Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-01-14
FARM INCOMES ARE
BOOSTED S6,OOO,OOO

"HE great increase Of income
from the farming and live
stock industry In Montana this
year, amounting to $4,000 600 over
1926 is perhaps the greatest mani
festation of the progress which has
typified the prosperity Of Montana
In 1925.
Total valuation Of farms In Mon
tana this year Is placed at $453,345,-
643, including $66,255,825 worth of
buildings. The average value of each
farm is estimated at $9,686. The
gross value Of farm crops as a whole
this year Is more than 25 per cent
of the total value of farms.
History of Montana has been d.
vided into three decades in accord
ance with the industries which flour
ished at various times. First the mi
ner came, then the livestock man and
now the farmer Is playing a promin-
ent role In the development Of the
state. The transition has been grad
ual however. dating from 40 years
ago. When the commonwealth was
admitted into the union In 1889, the
possibilities of agriculture were rec
ognized and in designing the great
seals the husbandman and the plow
were drawn beside the miners pick
and shovel. The first drawing was a
left-handed pillow and 80 dominant
were the mining interests at that
time that when 1t was presented to
the legislature for approval 1t was
carefully examined and pronounced
good. AS late as 1897, the sessions Of
the legislature did not include a
single member in either house who
was a dirt farmer"
Hill Forecast Advance
James j. Hill in 1900 predicted
that the time would come when the
farm products Of Montana would ex-
coed in value the products of the
mines. This prophesy has long ago
come true and this year the value
of crops alone approaches ~115,000,-
600, almost twice the value Of output
from metal mines. The $4,000 farms
In Montana this year have produced
43,853,000 bushels of wheat, an in
crease OF 100000 bushels over
last year.
The Montana wheat crop alone this
ear is valued at $53,00O,000 This
is co~ntrasted with the production Of
10000 600 bushels in 1907 valued at
1000, 900. Both production and value
of wheat in Montana have shown a
tremendous growth In the last 20
years, 1t has been pointed out by the
state commissioner of agriculture.
The 1925 crop does not rank far be-
low the valuation of some of the
greatest ever harvested in the state.
Wheat Sells at Premium
Increased efficiency of the Mon
tana' farmer Is shown by federal sta
tistics which say that in 1924, 46,901
farmers were operating an ~average'of
698.1 acres compared to an average
Of 6O8.1 acres handled by 57,677
farmers in 1920. One feature of Mon
tana's wheat crop Is the fact that be-
cause OF its high milling quality 1t
commands premiums over wheat
grown In other states. Montana hard
red winter wheat wa sgiven first hon
ors in this class at the recent inter-
national grain and livestock show at
Chicago. Fifteen of the 80 awards In
hard red winter wheat at the exposi-
ton went to Montana and 10 of the
80 in hard red spring were taken by
this state.
With the history of agriculture In
the eastern part OF the state, the beet
industry this year occupies q Dromin-
ent position when considering the
progress which has been made gener-
ally In the states farming activities.
Beet cheeks distributed to farmers
from the Billings factory alone this
year amounted to about ~$2,125,000,
which was given In two payments.
The farmers received $3.50 a ton for
their beets this year which was 50
more than the year before. This is
also so cents more than was paid this
year by the Nebraska and Colorado
factories as Montana beets are raised
much higher In sugar content and
command q much higher price. Until
recently, when the local plant Of the
Great Western Sugar company closed
down for the year, employment was
furnished on the average for 500
persons.
Livestock Has COmeDaCk
After several years Of adversely,
experiencing low prices on the mar
ket and scarcity of feed, the livestock
industry In Montana has ~weathered a
storm Of several years and In 1925
and 1926 experienced a comeback
that this year was more noticeable
than last. The inherent optimism of
the Montana stockmen and farmer
bolstered his spirit through the lean
years and when the industry had
passed the cornerstone toward the
horizon OF success the stockman as
we'll as the farmer, the last two years
has been experiencing a comeback,
and the old established industry of
Montana again Is turning In profits
for the stock raiser.
The cattle industry has assumed a
different aspect tbs last two years,
and has recorded Improvement, &C.
cording to observers. The value Of
marketlngs increased from ~$19,215,-
600 in 1924 to $26,477,0 900 in 1925.
-@-
Farm Lands Selling
Two important land deals were consum-