Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-07-19
NEXT FEW YEARS TO
BE CRITICAL E
FOR A OF MONT.
Continued from page II

sown grains were failing to germin
ate. The pessimists began the annua
predictions of a total failure i'm thu
important agricultural sections. Whel
a few showers came the first hal
of June they were only sufficient il
most cases to postpone damage t
crops. Fortunately, temperatures gen.
orally were low, otherwise damag,
would have been more widespread. Ii
spite of this favorable factor winter
wheat and stumbled in fields of spring
wheat suffered severely.
Rains Come in Time
Beginning in all parts of the state
about June 20, the rains came. Be
fore the close of the month the wea-
Their bureau was able to report a re-
cord for 35 years in the state. Il
days of rain in June, with the nor
NAL June precipitation exceeded in
some localities as much as two inch
es. The cool weather continued, per-
hitting the grain to fill. Since July
l., the rains have been copius until
today practically every part of the
state reports an abundance of mois-
ture and the month gives promise of
smashing another record for July
precipitation.
These general rains put a record
acreage in splendid condition and
have assured one of the largest crops
in the states history. The import
ance of a good crop this season to the
future of agriculture cannot be over
emphasized. Nineteen twenty-eight
is a critical year; with good crops ex-
pansion is only starting, it is believ-
ed. The outside world is just begin
ming to believe in Montana, following
widespread publication of failures in
Cured in the drouth years.
New settlers are coming to Mon
tana for the first time since 1919.
A campaign of publicity carried on
by railroads and various state agen-
cies is just beginning to have its eff
feet. All of this good work would
have been largely destroyed and the
word gone outside the state that
Montana was experiencing another
failure on her farms.
Power Farming
In addition, Montana farmers have
this year for the first time in great
numbers mortgaged the future by in
vesting millions of dollars in power
machinery. The eastern two thirds
Of this state are especially adapted
this type of farming. The spread
of farm machinery is largely res
ponsible for the great increase in ac-
reage. 1t has caused Montana farm
ers to increase their land holdings
and greatly influenced the size of
farms. 1t has brought into being the
profitable specialized wheat farm.
This type of agriculture is suited to
the relatively level areas of eastern
Montana where large farms are pos
sible. 1t is a type of agriculture cap
able of tremendous expansion in a
few years. This specialization has
made possible greatly reduced costs
in the growing of wheat. The pro-
ductivity of the individual farm work
err has been greatly increased. So
efficient are some of the power
farms of Montana that experts of the
experiment station estimate that in
some cases wheat was harvested last
year at an expenditure in man labor
of as low as three hours per acre. 1t
apparent, however, that such spec
ialized farms are subject to climat-
ic hazards. These hazards must be
offset by the profits of favorable
seasons. With widespread crop fail
ure this year, this type of farming
would have received a setback that
only a number of favorable seasons
could have overcome. With a good
crop this year it is probable that con-
tinued expansion of acreage and far
Their use of machinery may be expect
ed in 1929.
The Livestock Situation
Nor was the situation less critical
with regard to the livestock produc-
ers.
The year of 1926 was a year of
heavy %marketings in Montana. In
many cases, especially in the east
ern part Of the state, these market
ings were forced by a shortage of
feed. In 1927 the states largest hay
crop was harvested. Having plenty
of feed the natural effect upon cat
tlemen and sheepmen in the face of
prices was an increase in in
ventories. The last winter was an
unusually severe one, necessitating
more than average feeding, so that
the coming of spring the large
reserve supply of hay was about ex-
hausted. A dry May threatened