Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-06-16
SOUTH DAKOTA'S
CROP STATISTICS
MOST GRAINS SHOW INCREASE
DECREASE IN WHEAT.
Preliminary Statement of Thirteenth
Census Results Issued by the
Census Bureau.

Statistics relative to the leading crops
for the state of South Dakota collect
ed at the Thirteenth Decennial Cen
sus, April Is, 1910, are contained in an
official statement issued to day by
Acting Census Director Faulkner. 1T
Is based on tabular summaries pre-
pared under the direction Of DR.. LIE
Grand Powers, chief statistician for
agriculture in the bureau of the cen
sus. The figures are preliminary and
subject to slight revision later, when
a few other farms, whose returns, now
incomplete, will be included in the
final tables. 1t is not expected that
these additions will materially modify
the amounts or rates given in the pres
emit statement.
The leading crops in 1909, ranked
in the order of valuation, were:
Wheat, $42,SS1 900; corn, $26,3S5,OOO;
oats, SIG, 03S, 900; hay and forage, $15,-
94O, 900; barley, $10,S70,0O0; flaxseed,
b6,993, 900; emmer and spelt, $685.
700; potatoes, 1887, 900.
Decrease in Wheat.
From 3,9S4,6 59 acres in 1899 the
wheat acreage fell off in 1909 to 81
1o4,622 acres, a decrease OF 22.l per
cent. The preceding census showed
an increase; the acreage being in 1889,
2,259,S4 acres. Although wheat de-
creased in acreage during the past
decade, the aggregate yield increased
for the same period from 41,SS9,3SO
bushels in 1899 to 45,2S9,S1S bushels
in 1909. The yield of wheat per acre
was reported as Is bushels; the value
per acre, $3.50.
Corn Makes Big Increase.
From 1899 to 1909 the acreage of
corn increased from 1,196,3S1 acres to
1,975,55s, or 65.1 per cent. Notwith'
standing the enormous gain by oats
during the last decade corn has re.
tanned it's position among the cereals,
ranking second in acreage and first in
production. The acreage in 1888 was
1853, The total yield for 1909 was
b3,612,093 bushels, a lead over Its
nearest competitor in production,
wheat, of more than 100000 bushels
The average yield per acre was q
bushels; the average value per acre
1895.
Immense Increase in Oats.
From 1899 to 1909 the acreage in
oats increased from 691,167 acres tc
1,48O, OTIS, or 114.1 per cent. During
the past 10 years oats have more than
doubled their acreage and are now
pressing close upon corn for secono
place among the cereals. The acreage
in 1889 was 5SO,2S9 acres. The aggre
gate yield in 1909 was 41,255,569 bush
els; the average yield per acre, Is
bushels; the average value per acre
$1,000.
Great Gain in Hay and Forage.
The acreage devoted to hay ant
forage in 1909 was 3~,429,527 acres. II
has beer constantly increasing. With
1,554,s13 acres in 1889, it rose to 2,2S7,
S75 in 1899, and again to 1929, 521
in 1909. The increase since 1899 has
been 1919 per cent. The acreage ir
1889 was ~1,554,913 acres. The tota
yield in 1909 was 3,649,577 tons, the
average yield per acre LOG tons, and
the average value per acre $4.40.
Barley Triples Its Acreage.
From 1899 to 1909 the acreage in
barley increased from 299,5l0 acres tc
LOST, 533, or 1881 per cent. Since
1889, when 1890 acres were harvest
ed, this crop has multiplied more than
tenfold. The increase in the decade
from 1889 to 1899 was notable, but
hat for the last 10 years has been
even more remarkable. The total
yield in 1909 was 20,325,4 9S bushels
the average yield per acre 10 bushels
the average value per acre $10.25.
FIaxseed Shows Increase.
The area devoted to fiaxseed in 1905
was 5O7,2S6 acres, as compared to 3O2,
O10 acres in 1899, an increase of 6s
per cent. The acreage in 1889 was
354,s51. The total yield in 1909 was a,
649, 237 bushels, a gain of over 2,000,0 0(
bushels. The average yield per acre
was 9 bushels, and the average value
per acre $3.50.
Emmer and Spelt.
In 1909 there were devoted to tue
cultivation of emmer n spelt 259,
674 acres, yielding 6,095,6S3 bushels
valued at s2,626,oO0. The average
Weld per acre was 23 bushels, and the
average value s10.10. The census blu
rea has no reports of emmer and spell
for previous decades.
Potatoes Increase.
From 1899 to 1909 potatoes in
creased in acreage from 1856 acres
to sc, 1903, or 1915 per cent. The tota
WELD in 1909 was 3,439,6S6 bushels, the
Matter of Degrees.
r. trJo r,oe n hooho1or of rte h11'