Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-08-09

| OOO - Year or Great prosperity Tor
| the Farmers.
| The Northwestern States are now in
| the midst of the greatest harvest ever
known. Minnesota, North Dakota and
South Dakota have produced more wheat
oats, barley and flax than crop estimaters
| have credited to this territory, and this
has been accomplished under adverse con-
ditions unparalleled since the settlement
| Of the country.
Heavy rains and snow in March, fol-
lowed by rain and destructive hail and
wind storms almost daily up to Aug. I,
with an unprecedentedly low temperature
during this period, upset all calculations
of the farmers. Seeding was delayed for
| weeks, and large area that was intend
ed for wheat was seeded to other grains,
while thousands of acres of land have lain
fallow for the reason that it was impos-
sible to work in the fields.
The greatest loss of grain has been
from high winds and hail, which lodged it,
and, while the loss of perhaps a couple
Of million bushels Of grain in the three
States will fall heavily upon individual
farmers, it will scarcely be noticeable in
the aggregate yield of the three States.
The hot winds which usually prevail in
July did not come, and grain has not suf-
fered from this cause. Grasshoppers, rust
and the Hessian fly have been in evil
dence, but have done little damage, and
the farmer finds himself ready to harvest
a good average crop.
Estimate as to Wheat.
A conservative estimate of the wheat
yield of the three States does not bring
the aggregate much above the figures of
year ago. Had the conditions been right
for planting last spring it is not too much
to say that the combined yield would have
been in the neighborhood of 235 100000
bushels, Notwithstanding the fact that
farmers are turning their attention to
diversified farming and decreasing to a
considerable extent their wheat acreage.
The estimate of this grain, which is ad-
mittedly conservative, follows:
Minnesota ......... SO,OOO,OOU
North Dakota .............. 5o,OUO,OOU
South Dakota .............. 3S,O0U,OOO
Total ....... ........ ITS 100000
Good authorities put the yield in Mime
sofa as high as 95,O00,000, North Dakota
as low as 100000, and South Dakota
at 100000, but these figures are far
from correct, and are not in keeping with
the acreage planted and the loss sustain
ed since planting. In making the fore
going estimate the yield is given at thir-
teen and one-half bushels, though many
authorities do not concede so much, for
the reason that much of the wheat will
not be of heavy weight or fully filled out
in the berry.
Oats is the best grain crop and has been
carefully estimated, and while many re-
porters place the yield below these figures
it may be safely calculated that the
States have yielded thus:
Minnesota ........ bO,OOU,oOU
North Dakota .............. 2O0O0,OOU
1Oldl IN", JOOsOOO
This is about 100000 bushels greater
than in 1898, when the largest crop ever
raised was harvested
Flax is the big crop, and will make UP
for the shortage Of wheat. While this
grain will not all matureitis estimated that
the Y: cid will be 100 per cent greater than
a year ago. This is the result of condi-
TONS The early rains which prevented
wheat planting made it necessary to plant
a late crop, and farmers turned their at
tention to flax. Again, hundreds of thou
sands of acres of new land were brought
under cultivation by the vast number Of
farmers which settled in the Dakotas last
year, and this was planted to flax as the
only crop that will yield profit on sod.
The estimate follows:
Minnesota ......... ....... .IOOOu,OVO
North Dakota ............. o,oO0,O0O
South Dakota .............. o,OOO,OOO
Total ....... ....... "A OOU,OUO
In value the fax crop of these three
States will not be far behind wheat this
fall.
Corn Makes Record.