Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-08-04
SPRING WHEAT SHORTAGE.

4 & Is
Result OF Investigation Into Gondi-
lions in Three Zig Wheat states.
Chicago. Aug. 1.-The Herald prints
the following summary of the results
of an Investigation into the spring
wheat yield:
So far as the spring wheat crop is
concerned he Oh Is question is as 10 the
extent of the disaster. Al the close of
June every ono at all familiar with the
situation agreed that the crop loss Was
northwest. \ Il u the effec, of the
Of July, there hiss been and continues
inueh difference of opinion, and within
a week there has been a range in the
estimates Of hose affecting 10 be well
Informed OF from 1000 900 to 1876 100000
bushels for Minnesota ana the Dako,as
AZ y perhaps significant that the higher
range 81 estimates comes from sources
eptneeted with the elevator interests
IN that section Of the country.
With Vie" 10 ascertaining the sit
nation as il is seen by those classes
whose daily duty requires them 10 keep
IN touch with agricultural conditions in
their respective localities a special cir-
cular WAS this week sent to country
bankers. managers of local elevators,
railroad station agents and Individual
tanners in every county in the three
NORTHWESTERN states.
Each OF these classes is necessarily
| familiar With the local conditions and
each reporter VAS cautioned to report
l5only for his own township, or at least
Tor detinitc AREA with which H. Il S.
personally familiar. The circulars
( We're so scattered as to secure reports
/ from all sections. but especially fun.
from The districts of heaviest popuia-
{ lion.
Returns have been received from 1871.
country banks, liz local elevators.
eighty railroad agents ana l4D farmers
selected ~. theit special experience III
judging crop prospects. These returns
1 when consolidated into county averages
/ include those counties which have ~
per cent OF the wheat acreage of Min
/ nesota. 81 per cent OF South Dakota and
"a per cent Of North Dakota.
The questions submitted were:
j. What percentage Of the acreage
seeded Viii not be halvested?.
AT what do you estimate the
rate of yield per acre for all the area
that Will b. eat?'
8. What do you consider an aver
age rate Of Yield for your section in a
normal year, Z! ~
These local estimates when averaged
/ by counties and then consolidated into
state averages upon the basis of the
! relative Importance of each county
make the Following showing:
Acreage Yield Yield
abandoned. 1900 normal
per cent. bu, bu
4 Minnesota. 4. 100 1872
South Dakota. !. ..21 6.3 1875
| North Dakota ). 40 6.3 1916
These iigures are presented not as the
| personal estimate Of the compiler, but
1 as the consolidated views of 476 obsery-
| ers mall sections of each state, who
have the best facilities for knowing
their own local situation and whose
| judgment therefore is more valuable
than that Of any authority assuming to
speak for he whole area as result of
| personal knowledge.
1 Authorities are not in agreement as
to the acreage actually seeded this
year, estimates ranging from the gov
eminent figures OF i2,249,O0O acres for
the three states up to commercial esti-
mates of 5,00OOOD acres. The estimate
made by the writer was Minnesota
100000 South Dakota 100000, North
acres.
Adopting this personal estimate Of
acreage seeded and applying the acre.
age resulting from this investigation.
the following is reached % an approx