Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-12-16

reaO OF the census. II covers All kluOS
Of wheat combined-winter wheat,
spring wheat. and durum or macar-
oni wheat.
The statistics presented cover acre
age, production. and value for the crop
year 1909 as compared with 1899. In
making comparisons between the two
censuses the data for acreage are the
most significant, as changes in the area
planted to given crop are due large
| ly to broad, economic tendencies which
are fairly well indicated by returns
Of one year out Of ten. The production.
however, fluctuates from year to year
in accordance with current conditions
of rainfall, temperature. ETC., SO that
com parison between one decernial year
and another may not show the true
general tendencies. Such temporary
annual fluctuations in production also
affect current prices, and consequently
the aggregate value Of the crop for any
given year. OF course there may be
broad tendencies with respect to aver
age yield per acre and with respect to
values in addition to such temporary
| fluctuations, but such tendencies can
not be adequately indicated by statts-
tics taken at such long intervals.
| General Summary for United States.
The area of wheat harvested de-
creased from 52.5s9,000 acres in 1899
to 44.2s1 900 acres in 1909. a decrease
of s,32s,000 acres, or 1873 per cent.
Notwithstanding this decrease in acre
age there was a slight increase In pro-
! duction, which rose from 658,534, 900
bushels in 1899 to 3.350.000 bushels
| in 1909, an increase Of about 25.0OO.-
! 900 bushels, or 3.8 per cent. The aver
age production per acre. doubtless In
part by reason Of temporary weather
conditions. rose from 12.5 bushels to
1874 bushels. On the other hand. the
value OF the wheat crop increased
enormously. from s3s9.s45,000 70 $751;
$685. 900 an increase of nearly 1888 .000,-
00O or 77.s per cent. The average val
ue Of wheat per bushel thus increased
| from Sc cents to SO cents, or about II
per cent.
The land in wheat decreased from
IS. 430. 900 acres in 1879 to 33.5sO.oOO
acres in 1889. followed by an increase
to 52.s59.o00 acres in 1899. and
again decrease TO 44.261,0O0
acres in 1909. The acreage in
1909 was thus only one-fourth great
er than In 1879. altho the population
(1910 as compared with 1880 increased
over 80 per cent during these thirty
years. The production Of wheat In
1879 was 45s.4ss,ooo bushels. as COM
pared with ss3.35o,ooo bushels in 1909
Distribution Of Acreage.
OF the total Of 44,2e1,oo3 acres In
wheat in 1909, the two north central
divisions contained nearly three
fourths. 7.o3s.o25 acres lying in the
eastern section and 25,s62,746 acres Coz
4 30 $hn TOT fop the
United states) lying in the western
section. little over one-tenth OF the
area planted in wheat was found in the
mountain and Pacific divisions. the
states in the mountain division having
l.2s4,92o acres, and those In the Paci-
nc division having 3.359.419 acres. The
two south central divisions together
contained 2,s71, 800 acres, and the soutf
Atlantic 2,241,345 acres, while the New
J England and the middle Atlantic dt.
visions together contained 1,603.21t
lacres.
Changes in Wheat Averages.
With the exception OF the ives
north central and mountain divisions
there were large decreases In the acre
age OF wheat in all the geographical
divisions during the decade. In tn
west north central division the land II
wheat rose from 25.0s5,000 acres to rs.
SEA, 900 acres. or only 81 per cent. larg'
increases In the wheat acreage II
J North Dakota and Kansas being prac
, ticaliy Offset by large decreases in tn
acreage in Minnesota. Iowa, and. Soutl
Dakota.
In the mountain division the are
harvested rose from 942,S5S acres I
1.2s4.920 acres, an increase Of 342,06
acres, or 3e.3 per cent. Large increase
} in acreage were found in Montana an
, Idaho.
} In the east north central division tn
; area In wheat decreased from 90
!, acres in 1899 to 1905, 900 acres In 100!
q decrsase Of nearly 100000 acres, q
1924 per cent-the largest absolute de
crease IN any OF the divisions. TIL
south Atlantic. east south central. ives
. south central. and Pacific division
each suffered a loss Of considerabl
= over 100000 acres, the percentage 9
. decrease ranging from 27.7 in the Pa
|. cifc division to So in the east sout
4 central. There was also decrease 9
!. $4,000 acres in New England and tn
> middle Atlantic divisions combined.
Production BY Divisions.
!. or the total production Of wheat
s 1909. ss3.s4s, sS7 bushels. the west mort
central division contributed consider
. ably over one half, and. together wit
the east north central division. Pre-
Q duced sos, 1850 bushels. or nearl
. three ourths Of the crop Of the Uni
= ed States.
: AS in the case Of acreage, the wei
north central and the mountain divi,
lions are the only ones in which II
1. wheat production Increased durir
4. 1.-THE decade, the west north central d
"a ivision showing an increase OF 77,447.0'
=. bushels. or 2t3 per cent, and the mour
h tain. division an increase of ii.66i. ~
IS. bushels, .sor SIS per cent. The ca
- north central division. altho It contr
- buted about one-sixth OF the produ'