The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1914-03-09
DURUM WHEAT
LOSING ACREAGE
Government Report Shows
Decline in Yields as Com
pared with Other Years
MARKETING IS
CITED AS CAUSE
Government Maintains that Lower
Prices Rctard its Dcvclopmcnt-
Big Demand for Product is Closing
tho Gap, and Difference is Slight.

Washington, March 9.-The pro-
duction OF durum wheat in the three
states of Minnesota. North Dakota
and South Dakota, (Which produced
10 per cent of all grown in the United
States in the census year l9Gt.) in
1919 WAS about s1,529,0O0 bushels, ms
compared with 34,561, 900 bushels III
1912. 1G, O24,0O0 in 1911, 24.131, 200
in. 1910. and S7.Sa1 900 in 1909.
These figures, except for 1909, which
in the bureau of statistics Of the de-
part;'sent Of agriculture. OF the tota!
production OF all wheat in tile three
! states named. smaller proportion
G3.5 per cent) was durum than ir
any Of the preceding four years.
Reasons for Increase.
This reduction of durum last year is
due in part to the fact that CROP
yields last year were relatively short
; est in those sections where durun
wheat is mostly grown, and in par,
10 Il create, preference for other va
rietics last year than in the preceding
several years.
Durum wheat yields better than
common spring wheat, but an obsta.-
Gle to the growing OF it has been the
low price obtained for it as compared
with tho price of common varieties
In 1909. although durum yielded
about two bushels per acre more than
common spring, it sold for about IL
Bic. Bic '7' '''' vas '''e' e.'' 1873 p'''''s
Demand Decreasing.
But the demand for durum has been
increasing until this year the differ
ence is slight in fact at Duluth du-
rum wheat on. some days lately has
been selling on a par with No. hard
spring wheat With such near equal
ity of prices durum wheat can bc
spring whea; in the western part ol
the spring wheat states, (Sorth and
South DahUtaD, when good seed can
be obtained.
Relative Yields.
The relative yields per acre OF du-
rum wheat. velvet chaff and other
spring wheats, in 1913, is estimated as
follows:
Estimated Yield Per Acre in 1913.
Aiinn. Nd. SD.
Durum spring ........l7.2 1..O 9.5
Other spring wheats. l5.9 l0.1 Sc
Average all wheat -. 1862 lO.5 80
Durim wheat was introduced pri-
marily for growth in the semi-,ird
regions in the western par. of the
spring wheat states. but in fact a
much smaller proportion of the wheat
crops in the western part OF the states
Of North and South Dakota is durum
wheat than in tho eastern part. Thus,
in North Dakota the wheat crop Of
the western third ot the state is a.1
per cent durun,. the central third T.,
per cent. and III the eastern third
2o.1 per cent is dur,Im wheat. Simi.
)arly. i'll South Dakota. in the western
third 12.o per cent of its wheat is
durum, in the central third ia per
cent, and in the eastern third 49.4 Der
cent is durum wheat.
Value Increasing.
comparison of this season with
1909 Census year) shows that in yield
per acre the relative position Of du-
rum wheat and common spring has
changed only moderately. but the dis
count of the price of durum, under
that of common spring. is not nearly
SO great now as in 1909. In 1909
the value per acre of durum was less
than common spring, whereas in 1919
the value per acre of durum is
greater than the value per acre of
common spring wheat.