The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-09-11

consumption OF such iced. IhlS, IL
department of agriculture points GU
is an almost complete d%uplicatio.
and is one of several errors whiC
resulted in crediting the farmers an
stockmen of Montana with 1924 il
come approximately double the sui
which they are in position to get.
The figures of the department c
agriculture on 1924 crop and live
stock sales income, based on estin
ates of the Montana C%ooperativ
Crop Reporting Service, George A
Scott, Agricultural statistician, are
Income From Sale of Farm Product
Wheat at $1.00 $45, 100000
Corn at LOO 100000
Oats at so 100000
Barley at so 100000
Rye at so 1850
Flax at 100 ~1,735,500
Hay at $1,000 ~1,518,0OO
Spuds at so $1,000
Other crops 100000
Fruit included in above
8,425, 900
Income From Sale of Livestock
Beef 1920, 600 $15,000,000
Sheep and lambs 100000
Wool 100000
Milk and dairy products 100000
Hogs 5,OOO,0OO
Poultry and Eggs 100000
Honey 25O,OOO
a ,95O,OOO
Total of the two lists $105, 375, 900
In connection with these estimates,
the department of agriculture calls
attention to the fact that of the crops
listed. varying percentages are act
uallv sold by the farmer, the balance
being fed on the farm or used for
seed. The following percentages were
considered in computing sales income
Wheat $40 sotd
Com 10%c sold
Oats 20R sold
Barley 1917 Q !
RIVE 1870 sold
Flax 800 soiq
Potatoes 40% sold
Hay 5% sofa
Commenting on the o~ver-enthusl-
astic estimates of 1924 crop and live
stock income, the department Of ag-
riculture statement says, Several Ell.
roneous and misleading estimates OF
the amount of money which Montana
farmers and stockmen will receive
from their 1924 production have been
made public which tend to prevent
proper understanding of the situation
in Montana at the present time. One
such set of figures which was promln-
emily displayed in a leading Montana
daily paper of August 10 is analysed
below in order to make plain the err
rors that are commonly made.
'The newspaper referred to intro
duced it's crop income estimate with
these words: Forty thousand Mont
ana farmers and ranchers will receive
more than two hundred million dol
lars for the crops and products they
market this year. Elsewhere
the article states.'1 If the forecasts OF
statistical and market experts, who
have an eye on world production OF
wheat, oats, rye, potatoes and other
commodities are to be taken
as relatively accurate, it is probable
that by the time the year fades into
past the 1924 crop will have
into the pockets of Montana
farmers and ranchers a quarter of a
billion dollars The table set forth
70 give plausibility to the above
.iaims fixes $208, 1920, 900 as the 1924
sales income of the Montana farmers
and stockmen.
'"This total is approximately twice
he amount which the Montana farm
RS and stockmen can reasonably *
,ect to secure from the sale of their
1924 crops. Some of the errors are
apparent at a glance.
1.-THE entire estimated wheat pro-
luction, OF 81 million bushels, is fig
lred as bringing a cash return of
,1.25 for every bushel to the farmer.
only about 800 of the total wheat
.rop ordinarily is sold. On the day
this estimate was published,
Vol Dark Hard Winter Wheat was
elling at 95 cents a bushel in Mont
ma. and No. / Northern Spring for
;1.08, while choice, Dark Northern
Spring was only bringing $1.10 at
most Montana points. On August
20 the top grade of Dark Northern
Spring No. 1 Hard was quoted for
Iontana points by the grain Bulle-
in price card at S1.04 a bushel,
While No. 1 Dark Hard Winter was
uoted at 81 cents. There is no ba-
is for assuming that the Montana
armer will get $1,25 for his wheat
MS year. The price used by the de-
artment of agriculture, $1.00 a bu-
lei, is high as an average for all
-ades for the season when the open
g prices quoted are taken into con-
ieration.
''This table credits the Montana
with cash in pocket for every
Ishel of feed grain and every ton of
Y which it is estimated has been