The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1929-03-29

lN III 1dudud.
All winter wheat seeded in the
United States in the fall of 1928
showed a decrease of Sc per cent
as compared with. seedlings in
1927. However, the acreage still
is 3 per cent over the Swear aver
age 1923-1927. The decline is
most marked in the soft red wheat
area of the Ohio Valley and in the
northern range of the hard red
territory; Minnesota, South Dako-
to and Montana reporting a 40
per cent decline.
Since the 1928 harvest of soft
red wheat was so short as to com
pei the United States millers to
import limited amounts from east
ern Canada, and to substitute
quantities of western white wheat
and low protein lots of the hard
red wheats. and since the acreage
sown in the fall of 1928 is less
than that of 1927, it seems quite
probable that the production of
soft red in 1929 will be less than
the needs of the United States for
the 1929-30 marketing season.
Such a shortage would tend to lift
the value of low-protein Montana
wheats and narrow the range of
protein premiums. Montana's
present hard red winter wheat
acreage is only $4,000 acres, As
per cent under the acreage sown
the fall of 1927. Soft red winter
wheat is not adapted to Montana
conditions.
Reports indicate that the 1928
acreage of spring wheat in Mont
ana will be equalled in 1929. With
only average abandonment Of win
ter wheat and an average yield
of the spring-sown crop hard red
wheats again will be on an export
basis and any market improve
ment must come from a rise of
world quotations. 1t is expected
that the world price level will
rise. Nationally it is recommend
ed that the spring wheat acreage
be decreased. Most Montana
growers on non-irrigated land,
however, are so situated that acre
age decreases would automatically
increase production costs; and in
many instances growers are justi-
fed in increasing sowings when
lower production costs are are
likely to follow. Montana grew
ga, no. 900 bushels of spring wheat
other than durum on 3,410,0O0
acres in 1928, averaging 10 bushels
to the acre.
Durum wheat prices probably
will remain low as compare with
prices for bread wheats. Durum
production in 1923 increased Is
per cent over 1927 and the Can
adian crop was nearly doubled.
While the use of durum in feeds is
increasing this condition IS large
ly offset by the tariff barriers be-
ing erected by Italy, up to this
time an important importer of
American durum. If durum
wheat is grown in Montana it
should be grown only where it
outyields other spring wheats by a
substantial margin.
Corn
Montana corn almost invariably
Is a crop for local feeding. 1t is
not to be considered as a cash
crop for shipment far from the
producing districts. About the
only relation the Montana price
has to the national situation is
hat the price in feeding districts
is determined by the cost of
aging in Nebraska corn. With. TO
considerable change in the mid
vest corn acreage expected, with
slightly less feed demand and
probably weaker exports call, it is
believed that the 1929 corn crop
will move at figures no higher
han prevailed for the 1923 crop.
The scattered trails of corn
With rows widely spaced and cul-
ivation done by tractors or big
cams is attracting attention
throughout the Montana dry land
Wheat districts. Should this sys-
EN- of corn production prove out,
S it promises to do, an increase
f livestock on non-irrigated wheat
may be expected.
Flax
On land suitable for fax pro-
.uction this crop promises to be
lore profitable in 1929 than other
pring grains. A 30 per cent in
rease in acreage in the United
states probably would not exceed
he needs of the United States for
neal and oil. 1t is not to be ex-
ected, however, that the 192S-1929
level could be maintained
blowing any such sharp increase
4 production.
With the grass land broken out
asst season and the exceptional
creage of clean fallow, it is be-
.eved that the 1929 Montana flax
creage will be substantially over
he 10000 acres of 1923. Flax
a staple that the Montana farm