The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-01-06
1912 Was a Prosperous
Year For North Dakota

Prosperity on every side is portray
cd by w. G. Gilbrcath. commissioner
OF agriculture and labor in an article
on North Dakota which appears in the
present issue of the Dakota Farmer.
The article follows:
Beyond question the Wear 1912 has
been the most prosperous from every
viewpoint i'll North Dakota since the
first days OF territorial organization.
Whether considered from the stand-
point OF acreage of crops. yields per
acre, growth of diversified farming
such as dairying and other industries
closely allied to the cultivation of the
soil. the Il just closed has furnish
cd the most conclusive and incontrov-
ertihle proofs Of the fertility OF our
soil. the %hounteous productivity of ma
turc and the enterprise OF our people.
ScVcntA-two i'cr Cent are Farmers.
BASED upon the figures gathered in
the 1910 federal census there appears
to be 100 per cent of u population
actually inhahiting the country out
side of II Incorporated place and
actually engaged in the cultivation of
the soil. This. without doubt. estah-
fishes North Dakota as the most pure
lN agricultural STATE i'll the union. and
ii is therefore hut natural that. in con-
sidcrins tho material progress of the
ear. greater prominence should be
given TO The products of the soil than
10 the relatively smaller manufacture
ing activities OF the towns and cities.
Wheat.
Following the somewhat neagcr
crop Years of 1910 and 1911. the en-
pected Sllrinkage of wheat acreage.
which had heen predicted. occurred,
Il net TO the extent anticipated by
ON OF the crop Experts as the total
aereass cropped 10 tina, cereal in 1912
WIS 1.4H3.423 acres. as against $780,
021 acres in 1all-a substantial fall
ing Off it is true, but still leaving a
splendid domain for growing the
greatest crop of sprins wheat ever
produced in ~ one state OF province
in the world.
The Nae WELD from this tract will
not he definitely known until the as
SCISSORS make their returns in 1918.
hut the story told by the ,hreshing
machines and the acreage known to
be planted probably enables a Very
close approximate estimate. wen at
This time when much grain remains to
he threshed. The federal department
of agriculture has already estimated
the yield OF spring wheat in North
Dakota at eighteen bushels TO the acre.
the highest ever placed to the credit
OF HE state, and considerably higher
than the government estimate for the
wiaole country. Yields of %thirty-l!ve
ana forty bushels to the acre have
been commonly reported from all over
the state and but few of less than
eighteen bushels. so it would seem that
the government estimate is not an eX-
t~raNasant one
Taking. then. the state estimate of
acreage known to he planted this
spring and the government estimate
Of Yield per acre and the magnificent
Total production of spring wheat of
1%4.a1T.s14 bushels appears as
the 1912 crop in North Dakota. hav-
ing a farm value on November 1. 1912.
of nearly 800. 600. 600. 1t ma be
stated in this connection that the gov-
estimate Of acreage is con-
siderably higher than that of the state.
addins 100000 more bushels to the
figures given above.
Flax.
Next in importance to wheat comes
the flax crop. and here a Very substan-
tiai gain is to be rccorded-the acre
age being 1.S41.a29 for 1912, compar-
ed to 1.2,1.@54 acres in 1911. This in
crease seems TO result from two prin-