Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1907-08-01
State News Of Interest
PREDICTS FINE CROP.
Prof. Shaw Pleased With Outlook in
North Dakota.

Prot. Shaw Pleased With outlook in
North Dakota.
Prof. Thomas Shaw of ST. Paul, the
veteran crop expert, has recently COM
pleted an extended tour Of North na-
kota, ON which he had exceptional op-
portunities for noting crop conditions.
With practical eye and with accur'
ate knowledge of the crops of previous
years to serve for comparison, Prof.
Shaw has condemned his observations
into the following letter:
Several weeks were spent by the
writer in North Dakota while engaged
in institute work. The meetings which
have closed but recently involved
travelling some $500 miles within the
state, and, therefore, afforded an en-
cellent opportunity for looking into
matters pertaining to the agriculture
of the state. In some localities the
crops are very good; in fact, about as
good as can be desired. while in other
areas the opposite is true, and those
areas may not be far from one an
other. The difference may be caused
in part by difference in the charac-
ter Of the land, but it l.; caused more
by difference in the way in which it
has been titled These apparent Diff
ferences probably account for the diff
ferent and conflicting reports that
have appeared in the press during
recent weeks about the Dakota crops.
ION the supposition that the wealth
er is favorable from now on. 1t is prob
able that North Dakota will have a
wheat crop not greatly below the av-
erage. 1t certainly will not he bump
er crop under any conditions. Should
the weather turn adverse. 1t would, of
course fall considerably below the
average. The chief hazard to the
crop Is its lateness, and the chief in
jury that it has sustained Is from the
abnormally cold weather which linger-
ed SO many weeks beyond the usual
time.
THE first weeks of the cold wealth.
er were not unfavorable to the growth
Of the wheat, but the cold continued
SO long that the weeds were given a
start that they otherwise would not
have had. Weeds can fight the bat
tie OF privation better than wheat
But harm resulted also by keeping
growth back so long that when the
ear began to shoot. the plants were
not the usual height. This means an
ear in many instances less than the
average in length. Notwithstanding,
the outlook is by no means discourag.
ing.
THE leaf blight that has appeared
IN the oat crop in many parts of Min.
nesota and that will no doubt materi
ally lessen the yield, is present in a
far less degree in North Dakota, and
the barley crop in the latter state
looks we'll! Barley being sown SO
much later than the wheat, was not
held back so much relatively as the
former, hence the promise is that it
will be full crop.
THE fax crop in that state prom
ises to be bumper crop at the pres.
ent time. The area sown is very
large. The crop was put in under ia
vorable conditions. Some of it is
late. but unless the weather is ad
verse, North Dakota should have one
of the best crops of fax ever harvest
ed there.
THE outlook on the whole, there
lore, at the present time is not dis
couraging. OF course, adverse weather
could make great shrinkage in the
wheat Yields, but 1t is hoped that such
weather will not come"