The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-06-09

Washington, d. c., June 6.-Sta-
tistics relative to the leading crops
for the state of Minnesota collected
at the thirteenth decennal census,
April IS, 1910, are contained in an
official statement issued today by
Acting Census Director Falkner. 1t
is based on tabular summaries pre-
pared under the direction of DR.. lie
Grand Powers, chief statistican for
agriculture, in the bureau of the
census. The figures are preliminary
and subject to slight revision later,
when few other farms, whose re-
turns are now incomplete, are in
cluded in the final tables. 1t is
not expected that these additions
will materially modify the amounts
or rates given in the present state
ment.
The leading crops in 1909, ranked
in the order of valuation, were:
Wheat, $56,OO9,OO0; oats, $34,O2O,OOO;
corn, $3O,451 900; hay and forage,
$26,724,O0O; barley, $17,215,O0O; po-
tatoes, $7,7O7,OOO; faxseed, $4,S61,-
600; and rye, $2,6SOOOO.
Great Falling Off in Wheat.
From 6,560,707 acres in 1899 the
wheat acreage fell off in 1909 to
3,277,039 acres, a decrease of so
per cent. Prior to 1909 each CEN
sus showed an increase. In 1879
the wheat acreage was 3,044,670
and in 1889, 3,372,627 Hence at the
present time the wheat acreage is
less than it was twenty years ago
and but slightly more than it was
an acreage larger than that of all
other cereals combined, while in
1909 it exceeded the acreage in oats
by less than 10 per cent. The yield
of wheat per acre was reported at
seventeen bushels, the value per
acre $1710.
From 1899 to 1909 the acreage in
oats increased from 2,201,325 acres
to 2,977,264, or 1872 per cent. Dur
ing the preceding decade the in
1879 the increase in acreage has
been constant. From 617,469 acres
in that year it rose to 1,579,258 in
1889 and again to 2,201, 1926 in 1899.
The aggregate yield in 1909 was 3d.
SS5, 164 bushels; the average yield
per acre, 80 bushels; the average
value per acre, $11.40.
Increase in Acreage of Corn.
From 1899 to 1909 the acreage of
corn increased from 1,441,580 acres
to 2,O04,107, or 80 per cent, as COM
pared to an increase of 59.9 per cent
during the ten years preceding.
Corn acreage has increased steadily
but not so rapidly as that of oats.
vanced to 9O1 500 in 1889, and then
to 1,441 $50 in 1899 The total yield
in 1909 was 67,777,912 bushels; the
average yield per acre, "a bushels;
the average value per acre, $15.20.
The acreage devoted to hay and
forage in 1909 was 3,944,422. 1t has
been constantly increasing. With
1 ,C53,37S acres in 1879, it rose to
2,7O9,191 in 1889 and 3,157,69O in
1899. The increase since 1899 has
been 24.9 per cent. The total yield
in 1909 was 6,O41,S8 tons; the av-
erage yield per acre, Is tons; the
average value per acre, $3.50.
Important Gain in Barley.
From 1899 to 1909 the acreage In
barley increased from 277,845 acres
to 1,573,S36, or 1913 per cent. Since
1879, when 116,O20 acres were har-
vested, this crop has multiplied
more than thirteen fold. In 1889
there were 3S5,51O acres in barley
and in 1899, S77,S45, the increase in
the last ten years being most con-
spicuous During the decade pre-
ceding 1899 barley increased 144.9
per cent The total yield in 1909
was 34,92S,545 bushels; the average
value per acre, $1,000.
From 1899 to 1909 potatoes in
creased in acreage from 1869 to
23O713 acres, or 57.3 per cent. The
total yield in 1909 was 26,S03, las
bushels; the average yield per acre,
116 bushels; the average value per
acre, $33.4O.
FIaxseed Shows Falling Off.
From 1899 to 1909 the acreage of
fiaxseed decreased from 566,S01 acres
to 35S,565, or 36.7 per cent The
total yield in 1909 was 3,27S,006
bushels; the average yield per acre,
acre $3.50.