The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1916-08-25


show Wheat-the winter variety
in Trip and Gregory county is pro-
ducing enormous yields this season,
!, most Of it going from % to 81 bushels
per acre, and some fields making as
high as forty and one field near Win
ner going better than 80 bushels per
acre. So it is evident that this is no
u slouch of wheat producing country
If our homesteaders and farmers will
but give little attention to this very
profitable branch of farming.
We have in the past couple of weeks
talked with number of our home
steaders and have urged them to seed
some of their cultivated ground to
wheat this fall, and the indications
are that the winter wheat acreage,
in the east end of Mellette county, at
least, will be trebbed this fall.
There are few who fear they will
have no market, that it would not
pay TO raise wheat SO far from rail
road. that there is no harvesting ma
chinery in the county, and then they
could not get the grain threshed
should they grow it. When wheat
will bring right around dollar a
bushel, it can be profitably grown
even thirty or forty miles from rail-
road, while taking it to market this
distance will somewhat reduce the
net profit, yet there will be enough
left after all expense Of seeding, har-
yesting and marketing to pay good in,
terest on the land. If all of our home
steaders will seed from ten acres up
to winter wheat this fall, there will
be plenty OF threshers in the county
next fall to thresh the grain and as
far as harvesting is concerned, two or
three farmers can combine and buy
a harvester in partnership. a binder
will take care Of about 200 acres in a
season, while a header will take care
Of from 300 TO 400 acres in season.
Do you realize that if we had say,
10000 acres of wheat tributatory to
Wood this year, and if it would have
averaged 70 bushels per acre, as all
the wheat sown ia the county the
past three years has done, that we
would have 100000 bushels of grain to
market? That this grain would put
something like 100000 in circulation
in this community? And don't you
think that this would be one of the
best Inducements we could offer for
the railroad people to get busy and
would, for it would mean POO cars of
this one commodity alone, as outgoing
freight, and then Of course there
would be hay, horses, cattle, hogs,
cream, poultry, eggs, potatoes, beans.
and corn that would perhaps make up
! another 200 cars Of outgoing freight,
and when we can show the railroad
company that we can offer them 400
cars Of outgoing freight per annum
that originates right here in Wood,
they will begin to sit up and take no.
tice, and really geG interested in that
railroad extension that we all hope to
see some day.
Then again, if every homesteader
will SOW at least ten acaes of wheat
this fall, and crop conditions remain
as favorable as they have been the
past three years. we feel certain that
by the fine the crop is harvested and
ready for market next season, Wood
will have flour mill that will grind
goodsy portion OF the crop into -four
right here. That will save the over
land freight on the wheat and tie
-four we must have TO exist, and that
will be quite an item in itself. If
the homesteaderS will do this, we
feel certain thai it will spell prosperi
ty in great big letters for this COM
lmunity.
We will admit we are somewhat Of
a winter wheat enthusiast, and we
believe. and expect to see the day
when the Rosebud country will be
one OF the greatest winter wheat sec
lions in the country. We have not
much faith in spring wheat, however,
anu liCNC vi Ntitt iltt Y. L nc pldIlu alS
not as hardy as is the winter variety,
it is more susceptible TO rust and
smut. and the risk Of maturinga a crop
is much greater.
Winter wheat, IL sown early enough
will provide good Green winter pas
ture for your milcll cows; which will
increase the milk flow OF your dairy
herd during the winter months with
out injursng your chances for a good
crop Of grain the next harvest season,
if the COWS are taken Off the wheat in
the spring when the grass starts.
We would very much like to pub
lish Il list Of homesteaders who will
agree to SOW at least ten acres Of win
ter wheat this fall, and as much more
as they feel they can. Will you not
do us the favor Ct. telling us how
much wheat you expect to SOW this
fall? We believe if you will all dc
this the showing VIII be a surprise tC
a good many, and we will also inform
the outside world what Mellette cour
&c doing. BE booster, and watch
i prosper