they have learned that genuip
northern grown seed does not winte
kill for them. They seed the alfalf
crop for pasture and hay as a SO.
builder. The eastern farmers see
down a field for three to five years
using it for hay and pasture, an
then pillow 1t under to build up tn
soil. They cannot produce seed. s
some one else must produce it. H
wants Orlhern grown seed becaus
it is hardy and does not winter kill
Registered Grimm seed is preferre'
even though the price is more.
If the northern Montana farmer
are to produce seed for the eastern
trade and produce it in the quaint
ties required, more attention must b,
given to this valuable crop and tn,
production greatly increased. Nor
thern Montana soil and climate il
wonderfully adapted to the CROWNS
of alfalfa seed. Why not realize OF
this opportunity? The east want.
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, it is estimated that
the crop will yield the growers more
than $4,000, the largest net returns
per acre of any crop grown in the
county. A total of 1900 acres we're
seeded to alfalfa and there was an
average yield of $50 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
advertising. The five car
loads have gone to two seed houses
in the state and to seed firms in Min
neapolis and Illinois. The association
has orders for car load shipments and
local shipments that it cannot fill.
Valley county seed growers have just
begun to realize the value of an al
'alfa seed crop and are making eff
'orts to increase the production sub
~,tantially.
Perhaps no crop grown in Valley
county a enjoyed such a rapid rise
n value as has alfalfa seed. The
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 s51,227.20.
This great increase is mainly due to
he growers being educated to the
-alue of the seed crop through CO.
operative marketing and the sale of
70. l seed. Three kinds of seed are
,rown and sold in Valley county
,ffidavit Grimm, registered Grimm,
nd common. The common alfalfa
eed nets the growers 20 cents per
ound, at Glasgok. Affidavit Grimm
eed, which is produced from regis
cred Grimm seed, but not in turn
e%gistered, has been yielding the
armer between 20 and 80 cents with
lost of it selling at 28. One farmer,
ON Pointer of Glasgow, who pro-
IOJOVO pOuuuS, Will dI IuO /
rice of % cents realize more than
$500 from his crop of 40 acres.
registered Grimm seed produced
registered seed, bought in seal
i bags, seeded on clean fields and
lspected at least once by a represent
ltive of the Montana Seed Growers
ssociation, will be sold under seal by
lie county agent. Registered Grimm
led is selling for fifty cents per
ound. There was about $4,000
ounds Of registered Grimm seed
reduced in Valley county this year.
Of Montana Alfalfa Seed
Some seed houses have taken ad-
of the hardness Of Montana
ed which sold at a premium on the
lstern markets and purchased one |
three car loads of Montana seed,
18th which they mixed southern seed
Id in some instances the two or
rec cars of Montana seed amounted
over 80 car loads when sold to
e eastern buyers. Therefore, Mon
ma seed was losing its reputation
the eastern market and something
ID to be done to re~-establish it's
andfng and protect it so that its
Iality and identity would be prof.
cted.
To accomplish this, the county re-
from each grower an affidavit
to the amount of seed produced
d the amount sold, to whom sold,
d the date of sale. The county
ent also receives an affidavit from
Q purchasers which is an itemized
of their purchases and the
tes of shipment. The county agent
IN receives from the railroad conf
ny the car and seal numbers. All
information Is then filed with