Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1913-11-21
MINNESOTA CORN.
Average Yield Exceeds the Old
"Corn States"

els. The average yield was ~ bushels |
to the acre. About 2,438, 900 |
acre were planted to corn.
Mr.. Sherman bases his estimates
on information secured at frst-hand |
from every county in the state. which |
he has every reason TO believe reliable. |
In secuaing crop reports srom
qis correspondents he warned them
against being too optimistic. "Please
do not make your estimates too high,
he wrote them. Remember I am not
asking for the biggest yield or the
smallest yield in your county, but for
your estimate of what the average for
the whole county will be. -
All counties reported. and from the
country reports the state average of
~ bushels to the acre was struck.
The estimate of acreage planted to
corn is based on the official reports of
the United States Department of
/ Agriculture. the annual percentage
of acreage in past years being ap-
piled. The exact figures for acreage
thus arrived at are 2, 438, 666. Apply
ing to these the average yield of AZ
/ bushels to the acre, we have as Min
nesota's 1913 corn crop 1O2, 423, 972
Bushels. The yield of corn in 1913
will thus exceed the yield of wheat
by probably over 10000, 900 bushels.
At current market prices the value
of Minnesota's corn crop would exceed
$40, 900. 600 The crop. however, is
one thar is not marketed to any ex-
tent in this state 1t is fed to hogs
and other stock. An extremely con-
servative estimate of its farm value
would be $50, 100000.
While the bulk of Minnesota's S corn
crop is still grown in Southern and
Central Minnesota, the corn belt is
rapidly extending to the north and
northwest. Fully matured and heavy
crops are reported from the Red
River Valley country. The prize
corn exhibited at the Minnesota
4 State Fair this year was grown in
! Pine county. sixty miles north OF
st. Paul. A yield of 125 bushels
to the acre, from field of furty
acres. is reported from Faribault
county.
The extension of Minnesota's corn
area has been rapid. Forty years
ago. practically no corn was grown
in the state. The farmer in a
southern county who could point to
a three acre patch of matured old In.
dian flint corn thought it a remark
able achievement. The yield of corn
per acre in the same section of Min-
nesota in 1913 exceeded that of the
recognized corn states of Illinois,
Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska.
The quality of Minnesota corn is
superior. AS a result of climatic
conditions the same varieties here
contain greater percentage of nutrl-
ment than when grown in ates furth-
er south. Minnesota corn is freer from
insect pests.
: While many of the varieties of corn
grown here are those common to the
corn growing states which have be.
come acclimated. Minnesota's success
in raising corn is due largely to the
development by the Minnesota College
of Agriculture. and Minnesota seeds.
men, of varieties especially suitable
to northern latitude. Of these per.
haps Minnesota 13 is first in import
ance. 1t is yellow dent corn, ricl
in nutriment and generous in yield
Minnesota %, first grown bv a Polk
County farmer. and later developed
by selection and experimentation hy
the Agricultural College experts, il
relied upon to mature without fail il
the more vigorous climate of the
North and Northwest section of tht
state. Northwestern Dent, an OLE
standard variety fully accimated b.
Northrup, King & Co., is grown sue
cessfullly in the same section. Othe
varieties deleyoped. in Minnesota ar
the Rustler and Sterling White Dent
The rapid extension of Minnesota
corn area northWard warrants the con
clusion that the time is not far dis
tant when corn will be "a staple, i
not the principal crop, in every count,
in the state. 1t has already beel
brought to maturity in Roseau count
on the Canadian border The farthe
north they are grown, the harder d
the hardy varieties become. A decad
ago few believed tnat corn would eve
mature in the Red River Valley. Tbi
year some of the best crops in th
state are reDorted from there. T
\ anticipate that corn will ultimatel
\ mature to the states northernmos
borders is warranted by the pas
history of corn growing in Minnesota