Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-08-25
NORTH DAKOTA WHEAT CROP.
Previous GuexScs Have Been Too
High, Says the Agricultural Com

mtSSiOncrS.
Bismarck, N. D., Special, Aug. 1S-Com-
| missioner H. u. Thomas, who has just
returned from trip through the state,
| where he has been investigating the con-
diton Of the wheat fields, makes the
| statement that the total yield of 65,O00,OOO
| bushels estimated for North Dakota by
the Minneapolis Journal, and which has
been extensively advertised through the
| country, is too large Icy at least 15,O0O,-
600 bushels, and perhaps more. He bases
the statement upon an accurate detailed
| acreage of wheat in the state by counties,
| received from the county auditors
through the state from the figures gath
er=d ny the assessors, as is required by
law. Mr.. T.'3;:as estimate makes the
acreage OF "::tAt in the state less by
million ..:st. the estimate which has
been pat for;:: oy the Minneapolis crop
expert.
In making his estimate Mr.. Thomas
has made a careful examination into
the condition of the fields in all sections.
He gathers from this tina: in many of
the Red river valley counties there will
be an excellent yield-prohatl' a little
better than the average in many places.
But a large acreage has heea totally
hailed out in one of the most productive
sections, and it takes an exceptional
yield from the good fields to bring up
the averages Of these total losses to
an average for the entire acreage of
twelve to fourteen bushels per acre.
But Notwithstanding these excellent
conditions in = great part of the Red
river valley My. Thomas states that
there is an Il: "a in the extreme northern
part Of the state and another in the
southern part of the state where the
Il 11y mi Tha
portion OF the state west to the Missouri
river will have a fair average crop-no
more. Mr.. Thomas says therefore, that
| from his Investigations. a yield Of four
teec bushels e aero through the state
is an exceedingly liberal estimate.
But II Is or. t!,t. matter of acreage that
the commissioner states that the error
le- in computing the yield. The acreage
last YEAR was, in wheat 35sO,OO0 in
ro,;:ii numbers A large section of land
in the most fertile portions of the state
was not sown, for the reason that it
was inundated by the heavy rains until
too late for cultivation. 1t has been ex-
pected in many quarters, that with the
| new land that would naturally be sown
this year. the addition of this other lard
to the acreage would cause large in
GREASE. Ru. the figures that have been
received by tine commissioner, as they
| have been co:u piled in each county do not
| disappointing to those who expected a
| largely increased acreage of wheat. The
| figures were taken by the assessors rather
early IN the season. when the farmer
| is more likely to eXaggerate his Tros-
pective acreage than to decrease it. and
are as nearly correct as any authority
| in the state can give. The total acreage
as reported this year is 3,S12,5 which is
an increase over last year of less than
100000 acres. At OH average Of fourteen
| bushels for the entire state, which Mr.
Thomas believes to be a very liberal esti-
mate of the crop this year, the total
yield would he only trife over F3.3O0,-
| 600, which is twelve millions less tEan
the figures which have been given for
| the state. But these figures are ba sed
| upon the entire acreage, not allowing for
| the large acreage which has been wiEed
out by hail, and for the fields IN parts
| of the state which are almost lo.a.ly ur-
| productive this year.
| Mr.. Thomas estimates that under all
| the conditions existing. and with the
acreage as reported to him from the en-
| tire state, the total yield of wheat this
year will be in the neighborhood of So
| 600, 600 bushels. The wrong estimate of
| the crop he attributes to the mistake in
| the beliefs which exist as to the increase
| Of the acreage over last year.
| Another damage to the crop in the GEN.
| trail and western part Of the state has
been that done by the gophers. The COM
missioner states that the damage done
| by them has been greater this year than
ever before in the state, and that once
| they take possession of field the loss
is practically total.