Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-12-23
lead.
SOUTH DAKOTA REMAINS THE
REMNANT BEARER IN PEA u
CAPITA WEALTH
GOOD SHOWING FOR YEAR
The State Statistician Reviews States
Products For Present Year
and Declares Showing
is Very Good

.. 8 4 Dodut ItOUlI1SUu, OIL LQe
state department of history, issuing
his tenth annual review of the pro-
gress of South Dakota, says:
Perhaps the most striking feature
Of the year 1910 in South Dakota was
The rather unusual weather conditions.
h veal opened with moderately cold
weather with considerable snow and
these conditions continued until the
latter part of February, when the snow
disappeared and glorious summer
weather came on and continued for
more than SO days. Most of the seed
ing was done; ground prepared for
planting corn; many gardens were
planted, grass started, and the trees
burst into full leaf more than a month
before h usual season and fruit trees
were loaded with bloom when, on the
18th of April, a hard storm came with
hard freezing quite destroying the
fruit and foliage. but not otherwise
affecting crops. The season continued
e%rratic, many a%ttributing the unusual
b conditions to the influence of Halley's
comet which was visable during the
spring.
"The rainfall during the growing
months was much below the average
and came generally in local shove S
in a way that would afford an abun-
dance to one neighborhood while ad-
iacent territory suffered from dronth.
The utmost apprehension was felt for
the welfare of the crops and it was
before the harvest thought that on.y
a partial crop could be secured, and
while this proved true in many local
tiles, as a whole the state produced
a fair return. though of course, not
up to the average of a series of years.
"The cratic weather conditions and
drouth areas CAV splendid opportuni-
ties for testing the efficiency of dry
farming methods and without e1-ep-
ton where these scientific methods
were pursued early enough to find a
sufficient supply of moisture, In the
soil, the methods conserved this mols-
ture and made a good crop.
prices have varied a good deal
since last year, wheat upon the aver
age about the same, corn and oats
very much lower and flax, hay and
potatoes much higher. as are dairy
products and eggs.
"The fruit crop of all sorts is pref
ty nearly a failure, due to the hard
freeze in April. Potatoes are a ve'y
short crop this year everywhere in
the state in some portions being quite
a failure. Is
ut is likely that the total produc-
ton of dairy products is less than for
several years. though it is difficult to
obtain entirely reliable figures. TIE
prices, however. have advanced and
the revenue therefrom is somewhat
increased. The egg crop Is bigger
than, ever before and returns more
cash.. g;E 5ne7 istlf- ~
II use the estimates of the Nation,
al Association of Wool manufactu~ ers
upon the wool crop of the state. Their
figures are somewhat larger than the
number OF sheep reported in the as
sessment would seem to justify, but
the wool is reported to be actually
shipped from here. The explanation
is that perhaps a good many sheep on
the ranges escape the assessor.
THE hay crop is perhaps one-third
below the average in volume, but the
values is not materially affected. In
comparing the hay estimates OF this
department with those Of the agricul-
tural department CT the government.
remember the government does not
take account OF our very valuable crop
of wild hay.
"The total products Of the soil OF
South Dakota for 1910 are estimated