The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-11-05
BY Hon. R. S. vessey, Governor, and
A. E. Chamberlain, Superintendent

BY Hon. R. S. Vessey, Governor, and
A. E. Chamberlain, Superintendent
Farmers Institutes.
In this age when the mad race for
wealth 50 largely engages the atten-
tion of the American people; when
such large proportion Of our people
for the past half a century have been
flocking to the cities; when the free
lands of Uncle Sam have been almost
entirely occupied; when labor is high
priced and the necessaries of life
equally expensive; when so many OF
our people are looking for place in
which to make homes, the question
of where to locate to the best advan-
tage from the standpoints of accumu-
lation of property, healthful climate,
religious organizations, educational
facilities, and conveniences of trans
portation have become important
questions. South Dakota occpies a
unique position in the column of
states from each and all of these
standpoints.
PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY.
For the past eleven years the peo-
pie of South Dakota have each year
without an exception produced more
wealth per capita than the people of
any other state in the union. Some
idea of her rapid development along
these lines and the uniform increase
in products may be gained from
the following figures, all taken from
the government reports except as to
the crop of 1909 which is estimated
according to the best Of our Judgment
from observation of conditions all
over the state. South Dakota pro-
duced bushels of corn as follows:
In 1900, 32,4l8,o 900 bu. worth SO, 4O1, 900
In 1903, 1925, 600 l4,556,ooo
In 1906, 62,Sl2,O0O " 18,215,0oO
In 1908, 57,o77,ooo " 2S,s3s,oo
This year the state has by far
the greatest corn crop it has ever
grown and the yield will reach close
to 10 OOC, 900 bushels. The acreage is
larger, the stand better and the yield
per acre will be preater than ever be-
fore in our history.
OF wheat, the state produced:
1900, 20, 149, 600 bu. worth 81, ,6e6,0OO
1903, a, ,232, 900 29,296,0 900
1906, Al, ,955,ooo I" 25,5e2,ooo
1908, 37,862, 900 (" 34,833,0o0
The crop Of wheat this year will
aggregate somewhat larger than that
of last year, we should say in the
neighborhood of 100000 bushels
worth about s3S, 100000.
OF oats, we produced:
1900, 1868, 900 bu. worth 9 3,o26,ooo
1903, SO, ,426, 900 !" 16,O45,0OO
1905, 4e, ,4lo,o {" 11,6o3,ooo
1908, 1885, 900 +" g 12,872,OO0
1907 and 1908 were not good seasons
for oats in this state. Extreme hot
weather during the period when the
crop was filling cut the yield severely
The crop of 1909 will, we should
say, amount to in the neighborhoo6
of 4O, ,OOO, 600. Hot weather this veal
affected the oats somewhat detriment
ally, but not as seriously as during
the past two years.
OF barley we produced:
1900, 1,542,ooo bu. worth 10000
1903, O,6O8, 600 $4,000
1905, 22,910, 900 6 :" 1881, 900
1908, "a, ,562, 600 :" 1858, 600
The barley yield of 1909 will not b.
quite as high as in 1908 owing to sew
eral reasons, principally excessiy,
moisture at the critical period in th'
life Of the plant.
OF potatoes, we produced:
1900, 4,o3oOOo bu. worth 81, ,45l, 900
1903, 2,s36,O /" 6 l,5S8,OOO
1906 3,542,O00 /" /" 1925, 900
1908, 4,O5O,0oO Z" 2,066, 600
The potato crop of 1909 will b
somewhat larger than Of 1908.
There is particularly good oppol
tunity in this state for the extensiv
cultivation and growing of potatoes
Z: Every year the state is secured by bu,
ers from the southern markets fc
POTATOES for southern seed. Farmer
growing distinct varieties of potatot
"a in this state can sell them for hige
price per bushel for southern see
purposes than can the farmers Of til
Central states procure for their pot
toes for any purpose. There is I
better field for grower of potato'
than South Dakota.
Of fax, we produced:
1ooo 452, 900 bu. worth s2,442,O
1901 eO5, 900 /" 3,l24,0O
100 979, eco \" 8, $40, 90
eS 600 z " 1908, 90