The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-05-02
SOWING LESS WHEAT.
A Heavy Reduction in Acreage Prob.
able This Season.

Minneapolis journal: 10 what ex-
tent the wheat acreage of the north
west will be reduced this year is just
now the leading question in the grain
trade. That it will be lighter is the
general expectation. 1t is the belief
that more corn, oats and barley will
be planted this year in Minnesota
and the Dakotas than ever before, and
that as the coarse grain acreage is
increased 90 will the wheat acreage be
lessened.
No attempt has yet been made to
estimate the extent of this reduction,
nor have any estimates been possible
owing to the rather unusual circum-
stances attendant upon seeding this
year.
There has been a lack of uniformity
of soil conditions this spring. Some
| parts of the northwest were seeded
weeks ago, while in other parts work
has only been completed and in still
other parts it is only starting. About
the middle of March few days of IN
usually fine weather made conditions
lin the southern and central parts Of
this state and in portions of South
Dakota about right for farm work.
Many farmers took advantage of thil
and although it was early, yet much
wheat was sown. Then came a period
of unsettled weather, followed by {
long dry spell. In parts of the Rec
River valley it was too wet for work
In the south central parts of Minnesota
it was all right. The dry weathe
coming on accompanied by high wind
quickly put the valley and the north
ern and western part of the state il
prime condition for seeding, but di'
considerable damage, in the soutl
part, where some of the early sow
acreage was uncovered and much see
blown out. A portion of this territor
will have to be reseeded.
Up to a week ago there were tn
, apparently inconsistent, but neverthe
less true, reports of farmers in on
part of the state waiting for tn
B ground to dry little the better
enable them to get to work, while i
other districts farmers were prayin
? for rain to put the ground into Col
dition to hold the early sown seed.
ALL this has made it impossible
I make even preliminary estimate (
I the wheat acreage, and the change
Il conditions resulting from the subst
q tuition of corn and other grains Fl
. wheat by many farmers will make g
d estimate of the northwestern whe
acreage more difficult this year ths
Il ordinarily.
II Ross e. Parks of Lily, S. D., b
u been covering Day county with a vel
y to ascertaining to what extent farme
are substituting corn for wheat. Th
was not with the idea that any info
nation thus obtained from limit
area would afford safe basis of CT
culation, but merely to obtain an Id
= in general way as to how the farl
= ers feel in the matter Mr.. Parks
lieves from his investigation that t
= wheat acreage of South Dakota "
" be reduced materially, if the sen
j. ment elsewhere is as he found it
lg Day county. 3: Peterson. eight mi
,g from. Lily, has sown forty acres
er wheat in place of two hundred !
ly year, putting the remaining 100 &C
to coarse grains. On the William D
IL Dowell farm the acreage is reduced
1t. 200 acres. G.. G. Wade has cut
a wheat acreage from 300 to 40 acr
On B. J. Kortgard is sowing 100 &C
er this year in place of 100; Peter {
he burn is putting in half of what
is had last year, while on Mr.. Par
ny own farm there has been $40 &C
ne sown to wheat in place Of 725 ar
he last year. In this one township
+ wheat acreage will be cut by alb
n, 20, 90 acres. ~. ... .-..