Show copy of the report ot of UNITED STATES OF agriculture BUREAU OF agricultural ECON FEED AND SUED SEED DIVI SION BION washington DC october 3 1924 alfalfa seed crop fully one third arger larger last year acreage increased in many sections alfalfa seed pro Dro duclon la Is estimated by the united states department of agriculture to di 13 faily ono one third larger than that of last year duo due mostly to an in increase creasa in acreage the production in utah idaho california all kansas nebraska oklahoma colorado texas new mexico arizona montana north and south sooth dakota and minnesota Is expected to exceed pounds two hundred ninety three growers scattered throughout the country from minnesota to california whose aggregate production amounts to about one fifteenth of the entire crop indi indicated caled that their acreage tor for seed this year would be 35 per cent greater than that of last year high prices tor for alfalfa seed during the past year shortage of irrigation water in some ot of the heaviest producing districts in the far west and better weather conditions generally for saying saving a seed crop than last year account mainly for the increased acreage harvested for seed this year yields per acre varied considerably being higher in some districts and lower in others in general yields averaged fully as good as it if not slightly better than last year although grasshoppers did considerable damage in some districts and the weather was either too dry or too wet in a number of districts these deterrent factors also occurred last year and occur every year in some of the many producing districts in many of the heaviest producing districts the weather was much more favorable tor for the setting of seed than last year and the crop made great progress after the first or second hay crop was removed more seed than usual in a number of districts was obtained from first crop seed it Is believed that frosts did less damage than last year because more of 0 the crop crop had been harvested before killing frosts occurred and furthermore most standing crops were more mature than last year at the time of killing frosts harvesting ot of the alfalfa seed in must districts began about the same time as or a little earlier than last year the first seed to be harvested was in southern arizona where cutting began about july 1016 1015 10 16 15 ten days later the western texas and aad eastern new mexico crops were being harvested the california harvesting except in the extreme southern part legan began aug 6 16 15 harvesting in kansas began aug 16 15 sept 6 5 depending whether the first or second crop was the one that thai was being harvested tor for seed in southern idaho harvesting began as early as aug 20 in some coun counties Jes and sept 10 in others the uintah basin utah harvest began aug 1016 1015 10 16 15 the western south dakota and montana sept 1020 10 20 and the north dakota and minnesota sept 26 25 oct 1 I prices offered to growers at the beginning ot of the movement of the earliest crops in the southwest were higher than later opening prices in arizona new mexico texas and california were around f 1718 17 18 per pounds basis clean seed by sept 20 prices in those states jaad had declined to 1416 14 16 which were also the prices being offered in a number ot of other heavy producing sections on that date these prices were somewhat higher than those paid last year at a corresponding time line growers in districts other than the southwest have not been inclined to sell at prevailing prices and only a small percentage of the crop had left their hands bands by the end of september the demand tor for alfalfa seed during the spring and tall fall was good and the carryover by seeds men throughout the country Is believed to be smaller than usual alfalfa is gaining in popularity and seeds men anticipate a good demand n next ext year especially if red alsike alseike and ajeet clover clever seed prices are maintained at present levels last year argentina france south africa and canada were the principal exporters of alfalfa seed to the united states ot of the pounds of alfalfa seed permitted is entry during the fiscal year ending juno june 30 1924 pounds came iron from argentina 2 pounds from france pounds from south africa and pounds from canada during the preceding fiscal year pounds pounds from argentina alone was imported arid and the average annual imports tor for the past 13 years amount to pounds between july 1 sept 30 1924 pounds was imported compared wa with t 11 pounds tor for the same period last year the 1924 crop in gentina argentina al was estimated to be 40 60 P per er cent of a normal crop but larger than that ot of last year upwards ol of pounds Is consider considered ej to bo be a normal crop in argentina the carryover was small and it was believed that somewhat less seed was available for export than last year A few months ago it seemed that france would harvest a large crop ot of alfalfa seed but unfavorable weather since then apparently has injured the crop materially it Is not expected that france franca will export so much seed to this country as last year upwards of pounds poun da of I 1 alfalfa seed was produced in south africa during the past season which is estimated to be about 25 per cent less than the 1923 crop the carryover of seed at the present time is very small new crop 1926 1925 seed probably will be ready tor for shipment next march canada Is expected to produce her largest alfalfa seed crop this year about pounds of 0 ontario variegated and grimm alfalfa seed was estimated tor for the province of 0 ontario and pounds tor for alberta compared with about pounds in canada last year and about pounds as a maximum tor for past years most of 0 the seed was harvested this year front from the first crop instead of the second I 1 and yields were much larger than usual UTAH nineteen to twenty million pounds of 0 alfalfa seed basis clean seed Is estimated lor for utah this year compared with approximately pounds last year high prices for or seed last year and shortage ot of irrigation water were mainly responsible tor for an increase ot of about 20 per cent in the acreage cut tor for seed A seed crop requires less moisture than a hay crop weather conditions were more favorable tor for growth and setting of seed and a larger percentage ot of the crop was harvested before killing frosts than last year hence yields are expected to be 1620 16 20 per cent higher quality ot of the seed will be better because ot of less immature black or stained seed the shri shrinkage of the 1923 crop was heavy because much seed was cut too green the production in millard county is expected to be to pounds compared with about pounds last year practically all of the seed was obtained from the second crop light frosts on september 9 10 and 11 did little or no damage crop A little heavier frost on sept 18 did some damage about two thirds of the acreage in the county was cut prior to the killing frost ot of sept 20 although north of delta only about one fourth ol of the acreage had bad been cut cutting south ot of delta was well started by sept 10 and practically completed before sept 20 threshing of the early cut seed was well under way by sept 26 25 and deliveries to warehouses had started but were not expected to be large until oct 1 growers were being offered 1460 1450 1650 1660 per pounds basis clean seed lor for the better grades of seed but were not I 1 inclined to sell at these prices the production in the uintah basin is expected to be about poun pounds ds compared with about pounds last year because of the shortage ot of water most 0 of f the growers in the basin cut the ia first rat crop tor for seed only one fourth or on one e fifth of 0 the acreage standing at the time of the fl first rat frost on sept 20 and as the crop on the standing acreage was practically mature the damage probably ly was not heavy yields averaging pounds per acre were expected by growers reporting in the survey surrey threshing in the basin began about sept 16 and considerable seed was being delivered to warehouses in the basin about sept 25 growers were being offered 1350 13 50 1660 1560 per pounds basis clean seed tor for the better grades but frere ro riot not selling free freely ly at these prices in other districts of utah a production of to pounds was expected mainly because of an increased acreage but also because of somewhat better yields of good merchantable seed aeed the larger portion of see seed d in tex j as tor for early d delivery was solid sold at 18 19 pounds basis clean on per sept 20 about 16 15 was offered to growers in texas and new mexico |