Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 August 1902 — BANNER CROP SEASON. [ARTICLE]

BANNER CROP SEASON.

BIG ACREAGE AND YIELD IN THE NORTHWEST. Total Value of Season’s Products in Three States Estimated at *300,000,000 Year of Great Prosperity for the Farmers. The Northwestern States are now in the midst of the greatest harvest ever known. Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota have produced more wheat, oats, barley and flax than crop estimaterg have credited to this territory, and this has been accomplished under adverse conditions unparalleled since the settlement of the country. Heavy rains and snow in March, followed by rain and destructive hail and wind storms almost dally up to Aug. 1, with an unprecedentedly low temperature during this period, upset all calculations of the farmers. Seeding was delayed for weeks, and a large area that was intended for wheat was seeded to other grains, while thousands of acres of land have lain fallow for the reason that it was impossible to work in the fields. The greatest loss of grain has been from high winds and hail, which lodged it, and, while the loss of perhaps a couple of million bushels of grain in the three States will fall heavily upon individual farmers, it will scarcely be noticeable in the aggregate yield of the three States. The hot winds which usually prevail in July did not come, and grain has not suffered from this cause. Grasshoppers, rust and the Hessian fly have been in evidence, but have done little damage, and the farmer finds himself ready to harvest a good average crop. Estimate as to Wheat. A conservative estimate of the wheat yield of the three States does not bring the aggregate much above the figures of a year ago. Had the conditions been right for planting last spring it is not too much say that the combined yield would have been in the neighborhood of 235,000,000 bushels, notwithstanding the fact that farmers are turning their attention to diversified farming and decreasing to a considerable extent their wheat acreage. The estimate of this grain, which is admittedly conservative, follows: Minnesota 85,000,000 North Dakota 55,000,000 South Dakota 38.000,000 T0ta1178,000,000 Good authorities put the yield in MinneißGta as high as 95,000,000, North Dakota as low as 45,000,000, and South Dakota at 46,000,000, but these figures are far from correct, and are not in keeping with the acreage planted and the loss sustained since planting. In making the foregoing estimate the yield is given at thirteen and one-half bushels, though many authorities do not concede so much, for the reason that much of thT wheat will not be of heavy weight or fully filled out in the berry. Oats is the best grain crop and has been carefully estimated, and while many reporters place the yield below these figures it may be safely calculated that the States have yielded thus: MinnesotaGO,ooo,ooo North Dakota 20.000.000 South Dakota 20,000,000 Total 100,000,000 This is about 10,000,000 bushels greater than in 1898, when the largest crop ever raised was harvested.

Flax is the big crop, and will make up Tor"'tKe~sEiortage of- wheat. "While this grain will not all mature it is estimated that the yield will be 100 per greater than a year ago. This is the result of conditions. The early rains which prevented wheat planting made it necessary to plant a late crop, and farmers turned their attention to flax. Again, hundreds of thousands of acres of new land were brought under cultivation by the vast number of farmers which settled in the Dakotas last year, and this was planted to flax as the only crop that will yield a profit on sod. The estimate follows: Minnesota . ..."..10,000,000 North Dakota 25,000.000 South Dakota 9,000,000 T0ta1....44.000,000 In value the flax crop of these three ■ States will not be far behind wheat this fall. Corn Makes Record. Corn, which is full of promise for a good crop in Minnesota and South Dakota, if the weather continues favorable, will yield more than ever before. There will be between 65,000,000 and 70,000,000 bushels raised, divided as follows: South Dakota4o.ooo,ooo Minnesota 25.000,000 North Dakota 2,000,000 T0ta167.000,000 Some of the corn has suffered through low temperature and hail, but of late the crop has forged ahead wonderfully, and if frost holds off till Sept. 10 it will practically all be gathered. The only grain that will not come up to the expectations of those who arc used to talking “bumper crops” is wheat, but even this will be largo enough to meet previous records, and, with the additional yield of other grains, the product of the' farmers of the three States will nggre-' gate in value more than in previous year. Of the four grains iiiuuierated above, the realization in Utah, upon a conservative valuation, will be: 178,000,000 bushels of wheat at 50 centsrT'... $89,000,000 44,000,000 bushels of flat nt $1.25 55,000,000 100,000,000 bushels ot oats at 25 cents 25,1)00,000 117,000,000 bushels of corn at 35 cents 20,450.000 10,000,00 b bushels of barley at 30 centa 3,000.000 T0ta15192,450,000 In addition to the above products of the farm, other grains, hay, potatoes, vegetables and live stock and fruit mnst be taken into consideration, as well aa the dairying interests, which can safely be set down at $100,000,006 more, bringing the grand total that will be realised this year by the farmers of these three States np to about $900,000,000.