Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-12-13
THE CROPS or 1895. ]
Fro a Harper's Weekly.

The present year will 60 on
record as one Of the most remark y
able, from the farmers point Of
view, in the history Of American
agriculture. It has been season
Of contradictions, and at q cursory
glance it would almost seem that
/ like causes have failed to produce
like effects. One Of the driest
years on record, it has proved also
one Of the most fruitful, although
during the growing season there
was almost constant apprehension
Of crop failure. In spite Of late
frosts and spring freezes, Of
droughts almost unparalleled in in
tensity and extent of territory
covered, and with unusual vista
ton from insect enemies, the har-
vests, with the exception Of wheat
and cotton, are more abundant
than for years.
The area planted to corn last
spring, amounting to 81, 800, 900
acres, was the largest on record
For three years the crops had bee,.
small, and prices had suffered less
than any other grain in the gen.
eral depression of values. Low
prices for wheat and cotton in.
duced curtailment, of their area,
and this land was largely given to
corn. In addition to this volun-
tary increase a considerable acre.
age of winter. killed wheat was
ploughed up in the spring and put
in corn. In no state Of import.
ance was the acreage smaller than
that of the previous year, and the
overshadowing Importance Of the
great American crop may be real
lied when it IS remembered that
the area devoted to this one crop
alone this year amounts to almost
one.fourth Of the total area Of i'm
proved land in farms in 1890,
while it's immensely may be meas.
ured by the fact that it's acreage
equals the combined area of New
England, New York, New Jersey,
Delaware and Maryland, and is
greater than the total area of the
United Kingdom of Italy or Nor
way. The season was not entirely
favorable. most districts suffering
at some period Of growth from
lack Of rainfall, but the average
rate Of yield for the whole
country was higher than in re,
cent years. " Il.
The fruit crop of the year was
phenomenal, especially in view of
the frosts IN May, after apples
and small fruits were in bloom.
The apple crop is one of the larg-
est ever grown, a heavy deficiency
in New England and small crop
in New York being made up by
the heaviest crop on record west
Of the Allegheny mountains. The
extension of fruit culture in recent
years has been rapid, and as new
orchards are constantly coming
into bearing a liberal supply of
fruit for the American table, at
moderate prices, is now assured fin
almost any season. IS.
The yield of all kinds of vege.
tables was in keeping with the
character of the season in other
lines of production, assuring
abundance and variety as we'll as
low.priced food for all classes.
The following statement shows
the acreage and production Of the
principal and some minor crops of
1895, as estimated by the writer,
based upon systematic local re-
turns received during and after the
growing season: ~t.-
" 4 Product Acres.
Corn bush. 2272, 1913 600 81 ,4S8.000
Wheat............... Z" 459, 1855, 900 36, $500
Oats .......... 9O4,O95,O 600 3O,13O.0OO
Rye .................... 33,IO!,OOO Z.4i4, wv
B arley. 10 3ol ,OOO a,l9lO OO
Potatoes ............. - 2S2,l48O0O 3,2Oi .00O
Flaxseed ......"..... - 15.GS7O0O II h1S CO..