The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-08-08
HOW SOUTH DAKOTA
SURPRISES Nebraska
MORE RAINEAIL HAS PLACED
SOUTH DAKOTA In MORE
ADVANTAGEOUS POSI-
TION ON CROP SIT
UATION.

TION ON CROP SIT
There is much difference in the
crop situation in South Dakota and
thai in Nebraska, with the better
prevailing in this state. A week spent
IN the southern part of Nebraska
gave {. w. Downey, an opportunity
to see what the N%ebraskans were do
ing in the harvest fields.
Il travelled more than 200 miles
west of the east state line" said Mr..
Downey, and we'll to the southern
tier of counties, in which it is claim
ed some of the best crops of the state
+ produced. There was sufficient
evidence of a long dry spell in that
section and the winter wheat crop
had to be cut without a good rain to
finish Off the crops, and the farmers
were fearful of a shortage in the
crop. The farmers agreed generally
that if they secured an average of
is bushels they would be we'll sat
isfied. Some of the farmers had al
ready threshed their winter wheat
before | left and the average vas
running about as they hoped for. The
lI I " Nlictl DIT Uilt DpSliilillS vi INC
threshing season was a little over so
cents, but it commenced to drop until
a week after the threshing began it
had gone down to IS cents. They
could hardly believe it possible that
much better prices prevailed in this
state for spring wheat, and when |
showed them the quotations in The
Republican, what the farmers were
l.naniNiho t,iphf hnrn i'm Mitnbn1l {hny
We're astonished that South Dakota
was so favored with such a fine
market price, and for spring wheat
at that.
Not only does South Dakota sur
pass Nebraska in the Wheat crop, but
we are far ahead of the state on the
corn situation. AS ] travelled through
the state, saw but one or two fields
Of corn that approached the fine sit
uation in this state, and on the last
day | was in the state OF Nebraska
! saw some six of eight farmers who
were still blowing corn-evidently
some that had been %replanted. But in
a general way corn did not stand so
high, but it was taSseled out. In all
that section of the state the farmers
We're wishing for rain to make their
corn, and they felt that unless they
got it in a very short time their
corr would be injured and the crop
would be cut short. | was asked re-
peatedly if South Dakota was much
of a corn state, and when | old them
that Nebraska had nothing on this
state in the corn situation, and that
in fact our corn stood far ahead OF
their own, they believed / was hand
ing them hot air. However, when |
told them that i'll the section of
South Dakota east of the Missouri
river that We have had nearly five
inches of rainfall since the fourth OF
July, they could realize that our corn
crop ought to be good. That five inch.
es of rainfall looked mighty good tc
the Nebraska farmers and those with
whom ] talked said they would BIZ
glad to have had half of that amount
South Dakota farmers have little
or no ground for complaint this yeal
on tho crop situation" said Mr.. Dow
ney, Judging by the conditions
which we're found in Nebraska-ant
that is some grain-producing state
as a general proposition. AS an indi
cation OF the shortage of rain past
ures were absolutely bare from
Omaha west to Lincoln and thc1
farther to within a few miles Of the
state line. There was hardly one
cient grass to pasture five head o
cient grass to parture five head o
stock, hut they were turned out il
larger numbers than that, and it wa
mighty poor picking for the animals
The soil in Nebraska is said to b.
so loose that cattle and horses will
pull the grass out by the roots, which
accounts for so many bare spots o
ground in the pastures. There is
wonderful contrast in the ~pastureag
question in this state and Nebraska
Here, with the great amount of rain
fall the pastures are thick with tn
richest and most nutritious grass j
the world, and the hay crop this sea
son will rival that of nearly any othe
year. The great products of the sol
will be displayed in all their grand
} ure at the Corn Palace, in Mitchell
{ Sept. 23-2S."