The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1902-08-22
CONDITIONS ARE SATISFACTORY
WILL BE BUSY WITH THE BIG
FLAX CROP IN A COUPLE
OF WEEKS.
BRILLIANT BUSINESS OUTLOOK
COUNTRY MERCHANTS EXPECT
BEST YEAR IN HISTORY OF
NORTHWEST.


sota,s which have presented the most
interesting features of this years crop,
are progressing we'll with a much
drawn out harvest. Wheat cutting un-
der favorable weather conditions is be-
coming general in the northern coun-
ties. Some early flax is ready for the
binder, and it is expected that the har-
vesters will be busy in most of the
crop in the big flax district in two
weeks. The possibilities for business in
the present northwestern crop are
great. Country merchants expect the
best business year in the history of the
entire territory tributary to the T~in
Cities. The Northwest will have a
great surplus of feed grains to sell. De-
velopment of the smaller towns and
cities as we'll as the big centers will es-
tablish new records.
Conditions in the Valley.
On the whole the Red river valley
counties IF Minnesota and North Da-
Kota have done we'll. The Red river
valley proper, which comprises a terri
tory about thirty miles wide along the
banks of that stream, has brought it's
grain crop along excellently considering
the handicap of flooded lands during
the SPRING, but the valley proper has
bad too much grief to make salts
factory showing. In Minnesota, Kilt
sun county, and especially the section
fl en- Kennedy north, has a good crop.
Around Warren it is not bad. Below
Warren it is worse. From Crookston
south along the Great Northern to the
Northern Pacific the crop generally is
oil u
credit for the showing it has made I'M
Ger the conditions. The eastern por-
tons of these counties have good
yield. While western Polk has suffered
from an unfavo.able spring, the eastern
part of the county raised it's usual fine
crop of grain. The same is true of the
eastern portions of other counties in
this springs wet district. From Fertile
south on the Northern Pacific there is
a good crop. From Fertile to Grand
Forks it is unsatisfactory.
The western portions of Pembina,
Walsh, Grand Forks and Cass counties
have held their own on grain yields
and partly equalized the unsatisfactory
showing in the section along the Red
river. Cass county suffered more from
the surplus of moisture in the spring
than the rest of the valley counties.
R;chland county was outside the wet
district and has raised a fine crop of
grain on nearly all of it's acreage.
Wilkin county, Mimi, has also secured
fair yield.
Weather Has Been Favorable.
Up to date conditions for maturing
and harvesting the crop in western
North Dakota have been more salts
factory. One night when the mercury
sagged down close to the frost line in
some sections the northern counties
shuddered, but that has been the only
exception to a generally satisfactory
weather program. There is little diff
ference in the general crop story in the
entire country west of the Red river
vailed. La Moure, Ransom, Sargent
and Dickey counties in the southern
part of the state which have faced un-
equal weather conditions through
period of years have produced good
crops. There is a difference Of opinion
as to the prospective flax yield of this
year compared with that of last in the
western counties. Some of the best
grain authorities in the state do not ex-
pect to see flax average as we'll in the
western counties as last year.
Depressing Factors in Wheat.
Northern Minnesota and North Da-
kota present the most interesting fea-
ture in the study of the Northwest's
grain acreage. 1t is largely told in the
wet district in the Red river valley ;eld
the stampede to flax in the West There
has been an increase in the wheat acre
age of some Of the western counties,
but in the immense amount of new land
cultivated for the first time this year
in North Dakota wheat has been given
A small place. 1t is almost unanimous
for flax. Wheat has also lost to some
extent on the older land. This isatrue
in the counties Immediately west of the
Red river valley. The big flax district
is in Benson, Pierce, Bottineau, NC
Elenry, Towner, Ramsey, Ward, Wells,
Eddy, Foster and Nelson. In the new
and recently opened along the North
srn Pacific and in what new acreage
here is west Of the Missouri river
wheat was seeded to greater extent
than in the counties further north. The
counties south Of the Northern Pacific
nave been turning their attention more
tc stock which explains the shrinkage
In wheat acreag. in that section.
A New Producing Section
& The Mouse river valley In Northwest
ern North Dakota enters the grain lists
this year for the first time as heavy
producer. While the settlement of this 4
valley and the Adjacent country has
been in progress for some years. the
rast two years have, seen the larger
aiea of land broken, Flax Is the prinei-
raj story In that reg ION. n 5s8t s:s$SS
Along the 500 road from Valley City
70 Portal fax Is the leading crop. If
The grain natures without much dam
sge flag win cut q big figure In 600
earnings. This ~ the second gear m:
which farmers along The 500 line seed-