The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-09-10

ne Of Grains and Forage That
stock
the department of agriculture calls
attention to the fact that of the irons.
. -ted, varying percentages are actu
ally sold by the farmer, the balance
being led on the farm or used for
seed. The following percentages
were considered in computing sales
income:
Wheat, So per cent sold.
Corn, 10 per cent sold.
cats, % PER cent sold.
Barley, Is per cent sold.
Rye, 10 per cent sold.
Flax, IS per cen sold.
Potatoes, 40 per cent sold.
Hay, 5 per cent sold.
Estimates Are Erroneous.
Commenting on the over-enthusias-
tic estimates of the 1924 crop and
livestock income, the department of
agriculture statement says, Several
erroneous and misleading estimates
If the amount Of money which Mon
tana farmers and stockmen will re-
cejve from their 1924 production have
been made public which tend to pre-
vent proper understanding of the sit
uation in Montana at the present
time. One such set of figures which
was prominently displayed in a lead
ing Montana daily paper of August
/ 10 is analysed below in order to make
plain the errors that are commonly
made.
The newspaper referred to intro
duced its crop income estimate with
these words: Forty thousand Mon
tana farmers and ranchers will receive
more than two hundred million dol
ars for the crops and praducts they
will market this year Elsewhere the
Article states: If the forecasts of sta
t~iStical and market experts, who have
an eye on world production of wheat,
cats, rye, potatoes and other farm
commodities are to be taken as rela-
lively accurate, it is probable that by
the time the year fades into the past
the 1924 crop will have brought into
th, pockets Of Montana farmers and
ranchers a quarter of a billion dol
.ar~.' The table set forth to give
p|lausibility to the above claims fixes
=20S. 10000 as the 1924 sales income
the Montana farmers and stock
wcn.
This total is approximately twice
the amount which the Montana farm
ers and stockmen can reasonably eX.
uact to secure from the sale Of thell
1921 crops. Some of the errors are
apparent at a glance.
Wheat Production.
The entire estimated wheat pro
i%uction. or 81 million bushels, is fig
ured as bringing a cash return o
SIPS for every bushel to the farmer
Only about 81 per cent of the tOta
wheat crop is ordinarily sold. VI
= the day before this estimate was pub
> .Shed, No. l Dark Hard White
wheat was selling at 95c a bushel Il
Montana, and No. l Northern Spr1ni
for S1.O8, while choice, Dark North
,rn Spring was only bringing Sill
ar most Montana points. On Angus
20 the top grade OF Dark Northerl
Spring No. l Hard was quoted 10
Montana points by the Grain Bulletin
Price card at $1.O4 a bushel, Will
10. l Dark Hard Winter was quote
at &c. There is no basis for assum
ing that the Montana farmer WI
Get $l.25 for his wheat this year
The price used by the department
Of agriculture, $1.OO a bushel, is hig
as an average for all grades for TN
season when the opening prices quo'
ed above are taken into consideration
This table credits the Montan
farmers with cash in pocket for ever
bushel of feed grain and every to
# hay which it is estimated ha
been produced in the state this seaso
without regard tc the fact that prot
ably less than 10 per cent OF II
com, 20 per cent of the oats, Is pc
rent Of the barley, 10 per cent Of tn