The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-04-01
Tue OATS ACREAGE
Of UNITED STATES
During the Past Twenty Years
IT Has Shown a Steady
Decrease.
sHE PRICE HAS ADVANCED
III. Present Acreas. I. Too Small IL
Proportion to the Relative Demand
that Exists and the Prices OBJ.
tained for tho Crop.

During thedecade from 1880 to 1890
the oats acreage increased from 49,
l44. 900 acres to 2S,32O, 900, an increase
of 7b per cent. This was the most
striking movement in agriculture dur
ing this decade. During the same time
the corn acreage increased only 1b per
cent, while the area devoted to wheat
actually decreased. That his enor-
mouly Increased oats crop was de-
manded is evidenced by the fact that
both farm and commercial prices av-
eraged higher in the closing years of
the decade than IN the years proceed
ing its opening when the crop was but
half as large.
The striking feature OF the decade
from 1890 to 1900 was h stationary
position Of the oats area. increasing
barely 100000 acres in ten years, or
only per cent, while the corn
breadth was enlarged by 80 per cent.
and wheat by IS per cent. The land
devoted to oats at this time, when
measured either by per capita of pop
ulation or by number Of animals that
are natural oats consumers. Is smaller
than in 1890 and radically smaller
than in 1880. or in other words, tho
oats supply when measured by the
ordinary standard of consuming pow
er has steadily and materially de-
creased during this past twenty years.
The steadily increasing practice Of
colleges and experiment stations and
approved by general experience, 10 I'M
doubtedly responsible for the compara-
tive shrinkage OF oats acreage during
h past decade. Broadly speaking,
the important oats states and the great
corn belt are c~o-extensive, and In
planning for the major crop the minor
crop has become more and more an
incident in the preparation Of the soil
for the corn crop. Consecutive crop
ping with q single grain Is scarcely
practiced at all, but the old plan Of a
two-year or at most three-year rota-
ton has rapidly given way to longer
schemes of rotation in which grasses
and legumes receive their turn. main
ly at the expense Of the small grains,
oats and wheat. The result is a de-
creased proportion Of the rotated area
for oats in order that corn may hold
Its pre-epninent place and yet grass,
clover, etc, be given a turn.
No one can sainsay the necessity
nor the advantage OF systematic ro-
tatton, and its practice is evidence Of
ter crops, but there is unquestioned
evidence that in the average rotation
now praotced throughout the sreat
central valleys sufficient consideration
- not given to the oats crop from the
etandpoint OF farm profits. Corn must
necessartly be the great crop in this
belt. but there will be financial loss
Tor the farm as a whole II another and
Feady-money crop 10 unduly restricted
IN area, This is beyond question the
situation as regards oats, and the best
agricultural practice ia that which
produces crops in proportion to the de-
mand that exists for them. The pres
acreage of oats Is too small in
proportion to the relative demand that
exists and prices that obtain for the
staple crops Of the central west. and
good practice suggests a slight change
In the general rotation practiced such
as Will give oats a relatively larger
area In h annual crop distribution.
The evidence to support this position
Is ready at hand and of a character
the average farmer can verify
from local experience. For four years
past the pats acreage has been prac-
tlcaliy uniform. more SO than in the
case Of any other staple crop, and with
the single exception Of the heavy Weld
Of 1909 the crop has been fairly uniform
IN Size. That 1t 10 not large enough 10
1ully meet requirements Of
ton Is shown by the heavily Decreasing
Export trade which dropped from ~
600, 600 bushels in 1893 to 5000. 900 h,sh-
els In 1909. and by the marked tncreaee
IN the average selling price Of oats in
our domestic markets.
Al the Chicago market the average