Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-09-22
CHANGES noted
IN AGRICULTURE
Figures Show That Wheat Still
Leads in N. Oak, But Is Be
ing Crowded Hard.

tistics gathered in 1914 by the differ
emit county assessors, which has just
been completed by Commissioner 81
Agriculture w. G. Gilbreath, consti-
tutes a valuable addition to the sta
tistical literature OF the state and, at
the same time, offers some interest.
ing data to the student of agricul-
tural economics who is interested in
observing the significant changes in
our agrarian activities which are be-
coming more and more pronounced
each year.
The statistics gathered give acre
ages and yields of crops, dairy pro
ducts, numbers of cattle and hogs,
etc., ETC., for the year of 1913, and
acreages proposed to be cropped i'm
the spring of 1914, at the time the
assessors made their annual rounds.
Thus, for purposes of comparison, We
have full and exact details for 1913,
and as close an estimate, by the
farmers themselves, of their expect
ed operations in 1914, as can pos
sibly be secured.
Principal amongst the revelations of
this new agricultural record is the
apparent fact that while wheat still
maintains its place as the leading &C.
real product of the state, it yet fails
by many hundreds of thousands Of
acres in keeping pace proportionately
with the gain in many other crops.
Wheat, flax and-in a lesser degree
oats and barley, are generally con-
sidered the North Dakota farmers
cash crops. From the proceeds of
the sale of these cereals he pro-
cures the first actual cash from his
agricultural operations for the cur
rent season. Taxes become due the
first of each December, and many
other pressing obligations become
due in the autumn months after har-
vest, and hard cash is needed to meet
the crowding liabilities. Hence the
advantage, and often the stern ne
cessity for planting of crops that will
bring an immediate cash return.
Much more profit and permanent
benefit to both farm and owner, how
ever, are to be secured from the feed
ing of suitable grain and fodder crops
to. live stock and, later, d%ispOsing OF
their prOducts-such as milk and but
ter from dairy cattle and beef and
pork from cattle and hogs. Money
from this source is, of necessity,
slower coming in, and the farmer who
undertakes this branch of his indus
try must be prepared to wait for his
returns, at least in the case Of fat
tening stock, for several months
longer than if farming wheat and flax
exclusively. So, in addition to the
advantage gained from the larger
profit secured, 1t is certain that the
practice of div~ersifcation means a
greater degree OF general prosperity
in the community where it obtains.
The great increase in acreage then
of fodder and feed grain crops in
North Dakota is an indubitable indl-
cation of the splendid progress be-
ing made by our farmers in material
wealth and ability to take advantage
Of every opportunity in the agrlcul-
tural field. The feed grains may be
roughly classed as being oats, barley,
speltz and corn, and in all these it
is very satisfactory to note that sub
stantial gains have been made during
the past few years and that these
gains have been fully maintained and
added to during 1914. The acreooe
Of oats for 1914 is given at 2,105,2 4
acres rs compared with 1,754,214 in
1918; of barley at 1,930,613 against
1,516,561 in 1913; OF speltz at 1906
as compared with 63,1S2 in 1913, and
of corn at the handsome figure OF
soc, 43O acres, as compared with 3d.
1876 in 1918.
That a orre~oonding increase in
live stock shculd follow these incre-
ments of acrcages was of curse to
be expected and we find the returns
of the assessors amply justifying this
expectation. CHttie Of all kinds in
creased from 543,636 in 1913 to $780,