The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-28
Aggregate Value Over Half
of Total For States
Nine Leading Crops
POTATOES MAKE
$50 AN ACRE
Wheat Comes Second In
Acre Value at SIS
Wild Hay Lightest

The YalueNof the nine leading crops
produced in North Dakota during the
1917 crop year is placed at $220,S15,-
900, in a statement issued today by
A j. Surratt, of Grand Forks. state
field agent Of the United States de-
partment of justice.
over half of that value is repre-
sented by wheat, which was worth
$4,000. 900, according to the govern
ment agents report
Oats. worth $2s,s4s,0OO, was second
in point Of value, closely crowded
by barley, worth s22,s12, 900.
Rye was fourth in line, the value OF
that crop being s16.2OS.O 900.
Mr.. Surratt, in a statement cover
ing the crop season. sets forth the
number of acres given over to the
production OF grains, potatoes and
hay; the average production on each
acre, the total production in the
state. the price Dec. 1, the total value,
and the average value per acre Of the
crop.
Potatoes. with an acre value OF
5000, leads all the crops in point OF
acre value. Wheat is second. the
value OF each acre being fixed at Sic.
wild hay. with an acre value OF S7.0S.
is lowest.
Mr.. Surratt's crop summary Afollows.
the statement Of production and
values appearing elsewhere on this
page:
Seven Per Cent Increase.
Influenced by patriotic motives
and further attracted By irrespective
tfHsaft L. taa4 -
products, farmers seeded the largest
average. ever. recorded in North Da-
kota or slightly more than 14,5O0. 900
acres. This is about per cent
above the average usually sown
North Dakota leads the United
states in acreage OF spring wheat,
barley, rye. and flax.
Excepting wheat the acreage OF
all crops was substantially increased.
The increase which ordinarily would
have been credited to wheat was
moro than accounted for in the
tremendous increase in rye acreage.
An unusual amount OF new land was
broken up in central and western
sections resulting in a heavy in
crease in flax acreage.
Growing Condition.
Adverse weather conditions pre-
vailed over greater part of the state
following the planting Of this large
acreage. Chief damage factors were
drought and frosts. The seasons
deficient rainfall with spotted dis
tribution caused very uneven yields
in practically all counties, but cli-
matte conditions were comparative
~ more favorable in the eastern part
OF the state, where numerous favor
able yields We're recorded, especial
~ Of wheat in northern and fair in
the eastern third of the state with
few exceptions. Crop yields in the
remainder OF the state were poor as
rule, excepting some fair wheat
yields largely confined to Emmons,
southern Morton, Grant and Nc
1ntosh, eastern Dunn, western
Mercer. northern Divide and Burke
counties. Straw growth short in
this area. The unfortunate feature
Of this seasons crop production was
the unusually short crop OF forage
and grain feeds, especially in the
western two thirds of the state.
Owing to this condition and attrac-
tive meat prices. livestock marketing
has been unusually heavy. The dis
appointing production over the great
er part OF the state was to some ex-
tent Offset by the unusually high
market prices paid for nearly all
farm products. but due to unequal
distribution OF production the east
ern third OF the state reaped the
larger part of the profits. Rye and
wheat were the best of the 1917
grain crops. The value OF the 1917
wheat crop has been exceeded only
by that OF 1915. Owing to the large
acreage and high market prices, the
total value or the rye and barley
crops is the high record for this
state. The yield per acre Of corn,
oats, fiax, hay. potatoes, and garden
truck has seldom been lower than
1917 yields. The foregoing table COM
prises December final or the i'm
portant crops