Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-08-20
ALL RECORDS broken
BY HARVEST FOR 1903
Three Bumper Crops Gathered at
Once, Government Report
Reveals.
ERA OF PROSPERITY SURE.
High Prices for Grain Will Bring
Farmers Huge Sum, Aiding
Trade in General.

More grain than ever before grew
to maturity in a single YER in the
United States already has been har-
vested or is rapidly approaching ma.
turity. according to the government
official crop report for August.
Never, but once, has there been
more wheat; never before has there
been so much corn or so much oats.
And never before have three bumper
crops come together in the same year.
Never in history has such a huge
task confronted the railroads as the
moving of this stupendous harvest to
market, and never have the railroads
been so prepared for their work.
Along the lines of the principal roads
in the great grain producing States
stand miles and miles of empty box
cars, ready for the loading. while
thousands of engines, new or over.
hauled during the period Of depression
Just drawing to a close, stand, with
steam up, ready to rush them to Chi
cago Minneapolis and other terminal
cities, where the almost empty eleva-
tors yawn for the golden grain, and
boats and cars are ready to carry the
surplus to other and less-favored ma.
lions which must look to bountiful
America for a large portion of their
food supply.
Figures Given on Crops.
The years record crops of grain as
shown in the government report are
as follows:
Indicated yield. Previous record.
Wheat ..... 724,233, 900 74S,46o,OO0
Corn .....2,943,162,O00 2,92z,4l6,000
oats ....... 99S,59S,O0O 9S7,S43,ooo
To add JOY to the farmer, prices
are high and bid fair to remain so.
Usually the farmer gets high prices
only in years of scarcity, while, IN
many instances, prices in bounteous
years have been so low as to make
il improbable to market the crops.
On not a few occasions in the last
twenty years have wheat and corn
been used for fuel. Last year was
a lean year, but in spite of this wheat
prices are now above last years level,
while corn and oats values are high
enough to make their marketing profit
able. ....I,. ~ Tzs
'"-~ HNEtJ
Era of Prosperity Sure.
These figures show that the farmer
will have an enormous amount OF
money to spend this winter. His
prosperity will be reflected in manu-
featuring lines, because the pianos,
automobiles and other luxuries the
farmer will now find himself able to
buy will have to be made in factories.
The railroads will receive a double
profit. because they will not only have
to move the crops to market, but the
said pianos and automobiles from the
cities to the farmers. Consequently
the great crop outlook makes it APP
peal that the country is in for an
era of prosperity such as it never saw
before.
The government figures, especially
on winter wheat, were a surprise even
to the most optimistic. Thrashing re-
turns indicate an average yield for
the country of 15.5 bushels to the acre,
or a total of 49, 600. 900 bushels, where
as a month ago only 397,O00,O 900 was
looked for. Last years yield of win
ter wheat was 437, 1000 900 bushels. 1t
is in the great States of the North
west, however, hat prosperity is most
bountiful. !.