New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1916-08-30
co. AGENT PREPARES DATA
Proves To Farmers That They Will
Do Well To Raise More Win,
ter Wheat.

Nicollet's County Agent, Stewart
Leaning, has been making a number
Of inquiries concerning the raising Of the
various varieties of wheat in this section
and from the statistics he has been en-,
abled to gather found that winter wheat
is the most profitable to the farmers of
his region. ~
During the past spring Mr.. Leaning
mailed letters TO we'll known growers of
wheat asking for information regarding
their Success or failure with the raising
OF winter wheat. The purpose OF this
was to secure data on the growing Of
winter wheat by various county farmers
and from the data secured Mr. Leaning
has prepared circular which he mailed
out recently to practically all the farmers
of Nicollet county showing what the
experience Of others has been in regard
to the raising,o OF this crop.
From the statistics it is learned that
the average grower has raised winter
wheat for q years. Some have raised
it as many as 20 years but the majority
have grown it only one or two years,
The average grower raises IT'S acres
per year ranging from 5 to 80 acres per
farm.
Twenty-eight per cent of the farmers
grew wheat on well-drained soils and the
remaining r. per cent grew it on fields
that We're not we'll drained. Sixty-seven
per cent of the farmers report that there
were potholes in the fields on which the
winter wheat was grown.
The average estimated percentage Of
winter-killing is 4.4, ranging from nothing
up to IL per cent.
The average yield secured on all the
farms is 23.7 bushels per acre, ranging
from 16 to 80 bushels per acre. The
average price received for winter wheat
is $1.06 per bushel. The lowest average
price reported is $50 and the highest
$1.17.
Bearded winter wheat is the only
type reported grown. Sixty-seven per
cent did not know the name of the
variety they are growing and 33 per cent
are growing Turkey Red.
Eleven per cent of the farmers SOW
their winter wheat the first week of
September or before, "a per cent the
second week of September, and per
cent SOW it after the second week.
Eighty-nine per cent of the growers
seed their winter wheat on ground which
has previously been in spring grain and
II per cent seed it on the corn ground.
The average acreage of spring wheat
grown by reporting farmers is 27.5 acres,
ranging from nothing up to so acres per
farm.
Fifty per cent are growing Bluestem,
rs per cent Velvet Chat, and SO per cent
are growing Marquis. Some are grow
ing more than one type of spring wheat.
The average yield Of spring wheat
reported is 17.9 bushels per acre, ranging
from IL to % bushels.
The average selling price reported for
spring wheat is $1.06, ranging from $50
t. $1.1S per bushel.
Thirteen per cent report that the price
received for winter wheat has been less
than for spring wheat, 81 per cent that
it is the same, and 80 per cent that the
price Of winter wheat is the higher.
No farmer reports lower average
yield of winter wheat than of spring
wheat. Fourteen per cent report no
difference in yields and So per cent report
that winter wheat yields more.
Some of the advantages Of winter
wheat over spring wheat reported are
that it 'Will stand up better on rich
ground; crop is out of the way of spring
work; is a better-paying crop; ripens
about two weeks before spring grain
and lengthens harvest; it kills weeds,
especially wild oats; does not scatter so
badly as spring wheat; ground firmer in
fall and easier to seed; early ripening
reduces loss from black rust; the kernels
are plumper; gets ripe before hot
weather.
The general experience of the growers
is that winter wheat is our most promising
type and that it merits wider use in the
county than it has at present.
The county agent will be very glad to
assist in any way possible persons who
are interested in growing this crop.
Cooperative shipping associations
vii do nearly eighteen million dollars