Laurel outlook., 1950-08-16

Crop production in Montana thi!
season will be large. AS based OF
Aug. l conditions, the aggregate
production of the IL major crop:
will be 81 per cent greater thar
the 1949 harvest and 16 per cent
greater than the average produc.
ton for the 10-year 1939-48 period
Splendid moisture conditions il
most parts of the state and gen.
orally favorable growing conditions
during July were responsible fo1
high yields of winter wheat, bar
ley, flax, potatoes and wild hay
than forecast July 1. Spring sown
crops have progressed well except
in Phillips and Blaine counties
where drouth conditions prevailed
throughout most of July. Except
for crops seeded extremely late,
warm dry weather is needed to
mature grain crops and enhance
harvest operations as the season
is about two weeks later than nor
NAL. Harvest of winter wheat was
started on a limited scale Aug. /.
The harvest of spring-sown crops
began this week.
Ranges and pastures have made
a rather remarkable comeback
from the situation a year ago. An
abundance of range feed is as
sured for fall and winter grazing.
GrasshOppers have inflicted very
little damage to crops and ranges.
Hail losses have not been extern
sive. The Montana wheat crop is
forecast at 85,494, 900 bushels, COM
pared with 64,080,000 bushels last
year and 7,049, 900 bushels for the
10-year 1939-48 average. Winter
wheat production indicated at a.
100000 bushels is only 1000 BUSH
els less than last years crop but
nearly 2h million bushels less than
average. Reestablishment of acre
age controls and heavy winter kill
greatly reduced the acreage for
harvest. The Aug. l indicated yield
of 20 bushels compares with last
years yield of Is bushels and the
average yield of 20.3 bushels.
Spring wheat production is fore
cast at 61,234,000 bushels or 81
per cent greater than the 1949
harvest of 39,816,OOO bushels. A
17-bushel yield is in prospect,
against 10.5 bushels last year and
15.5 bushels for the 10-year aver
age. Good yields are in prospect
except for sections of Phillips and
counties where moisture has
been short.
A barley crop of 22,148,00O
bushels is forecast, against 49,
O52,OO0 bushels produced last year.
The Aug. l yield of % bushels is
l bushel higher than the July L
forecast. Oats production of 49,
9S5,0O0 bushels stands, against
1901, 5000 bushels produced in
1949. Cool weather during July has
made this crop very promising.
The corn crop, while late, is set at
4,032,0 0 bushels, compared with
last years crop of 1,572,00O
bushels.
The flax forecast is up from last
months, due mainly to splendid
growing conditions. Production of
$4,000 bushels is forecast from a
yield of rs bushels per acre. This
compares with 5.5 bushels per acre
asst year and 6.8 bushels for the
average. Potato production
S forecast at 100000 bushels,
fielding $50 bushels per acre. Both
and dry land potatoes are
well. The dry bean acreage
S down and grown mainly by ex-
)erienced operators. The yield is
'orecast at 1900 pounds per acre,
With production set at 234,000 bags
against 288,000 bags in 1949. Dry
yea production is placed at $4,000 '
from an average yield of .
300 pounds per acre. Sugar beets a..
re doing well, but are in need of
warmer weather for maximum :
fields. From a slightly larger acre
.ge than last year, production is :
orecast at 775,000 tons, compared !
With $4,000 tons a year ago. (
Hay crops have responded we'll
0 the moisture and low tempera-