Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-30
MINOR CROPS ARE ALSO ABUNDANT
oats, Barley, Potatoes, Hay and Al
faIfa show Up strong and other
Farm staples Are
Abundant.
NEBRAsKA's CORN CROP.
OTHER FARM PRODUCTS.
article

wheat ......... 80 ,216,07O 3O,T0I,6 ,63S
Oats ........... IS, S,5O3,0OT S,SSS,422
Rye .I1,S07, i23 3,S2O,S7T
Barley ......... 2,152.022 2,T6I ,20O
These figures tell more eloquently than
any words the story OF Nebraska's agri-
cultural prosperity. Not only has the po-
sition of the state as member of the corn
belt been maintained, but the claim to rec
ognition as a wheat producer has been
more than indicated. Five years ago Ne
braska made bid for admission into the
list Of states wherein wheat is raised in
such quantities as to be considered a fac
tor in the markets of the world. This pre-
sumption was met by some evidences Of
skepticism on the part of those who pretend
to fix the lines in this regard. and Nebraska
was told to make a reputation. In 1897
the wheat crop OF the state was In the
neighborhood OF 80, ZOO, 900 bushels. In two
years II had increased by about 10 ,000, 900
bushels. Now, Eve years after the propo-
sition was made, the total crop Is more
than doubled, reaching to over 60,000,0 900
bushels. In this connection a close study
of the large table presented herewith will
be of interest, as IL shows how the farmers
have changed and that while the acreage
OF corn has decreased. the acreage of win
ter wheat has been largely increased In
the northern counties spring wheat Is still
raised. The crop for 1902 is divided as fol-
lows: Winter wheat: Acreage, 2046 1sS;
yield, bushels. As. .406s0s Spring wheat:
Acreage, 722, 1872; yield, bushels, O,so9, ,s62.
This is by far the biggest wheat crop ever
raised in Nebraska. Some difference OF
opinion exists between the farmers, the
elevator men and the eastern buyers as to
the merchantable qualities OF the crop.
Local elevator men Insist that IL should
grade No. 2, while the eastern men say not
At the local mills II is being made UP into
fine grade Of -four, and the dispute as to
its grade will likely not be settled, as the
price depends on the grade.
King COrn's Planes.
In 19OO which was in many respects Ne
braska's record year for corn, seventy-ni
counties returned an acreage of 7,721, 200,
with a total yield OF 241, ,935,527. In 1902
eighty-four counties return an acreage OF
corn amounting to 5,77S170, with total
yield of 224201.950 bushels. This decrease
In acreage is in a large measure due TO the
fact that the crop OF 1901 was almost a
failure, and the price Of seed corn was SO
high that many farmers did not put in the
usual amount. The figures In the table
will be found rather below the govern
ment's estimate, which was 7,s1s, 900 acres.
with a total yield OF 234,540, 900 bushels.
Conservative grain men are all agreed that
the government estimate is too high, and
that the figures given herewith are more
accurate. remarkable feature OF the
governments crop report Is that Nebraska
Is not credited with an acre Of winter
| wheat.
One other thing which initiated against
the corn crop during the last season was
the unusual amount OF rainfall during the
growing months, and the very wet and cold
September, the time for ripening. Thus
the early growth and the maturity OF the
! crop was interfered with. This damage was
not general, however. for the rainfall was
very unequally distributed during the later
months Of the summer. and while some few
counties. in the southwestern part Of the
state principally, actually suffered for want
| OF rain others had too much. Early
planted corn was we'll matured before the
FIRST touch OF frost and the later planted
was caught only in the low grounds. In
some sections Of the state the damage in
this way is estimated as high as 80 per
cent. while It is admitted that q large part
of the crop will be what is known as soft
corn, due to the frost overtaking the crop
before matured It is estimated that fully
80 per cent OF the yield will be marketable,
|
ing purposes. During the month OF October
the warm weather did much to redeem this
soft corn, drying II out and repairing as
far as possible the damage done In septem-
ber. In this dry weather Of the last three
weeks has been OF inestimabie value to the
farmers.
Yield of other Crops.
In 1900 the acreage returned for oats was
| 79Q IT0 with fOtai WELD of 7aE AQs
bushels. For 1902 the acreage is ], ,6e9, ,2Os
and the yield 5s $685. ,OO7. While this total
falls more than 100000 bushels below
the governments estimate, II shows that
the year was an unusually good one foI
oats in Nebraska. During the whole sea.
son the weather conditions were favorable
for oats, except those planted on river
bottoms. where the foods destroyed al
chance OF a crop. The growth was heavy
even rank and the harvest was In a larg,
measure delayed by these conditions, bu
the yield was most abundant. This yielt
In bushels is the largest reported in NAM
years and possibly the largest ever growI
in the state.
Rye shows more than double the Aereag,
7 and three times the yield for 1900. Whil
barley shows a slight falling on in aereag
and yield. Neither Of these cereals is ss
teemed among the important crops Of tn
state. Efforts to gather exact figures As 4
the potato. hay and alfalfa crops met wifi
disappointment. but enough Is shown b
, the reports tabulated TO give some idea o
the importance OF these crops 70 the state
, From the 5214S acres reported, 1875. %
: bushels OF potatoes will be gathered. Thi
is probably half the total crop OF the state
! From l,Ol2.s4s acres have been cut 1.57O. Is
l ia IL nF =