Laurel outlook., 1949-07-20
DROUGHT, HOPPERS
GUT HEAVILY INTO
CROP PRODUCTION
Dry Land Crops Deteriorate,
Irrigated Responded Well
Cattle Sales Increase

The continued drought and a
heavy infestation of grasshoppers in
many areas are cutting heavily into
M~ontana's crop production. Although
local showers have occurred in wide
ly scattered areas, all dry land crops
have deteriorated during the week
and are ripening prematurely. Grain
crops will be harvested a little earl
Ter than normal. The winter wheat
crop on fallowed land is expected to
return fair to average yields. Very
light yields and heavy abandonment
will occur on continuously cropped
land.
Soil moisture is reported short
throughout most of the state with
the exception of adequate moisture
in much of the central basin area, a
few west central counties and parts
of Glacier, Toole, Liberty, Daniels
and Roosevelt counties. Some spring
planted grains in the critical drought
e are being cut for hay while
those left for combining will pro-
duce very light yields. Summer fall
low spring grains are more promis-
ing and additional moisture will help
to fill out the grain.
The winter wheat harvest has be-
gun in Rosebud and Powder River
counties with a few good yields re-
ported from summer fallow land.
Harvest will be in full swing the
middle of this week in southeast
Montana and will start the last of
July in the southern half of the state
and in parts of the Triangle area. In
the other areas harvest will get I'M
der way from Aug.,1 at the lower
attitudes and about Aug. 10 at higher
attitudes.
Grasshopper ~infestations have in
flicted heavy damage to crops and
grasses in southeast Montana and in
Saltwater, Daniels, Toole, Liberty,
Sanders and Lake counties. Light to
medium damage is reported in most
of the remainder of the state with
only a few counties reporting no
damage to date. The hoppers are be-
ginning to migrate and are moving
from pastures and ranges into crop
fields. Control measures in some
areas are reported to be inadequate
to control the pests.
Range conditions have d~eteriorated
further during the week with the
exception of the basin area and a few
central west and northeastern coun-
ties. The supply of grass will be in
adequate in the drier areas to carry
present livestock numbers. Ranchers
are continuing to market fat cows
and steers and this will be increased
shortly unless moisture conditions
improve. Some ranchers are buying
and contracting for fall deliveries of
hay from irrigated farms. The native
.ay crop is short and all hay that
could be harvested is already cut
from many fields in the southeastern !
counties. About 80 to 40 percent of Z
the hay is cut in the central basin :
area, the central west and the north I
eastern part of the state. Cutting of c
native hay has just begun in Beaver
mead county. q
Irrigated crops have responded
we'll to the weeks weather, but in c
irrigating was necessary. C
Harvesting of cherries has begun in t
he Flathead region and a very good il
,rop is reported. =
Livestock is in fair condition in t
he most critical drought rea The t
sains have been less than normal. t
Cattle are generally in good condi- h
ion in other parts of the state, but a
;hrinkage is expected unless rains II
ire received soon. u