Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-08-02
THE ONE DAKOTA.
EVENTS WHICH JUST PROCEED ITS
FINAL DIVISION.
Something About the Wheat Crop-A
Theory Concerning the Samc-Drownin,,
at Huron-rhe President Interested
Many Other Paragraphs.
Dakcta's Wheat C-op.

Quite sensation has been created in
North Dakota by the publication in the
Chicago Inter Ocean of dispatch from
Grafton to the effect that the wheat yiell
of Dakota would be 100000 900 bushels
short. The dispatch goes on to explain
that outside of two or three counties in
the Red River valley, there would be little
wheat for export. The St. Paul papers, on
hearing of the report, secured interviews
from the rail Dads and elevator companies
which operate in Dakota, and without ex-
ception the report is pronounced gross
exaggeration. Except in few localities
the yield of wheat will be less !han that of
1887, but the belief is almost universal
that, notwithstanding the lack of mois ure
early in the season, the total yield will ex-
coed that of last year. OF course, if the
intention is to boom the price of wheat.
the Dakota farmer can stand it. But the
truth is always best. Dakota will SLOW
up in pretty fair shape after all the fears
to the contrary.
A Theory as to tic Cause of Failure IN
Wheat Crops.
Writing from Vandervoort on the con-
dition of Dakota wheat Freeman Talbot
advances and argues theory that gophers
are worse than drought. This is what he
says: The countless thousands of
gophers that range over the fertile land
have done more than al. other causes
combined to destroy the wheat crop Of this
season. I'm we'll aware that I'm t.eading
on ground that will be disputed; as far as
l know my theory is not month old, and
while l was upwards of two months in
Brown county, the reputed banner county
for wheat in Dakota, an while all were
complaining Of the growing destruction of
their crops they were too tender hearted to
blame the poor little gopher. Late in
June came to this county and examined
many fields having the same appearance of
the bllghted he dis in Erown county. Here
found men of experience, intelligent
farmers, courageous enough to denounce
the little 'varmints.' In every field.
whether all or partially destroyed, the work
of the gophers was plainly seen, the stool
or tuft of wheat grown from one see Z.
having from one to six stalks, had in every
instance from three to five of the principal
stalks eaten of in different stages Of its
growth from one to three inches above the
ground. and to-day you can find the
straw, some eaten off a month since and
some but Yesterday, lying side by side.
and am satisfied the stalks thus eaten
have destroyed the whole plant. In many
fields to-day fad patches of rank green.
rich, tall wheat, with heads four inches in
length, growing in the highest, dryest
soil, good enough to yield from twenty
five to thirty bushels per acre. while all
around is blight and destruction. My
object in writing this letter is to excite
curiosity and cause investigation, and l
am confident the day is not far distant
when the intelligence of Dakota will de-
mand of TIE Legislature a sufficient bounty,
to induce every man and boy in the
county to wage war Of determination
against the worst enemy of the country's
prosperity. AS far as l have seen the
corn and potatoes promise an abundant
yield, but they are not planted as expen-
sively as they should have been. While 1
am satisfied many will smile at this new
theory l would say to them that as boy
and man I have with the sickle. the cradle.
the reaper and the binder assisted in cut
ting seventy harvests in America"