The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-09-06
Government Issues Interesting
Bulletin on Important Ques.
tion to Farmers
WHEAT YIELDS N MANY
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES LlRGER
The Yields of Many of the Wheat
Growing States From 1867 to 1902
Averaged-SOme of the Reasons for
the Improved Yields.

Washington, Sept. 6.-Soils Of the
United States are not wearing out
and the crop yields are rather in
creasiing than decreasing. These
facts are demonstrated in a bulletin
shortly to be issued by the bureau Of
soils of the agricultural department
prepared by Prof. Milton Whitney,
chief of the bureau. The bulletin
deals eXhaustively with the Yields of
crops from 1867 to 1906 inclusive.
"A careful study of the data which
mas been presented appears to justify
two conclusions says Prof. Whitney.
"First-That the productivity of the
nearer agricultural soils of the Unit
ed States and of the older agricultural
soils of Europe. taken as whole
and for the nation, are not declining,
as 1t popularity supposed. Individual
farming deteriorates and soils wear
out. as they have always done, but as
whole it seems probable that we
are producing more crops per acre
than formerly. This is undoubtedly
due to many factors; to better and
more intelligent cultivation, more and
better systems of rotations yf crops
and in later years to the Intelligent
use of fertilizers through measures Of
control in the hands of every individ-
ual farmer. In addition we must
recognize the increase in farm ami
mails and stock, the Improvement in
seed by selection and breeding, and
increased intensity of population,
which is forcing attention to more In
tensive methods.
"Second-That SO far as our fn-
formation goes there is apparently no
significant difference at the present
time. between the composition of the
old agricultural soils of Europe and
the newer agricultural soils of the
United States with respect to potash.
phsophoric acid, lime and magnesia."
The bulletin shows and increase in
all cereal crops throughout the Unit
ed States for the past three or four
decades. The wheat yield per acre
In Russia from 1883 to 1905, accord
ing to the bulletin varied several
bushels per acre. In the latter year
it was 9.4 bushels.
In Ireland the yield of wheat per
acre in 1883 was 25.5 bushels and in
every year up to 1906 there was a
constant increase, when it reached the
yield of 34.S bushels per acre.
In Great Britain the yield of wheat
in 1884 was 30.9 bushels per acre, and
there was a slight variation of in
crease up to 1906, which brought the
yield to 34.7 bushels.
The wheat yield of Germany was
1872 bushels in 1883. with a gradual
increase to 1906. bringing the yield
then to 3O.3 bushels.
The bulletin gives the following
averages by states for the production
of wheat per acre from 1866 to 1907:
Vermont, 1s.5 bushels; Maine, 1855
New York, 15.7; New Jersey, l4.5:
Michigan, 14.5; Pennsylvania, 14.5;
Ohio, 141; Kansas, 1879; Wisconsin,
1877; Minnesota, 1876; Maryland, 1873;
Illinois. 1872; Nebraska, 131; Indiana.
13.1: Delaware. 1871; California, 129;
Iowa. 1914; Missouri, 1872; Texas,
Ills; West Virginia, 10.6; Montana.
1o.5; Virginia, 81; Arkansas, So;
Tennessee, 80; Mississippi. 81; Ala.
bama. rs; Georgia. IL; North Caro-.
lima; 60; South Carolina. &C.