The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-04-15

Winter wheat in Montana is IN very
poor condition, and it is apparent
tho ahandonment en- account of win
ter-klii will be much heavier than
usual. according to farmers reports to
the Montana Cooperative Crop Re-
porting service. Rye is somewhat be-
low the average condition at this sea-
sen, but withstood the winter much
better than wheat.
Winter Wheat-MOntana
Condition Of winter wheat, 81, COM
pared with So last year at this time;
II two years ago, and with "a at the
1G year average for April 1. It is too
early to forecast the production Of
winter wheat here. Estimates OF
abandonment are made in May; but
all reports agree that winter killing
has been unusually heavy in all sec
tions Of the state, while damage from
W;rds has also been bad in some To-
calities. Last fall Montana farmers
seeded 767, 900 acres to winter wheat,
which was II per cent more than
seeded in the fall Of 1923; but it
seems that the acreage remaining for
harvest this year will be much less
than in recent years. The chief
Of winter wheat loss was due to sud
den temperature drops in December
with TO snow covering to protect the
young plants. Wheat on summer fall
lowed fields suffered most. While
it is a little early to determine ac-
e~.~,'o'- the exact condition of Mon
tana winter wheat, it is known that
losses have been heavy, that stands
VIII be uneven, and that many plants
are weak. Good SHOWS in March over
most of the principal winter wheat
districts win aid in bringing out
PLANTS that are alive. Most of the
acreage of wheat to be abandoned
will he reseeded to spring wheat.
For the United States
The condition of all winter wheat
is 6S.7 per cent Of normal, compared
with SO a year ago. Assuming av-
erage abandonment and usual infiu-
ences prevailing until harvest, a crop
of about 474,225,O 900 bushels is fore
east. Last years u. S. winter wheat
crop was 59O,O37, 900 bushels, so con-
ditions thus far indicate a smaller
production this year. The spring
wheat crop in 1924 was 282,636,O0t
bushels.
Winter wheat prospects in TIT
northern hemisphere: as of lat,
March, indicate something like a si1
per cent reduction in production thi
year compared with last.
Montana Rye
The condition of y in Montana o.
April /, 1925 was go per cent of nor
NAL, compared with 81 last year, ar
the ten-year average Of 87.8 per CEN
Rye apparently came through tn
winter better than wheat, althoug
it is rather early to determine as t
I e stands or the strength of plant
Snow during March over most of ii
main rye sections will be OF niue
benefit to rye. Montana farmer
seeded 10000 acres of rye last fal
which was 50 per cent more than t.
acreage sOwn in the fall Of 1923.
Rye in the United States
condition April /, "a; S3.5 a We,
aQc. This years crop is forecasts
at 81, $4,000 bushels; last years ere
was 63,446, 900 bushels.
Farm labor and wages-MOntan
Farmers report a somewhat great
demand for labor than for the pa
three years, at slightly better wage
hut the supply is about as usual. 7
supply of farm labor in per cent
demand is los, compared with 112
year ago. During the busy seedi
and planting season there, prObat
will be local shortages Of efficie
farm labor, as is usual, but some
pect the labor situation will handle
farmers mere this spring, in their
tempt to put in a larger acreage tn
usual.
General Conditions in MOntana
The prospects for 2 favorable q
season were materially improved
SHOWS during March, which cove
the northern, central and eastern {
tricts very we'll Soil moisture c
citizens are considered satisfactory
far in most Of the districts 81
state, except portions Of the "