Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-09-13
Wheat Belt Prosperity.
FARMERS HOPEFUL-CROP CONDITIONS
NOT JUsTIFYING VIOLENT ADVANCE
IN PRICES.

appears wholly unjustified by the con-
ditions prevailing in the wheat belt of
the Northwest. The weather has been
all that could be desired for ten days,
and harvesting is now in progress as
far north as the northern boundary OF
North Dakota. In Southern Minnesota
wheat has been cut, and is now in the
shock or in the stack. Thrashing re-
turns, as far as they have been received
from this section, are good. Speaking
generally of the three states, Minnesota
and the Dakotas, wheat that is not al
ready cut is now in the dough, and thus
in a measure out of harms way from
rust. In few places in North Dakota
wheat is two weeks late, and will not be
ready to cut until September 10.
The damage to wheat, while being
exaggerated, has created an impression
in the east that the Northwest is on the
verge of "hard times" period. Moth
ing, however, could be further from the
truth. The yield of wheat in Minnesota
and the Dakotas will be larger than that
of 1908, when 173,OOO,000 bushels were
harvested, and the yield Of all other
small grain will exceed that of last year
by at least 25 per cent. The farmers OF
the Northwest have prospered cOntin-
uously, and year after year they are ac-
quiring more land-perhaps more than
they should have to cultivate properly.
A large percentage of these land acqui-
sitions is for speculation. Land values
have advanced very rapidly with the
heavy influx of new settlers, and the
rise in value has made many farmer
wealthy. Farmers consider these lands
a good investment. The prosperity of
the Northwest farmers is largely due to
the diversity of their crops. They do
not now rely on wheat alone, as in former
years, but engage in stock raising, dairy
ing, fruit and chickens, potatoes and
root crops. 1t is said that outside OF
North Dakota the farmers could lose
their entire wheat crop and yet suffer
little inconvenience and no hardships.
SIGNS OF PROSPERITY.
Country merchants are ordering ex-
tensiyely from the st. Paul and Mime
apolis jobbers, and the latter's agents
are reporting good general trade every
where. Oliver Dalrymple, one of the
bonanza wheat growers of North Dakota,
who cultivates ten thousand acres, in
speaking of the damage to wheat, said:
at is a grand opportunity for wheat
gamblers, but is of no moment to the
Northwest. Suppose the loss of wheat
in three states is 10 per cent over last
year-and think that is high estimate
there is an increased acreage of Is to
20 per cent. The damage to wheat is
nothing to the Northwest as whole,
though few individuals may suffer-"
OUTLOOK FOR OTHER CROPS.
Flax, barley and other crops are large,
and, with the additional acreage of
wheat and small grains raised in North
ern Wisconsin, which has heretofore
been considered too insignificant to
figure in the Northwest grain yield, and
which will amount this year to twenty
million bushels, will not only make up
for any shortage in wheat, but increase
the value of the cereal products by
several million dollars. There need be
no alarm over the Northwest, its farm
ers or its business men. There will be
some Northwest wheat for export this
fall, but most of it will 60 as flour. The
largest -four mills in the world, located
here, have capacity of 100000 barrels
of -four weekly, and fully 25 per cent of
this is sent abroad, to Europe and the
Orient.
The wheat crops of Montana, Idaho,
Oregon and Washington are larger than
ever this year, but up to the present
time this crop has been consumed on
the Pacific Coast, the rates on flour
from Minneapolis to the Orient being
less than from the far Western States.
The settlement and cultivation of new
lands in the Northwest during the last
five years have been greater than in any
previous ten years of the country's his
tory, and there is yet available for i'm.
mediate occupation millions OF acres OF
land, which of necessity must be devot-
ed to small grain for at least quarter
of century. As to the home consump-
ton outstripping the production, the
reverse is true. Next seasons acreage
of small grain should exceed this years
acreage by 25 to 40 per cent. The great
est increase will be found in the Dakotas,
where the ranges of the wild cattle rails
ers are being occupied by hOmesteaders.
One noticeable feature Of the North
west is the spontaneous growth OF VII
lagos along the new extensions of rail
roads. Many of these-perhaps half a
hundred-are not on any map, and their
| Importance is known only to the rail-
roads, the farm machinery manufacturer
and the lumber dealer. Manitoba and
the British Northwest territories must
be counted in when considering the
wheat yield. for this country is raising
twenty-five million more bushels OF
wheat than it can consume, and is be-
coming factor in the export of this
grain. Through an arrangement be-
tween the United States and Canadian
governments, much Manitoba wheat is
shipped in bond to the big mills of
Minnesota, to be ground into flour, and
sent forward to Great Britain.-New
York Tribune.