Morris tribune., 1882-05-04
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WHEAT RAISING IN MINNESOTA,

some Results of ths Observations of An Old
Farmer-Wheat Failures Not Matter OF
Soil but of UnfavorabIe Circumstances.
ZuMBRoTA, April 25.-The question of wheat
raising in Minnesota 10 one Of great interest
and importance to the prosperity of the State.
and not to be disposed of too hastily in tho
negative, from insufficient data. Time will
demonstrate facts, but nothing has occurred yet
to establish anything positively I will look
at the question independently Of other branch
ss of farming industry, whether the raising of
other grains. or of stockraising, or Of dairy
products. Mixed farming is unquestionably
the safest and most profitable in any well set
tied country. To put all ones efforts and trust
in one department OF farming is not wise or
ssfe especially for small farmers with home
steads and small capital
Upon the matter Of wheat and fts prospects,
much speculation is INDUCED in by amateur
farmers, editors and practical farmers, as to
the causes of the partial failure of the wheat
crop, especially IN southern Minnesota. Many
OF the conclusions reached seem to show par
tial knowledge of the facts and disposition to
draw conclusions from narrow premises. It is
certain that in southern Minnesota raising
wheat has come 10 be considered risky busi-
mesa. 1t is fact that the average yield per
acre has been much less for the last four years
than formerly. II is fact that for twenty
hue county was not considered worth thinking
about, . good crop was considered so GER
tain. Taking the average of the last twelve
years the yield has been fifteen and one-half
bushels in my own case The crop OF 1858
was as bad failure as of any one year of the
twenty-five. That year the seeding was very
late, the weather hot with frequent rains
through the season. The wheat was sadly
shrunken and some pieces were not cut The
area was small, however, and the result not
,.Noynk f1-r
bountful harVests. July has always beeu con-
sidered as the important time With favorable
weather from July to harvest We were pretty
sure of No. l wheat, whether the yield was
twelve or twenty-five bushels. 4 shower after
July has been enough always to give some
farmers the blues. We have seen wheat wilt
with heat and drought in July; seen it covered
with red rust from the same cause, aud yet
turn out No l wheat Wheat will blight with
wet and warm weather while filing; there is
no doubt of this--leaviug the insects, espe-
cialiy the chi1ch-bugs, ont OF the calculation.
While change Of locality in seed is good, rota-
ton of crops good thing, manuTing and sum-
mer following good, thorough cultivation a
help, yet after all, the weather at the critical
time Of filing is the chief element of success.
Comparing the wheat Of 1858 with that of
1877, the first made flour hardly eatable, the
last weighed sixty-one to sixty three pounds
per bushel and Welded twenty-three to thirty
bushels to the acre.
iaRlDS tne WueaE crop OF Inc last Twelve
years, and comparing results, think the con-
clusion is inevitable that the deterioration Of
the soil has nothing to do with the failures.
give the results and facts OF importance
from memoranda made at the time, from brief
notes Of each years operations of all the diff
ferent branches OF farm work, kept for refer
ence and as guide to profit:
ls7o-Seeding tron April 4 to May 9. Weather
hot and dry last of June. Yield, Is 1-o bushels TO
the acre.
bushels
lS72-Seeding April II to May 2. Yisld, 1S Is
1s73-seeding April to May i Yield, 2oa
bushels
ls74-seeding April 10 to May l. Hot and dry
July 81. Yield, 1S15 bushels.
1s75-Seeding April to April 30. Snow May
!, two inches: favorable season all through, ex-
cept wet harvest and stacking. Yield, % bushels.
1s76-Seeding April 10 to May 4. Gr uud
beaten down by heavy rain last fall. Yield, IL
bushels, shrunk.
ls![Seediug April 10 to May s. No rain 1t
all during harvest or stacking, and none after July
Is to August 21. Yield 21 bushels. 81 to So
Is7s-seeding March II to April G. Good
stand June 1; prospect fattertng to July 6;
weather succeeding hot, muggy, wet to harvest.
Yield, IL bushels, SO to So pounds.
1s79-SeedinR March 81 to April 20. July to
IA, heavy showers; scalding intervals. Yield, IL
bushels.
1ss0-seedfne April l2 to April "a June /,
fine prospect: heavy rains July 10 to IL; chinch
bugs or blight July "a Yield, IA bushels
lss1-Seeding April to April 81. June 15r
wheat thin, otherwise favorable; July II, wheat
turning. believed to be chinch bugs. Yield, 10
bushels, light
conclude, therefore, that, the chinch bug
aside, we are liable to have as good wheat in
the future as in the past. and that there is no
reason yet 20 put Minnesota among the States
where wheat cannot be raised at profit