The Press., 1895-11-14
NORTH DAKOTA LETTER.


 snOws came on early, also. Much of it went over to the spring, and one circum- stance and another conspired to the de- struction of much"of it. The present crop is even greater than that of '91, and it is likely to be saved. Many new threshing outfits were provided by the farmers themselves, and many came into the state from outside. Steam threshers, with won- derful modern improvements, have taken the place of the earlier horse power ma chimes.
 |. When threshing began we had here in the Antelope valley about twenty-five of these threshers. The first three weeks of the season were the finest for this work. The weather was the most favorable for the cutting. The whole community was on the anxious bench while the grain was filling and getting out of the dough. It is critical time for grain. Too hot winds would bake it, and too cold nights would shrink 1t. Unless one has lived in a wheat growing country he cannot realize the great concern which is felt for the crop at this stage of it. Wheat is the main re- liance. Failure here is loss all around to the farmer, and to all with whom he has any deal. The farmer-our farmer is much in debt man. He owes for his shelter, for his teams, for his machinery, for prospective stock, for foods and fuel. Quite naturally, therefore, every one looks sharp after the weather when the grain passes into the final stages of It's matur- ity. There is an immense relief when the danger line is passed and the grain is safe. This whole year for us has been re- markable one. We have seen what this soil will produce, give it moisture enough i; and for 8 first class crop moisture is a prime factor. Then the next thing is emperature-neither too hot nor too cold. Several times, while the grain was filling, the temperature was so low as to be near the danger line; but warmth came again and brought salvation. Clouds and breezes saved us several times from the frosts. The average yield for this valley is from thirty to thirty-five bushels per acre-as good as in any part of the state. We have known, of. several pieces going between forty-seven and fifty bushels. | The yield for the entire state is esti- mated between fifty-one and fifty-two mil lion bushels. As soon as the grain was cut, yea, before it was all cut, threshing began, and has been pushed steadily for ward up to this date; and from our house we can see several crews at work, null titude of stacks and much grain in the shock. Wheat, however, is about all tthreshed. Oats, barley and flax, much oi : all of which is raised this year, is both CT to dispose of. Ride over the prairiee and you will see great piles of grain, wheat and oats, some of 1t near the houses and some of it in the fields, on the bare earth, with nothing around it or above it. An astonishing number of carloads have already been shipped out. Train service is doubled and thribled on our branch and scheduled time is completely knock ed out. Many new elevators have been built over the state. We have one here the largest of the three we have. But thus far the bulk of the shipments have been by the farmers on the track. A vast amount of debt will be paid. Many i'm. provements will be made. Were the price an old time one, many farmer would get on solid financial basis. But very little money from this cropwill stay here, l The country is full of collectors, and long standing accounts are being pushed fol settlement. When spring opens there will be no money, to make account of, 1T circulation.
 In. view of thelow price of wheat, whict has prevailed for. a number of years, at tention has been given to other things This year, there was large planting oi potatoes all over the state. The yield ie also immense, but the price is nothing One man who had forty acres in dug two thousand bushels, and estimated that ht would have ten thousand bushels; but concluded that, at present prices, two thousand bushels were all he could afford to dig.. There are personally known tc us number of farmers who will not gath CT but fraction of their potato crop Thousands and thousands of bushels O. potatoes will rot in the ground. Int frost has spoiled 8 great many. This ii true of other states as well as this. Botl Minnesota and Wisconsin lose grea many. It is.our private opinion that the spring prices will be good.
 .s Quite 8 good deal of corn was planted in this state, but hereabouts very littl' matured. This has not been a good yea for 1t with us. Still we know of som' farmers who have harvested quite gooC quantity of it which can be made int good meal. We believe the time is com ing when the state will yield fair corr crop But for some time to come tn staple article will be wheat. Of cOurs' such harvest as the present nobody ex poets year after year.
 One thing further deserves mention fl this letter. We have had early and grea fires running over the country. The dam age by them is very great. Not onl grains and buildings have been burned but stock also. Much hay and pasturag is destroyed. Some meR have lost every thing. Much threshed grain has bee consumed. Thus 1t is the good and tn evil are so very close to each other.