The Bowbells tribune., 1900-08-10

South Dakota Being second-The
Showing Is Much More Favorable
Than Was Expected q Month Ago,
but Still Far From Bumper
Crop.
The yield of wheat in Minnesota and
the Dakotas is now very we'll known.
The fields have been gone over and in
spected carefully until almost every field
/ in the Northwest has been rated.
The government report for 1899 places
the yield of wheat in Minnesota and the
Dakotas at 157,71O,55O bushels, which
grain dealers, millers and producers de-
| clare is about accurate. The yield is d.
| vided among the three states thus:
Minnesota ......................... 6s,22S SSa M
North Dakota ................... g. .oe'oox
Total .157, ,71o,5oo
The acreage upon which this was raised
aggregates, according to the government
report, 12.6GO,96s, divided as follows:
Minnesota o'oosae1o
| North Dakota ...................... 4'oaS 90
South Dakota ...........s...:...... 5,oZoVlS
Total. ~, eco ees
If the yield and acreage are correctly
| given, and they appear to be right, thea.
wheat yield per acre of the three states
was:
Minnesota OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ...13.4 bushels
| North Dakota ....................12.S bushels
0' Acreage ~ Practically Unchanged.
In comparison with the season of 1888,
| taking the reports of about 400 CORK
respondents Of all classes, the present
years wheat acreage shows scarcely any
| change at the beginning of the season.
In few localities there was slight in
crease and in others less wheat was
sown so that it may be safely said that
| the acreage planted to wheat in the three
| states was not materially changed this
year.
Now, how much Of the acreage planted
to wheat yielded a crop? Taking the
reports of the correspondents, of elevator
men, Of farmers and of experts we can
find no instance where they concede more
than half a crop for Minnesota, ignoring
the acreage question except in general
way in arriving at their conclusions. It
Is impossible to discover just how much
land failed to produce crops If, however,;
the estimate that Minnesota will produce
half a crop is correct, and this estimate
is admitted to be liberal, then there will
be raised in~this state "a, Ill 79O bushels
Of wheat
North Dakota Summary.
The reports from North Dakota are
more positive. The condition has been
more easily ascertained. for the state
was quite generally damaged from the
same cause and at the same time-the
drouth. It is claimed, and the estimate
has not been changed for six weeks that
half OF the wheat acreage was totally de-
stroyed and that the remaining half was
damaged 20 per cent. Even this appears
large when reduced to bushels, but as q
conservative estimate this credits North
Dakota with one-fourth Of an average
crop, or II, ,93O,e57 bushels.
South Dakota appears to have Jared bet
ter than her sister states. with favorH4
able conditions we will have IS per cent !
of an average CROP" say the best authori-
ties. This is undoubtedly liberal esti->
mate, but, accepting it, We have 2s,291, ,152
bushels of wheat for South Dakota.
Thus, after analyz:ng the crop situation
in the three states, Minnesota and the
Dakotas show yield as follows:
minnesota .:........................ "a. III 7eO
North Dakota .......................129 .12 $50 657
u
This makes a shortage in the wheat
crop of the three states of 50, 1862, ,951 BUSH ~
els. 1t is not claimed for these figures
that they are accurate. They are simply
estimates based on reports which seem
to be fairly reliable. They differ widely
from the conclusions arrived at by a.
body of experts representing the ele-
vators, grain dealers and millers Of Min
neapols and Duluth, who, on the basis
Of the reports of their agents. supple
mented by tour of inspection, estimated
the crop of the three states at 11OOOO,OOO'
bushels.
A common mistake in estimating this
years shortage has been on the assump-
tion that last years yield was anywhere.
between 16s0OO,OO0 and zoe. 900 BUSH
els. This mistake is quite natural in
cleaning returns from the two principal !,
terminals in this state, much of the !
grain produced appearing at both points.
Much of the grain shipped to Minneapolis
is reshipped to Duluth, and registered at
both places. There are other points, also.
where reshipments are made, and this,
added to the fact that much Minnesota
and Dakota wheat goes to Chicago, Mil
waukee and other points, makes it quite
impossible to estimate the yield other
than by the government method.