The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-07-25
A STEADY IMPROVEMENT
Wheat Prospects Continue to Grow
More Encouraging as the Harvest
Time Approaches.
The Effect of Recent Rains Very Ap-
parent-Better Estimates for
North Dakota.


crop during the past week. The weather,
with the exception of two OF three hot days,
has been cool and favorable for the growth
and ripening of the grain, and there have
been numerous local showers in both the
northern and southern grain sections There
are complaints from some localities, how
ever, of continued drouth, and there are
places in Southern Minnesota where the
heat had slight effect in too rapidly rlpen-
ing the grain. On the whole, how ever, the
situation is much improved Reports re-
ceiYeCl from all parts of the Northwest re-
specting the condition of the crops are
direct refutation of the damaging accounts
which, to serve the purpose OF some
interest, have been sent out during the
week They are more encouraging in their
tone than any advises that have been re-
ceived for u long time and Indicate much
better feeling among the farmers. The grain
where there will be any harvested will be OF
fine quality, grading mostly No l. In
Northern Dakota there will be little, II any,
that will grade below No. l Northern, while
the proportion of No l hard will be larger
than for years The recent Iains have
wrought marvels, in some places increasing
prospects so to 100 per cent Thus where
FIVE bushels to the acre were all that were
counted on a couple of weeks ago, the farm
ers now look confidently for eight or ten,
and where eight WIS the old estimate twelve
or fifteen bushels may now be reasonably
expected The estimate Tor the North Dakota
crop is no longer half crop, but it Is conf
denUly predicted by persons who have taken
pains to post themselves thoroughly, that
there will be upwards of two thirds
of q crop harvested. In South Da-
kota the crop is turning out
rather better than was anticipated, but
although there are some sections there that
will show up a fine yield, the general esti-
mate of half a crop cannot be improved on
The reports from over the Manitoba main
lines in Minnesota continue to be very en-
couraging, and the Northern Minnesota yield
will be the best for years There is no room
to doubt now but that Minnesota will have a
fair yield in the aggregate, notwithstanding
the sad effects of the drouth in several of the
northwestern counties. Northern Iowa and
Western Wisconsin also send in favorable re-
turns.
The harvest of rye has begun quite gener-
ally throughout the Northwest, and the yield
will be good. Oals and barley are also being
cut in the southern section. the crop OF
| oats, although spotted, will be heavy, and
| barley will turn out at least an average
| yield. Flax Will also be a fine crop, and corn
| is very promising in nearly all sections. The
| rains helped the hay crop wonderfully, and
the yield will be much better than was an
| ticipaled.
Wheat harvesting has been begun in a few
! localities in Southern Minnesota ana South
| Dakota, and will be fully entered on in those
| sections in ABOUT week or ten days.
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC REPORT.
Traffic Manager Hannaford's summary of
tbn hn
| Northern Pacific lines as follows:
The past seven days have resulted in con-
tinued Improvement in the crop outlook in
the greater part OF the territory reached by
the Northern Pacific lines. The weather has
been fairly cCOi and frequent showers have
benefited the country wonderfully. Along
our Little Falls & Dakota branch the farmers
| feel assured that they will now harvest a
! good crop, much letter than for some years
| past On the Fergus Falls branch the condi-
| tiOn is also very good, with perhaps one or
| two exceptions; the only complaints re-
| ceIved are from the western and in the
neighborhood OF Minor. where they do not
| expect full crop On the West Minnesota
| division the outlook is fair, and the wheat
promises to be of good quality. Harvesting is
| expected to commence in about two
weeks On the Duluth & Manitoba
| branch, reaching to the Manitoba boundary
| through the Red river valley, the condition of
| affairs has been steadily improving during
| the last TWO or UnreO weeks. MS country
! has been favored with frequent rains Estt-
mates are for from twelve to fifteen bushels
| to the acre. with the exception OF the eX-
| trcme Northern part, where the wheat is
| thinner and prospects not so good.
"On the Dakota division the returns are de-
| cidedly uneven. In some locations a good
yield is fully expected this is particularly
| true OF the country along the line between
| Casselton and Wheatl"nd and some points
west of jamestown. Showers have been ex-
| perienced throughout this territory during
! the preceding seven days, but in some
cases they have been too late to rcsusctate
the damaged wheat The reports received
| from the jamestown & Northern branch,
north to Minnewaukan, are not VcIy salts
| factory; they grow more discOuragIng as
one goes north, and around Minnewaukun
| and Devils Lake the prospects are for very
| small yield; however, as the acreage in this
district is com para lively small, it will cut no
great figure in the total production of the
country. On the COOperstown branch
the conditions are somewhat similar, but
not so discouraging. Iii the immediate vi
ciniJy of Cooper stown the crop is in better
condition than in the northern part of the
county and southern part of Nelson county.
Along the jim River Valley branch only a
partial yield is expected, while on the Fargo
& Southwestern the outlook now is for about
one-baIf to two-thirds of a crop. West of the
Missouri river the prospect is decidedly dubi-
Gus: the yield per acre will be very small
bat here again the wheatacreage is insignif,
cant. From the returns to-day l think 9
conservative estimate would place the tota
yield between one-halt and two-thirds of ar
average per acre for the county reached by
our lines and an increased acreage over that
of previous years, which the high price O
wheat during the early spIing months caused
to be material The total wheat produced
bv the country will amount to more thar
two-thrds of the product in pre- vious year!
when the crop has been considered to be
full average cron.
| CLEANED FROM VARIOUS SOURCE
Warden S5ordock of the Stilwat # peni-
tentiary, returned yesterday from a visit tC
Rothsay. He reports excellent crop pros.
poets, and that the section ten miles eas
from that town will average twenty
bushels of wheat to the acre and of gooC
quality. Even Clay county, which was sup
; posed to be a complete fai ure, will, he said
give large average, as ill nearly all the
counties along the Red river on both sides
The hay crop will be sufficient for the de
mand. Barley in that section will be the
only light grain crop, but the acreage il
small. Corn and roots are doing well.
T. B. Jerrard, of the firm of Jerrard 4
Camp, fruit and produce dealers, has JUS
returned from an extended trip through
North Dakota. He made n careful and mi
mute examination of the wheat crop, that be
ing the object of his visit and as the resu
of his examination is of the opinion that the
yield for North Dakota will be two-thirds tt
three quarters OF the average crop. He Il
confident that in all opinions heretofore
: given and published the crop has been un
derestimated He found good deal of poo
grain-much that it will not pay to harvest
but on the other hand he found fields that b,
/; thinks will yield as high as thirty-fve b sh
. els per acre; and between those two stand
ards he found every condition of grain. Th
most promising fields that he found were il
!, the country lying between Grafton and parl
!, River, and the worst looking in the countie
" of Nelson and Ramsey. An immense change
> in the outlook, he says, has been wrougn
. by the favorable weather during the las
J. three weeks.
J. ]. c. Boyden, general Northwestern freigh
!, gent of the Milwaukee & St Paul, returned
}. Yesterday from an inspection trip over tn
Hastings & Dakota division. He says tn
= crops arc looking excellent through Mime
8 sofa and as far west as Bristol, Oak. Tn
), yield in this section of country viii. he says
!, show an increase of from 80 to 40 per cen
, over last year. West of Bristol, however
he saws half-crop it big estimate
4 Ill