The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-12-26
RYE ACREAGE =.
. LESS THAN IT
WAS YEAR AGO
Patriotic Desire to Support Gov
eminent Food Program Is
Shown by Farmers

According to the December report
of the U. S. Bureau of Crop Estimate:
the acreage of rye sOwn in North Da-
kOta this fall is 2O6S.O0O acres com
pared with 100000 acres sown year
ago. UnfavOrable climatic conditions
later reduced the heavy 1917 fall plant.
ed to harvested acreage this season
Of 100000 acres. Thus the seeded
acreage this fall while per cent less
than that of year ago is slightly
greater than this seasons harvested
acreage. Rye acreage has rather
spectacular record in this state due to
the tremendous increase in acreage In
recent years. The 1918 acreage is prac
tically six times as large as the state
acreage in 1915. During the past few
years rye acreage which formerly was
located largely in the north central
and to a lesser extent a few south CEN
trail counties has spread out over most
Of the state. Rye increase being es-
pecially prominent In central and west
ern counties. Rye acreage shows Il
tendency this fall to decrease in the
older rye counties which have carried
an extremely heavy rye acreage the
last two years. while numerous other
counties which have had only a mod
crate acreage heretofore have notice
ably increased their acreage as q rule.
The tendency to decrease is quite
marked in the extreme north central
part OF the state while the tendency
to incrseaSe is most marked through
the central part Of the state running
east and west
The more prominent reasons for
planting the large rye acreage again
this season Notwithstanding the un-
favorably dry fall were. Patriotic de-
sire to support the government by
maintaining a large broad food acre
age when dry fall. lack Of labor and
influenza had heavily reduced the fall
plOwed acreage. Farmers feared 1919
labor shortage with transient labor
very high priced and often unsatisfac
tory. Wild oats caused numerous
fields to be unfit for wheat and farm
ers were anxious to plant profitable
cleaning crop. Rye is considered
more sure crop than wheat. Rust dam
age to wheat was feared if planting
was delayed by spring blowing. Rye
as a rule escapes both rust and hail
and divides up farm work to better
advantage for farmers who are short
Of help especially. farmers who were
handling a large acreage. Rye is near
ly all sOwn in the stubble. Thus the
blowing expense is eliminated which
is an important factor with farmers
who are short of both money and horse
food" 40 igII a,#fl4f tL> l""F"q "a.
THE fall condition oforye2 is notice
ably uneven and below average foi8the
state due to the dry fall and uneven
moisture conditions. Part Of the crop
as sown very late while dry soil con-
dtions caused very uneven germina-
ton of a considerable part Of the early
crop. This is especially true Of most
OF the central and western counties.
Late fall rAins were followed so close
lyaby the freezeup that while it ger
minated part Of the late 2sovn rye! it
often did not get out OF the gFetlnd
Numerous thin stands are looked for
again next season. This crop has gone
into the winter with slightly lower
than that Of year ago
which resulted in 10 per cent of acre
age being plowed down this spring
State condition is IS per cent compared
TO 20 per cent year ago and ten
year average Of 80 per cent.
The rye acreage for the United
STATES &c $500. 900 acres compared with
6.7OS.0W acres sOwn a year ago and
the condition is SO per cent compared
with S4.1 per cent last December.
The winter wheat acreage for the
United States is 1902, 900 acres com.
pared with 42,2O1 900 acres sown
year ago or an increase in acreage of
159 per cent. The condition is 96 per
cent compared with So per cent last
year. Fall condition Of winter wheat
for the y. s. is very favorable
Dry fall, lack of help and the in.
fuenza epidemic seriously interfercd
with blowing in the state this fall.
Usually about half of the cultivated
acreage Is plowed in the fall. An aver
age OF reports received from over the
entire state shows that only about go
per cent of the usual amount Of fall
blowing is completed. Plowed acre
age is especially small in the central
and western counties.
Owing to the scarcity Of labor and
necessary competition with the unus-
uaf wages paid in all lines of war
work. farm wages this season are the
highest on record and show an unus-
ual advance over last season, The
average annual wage per month with
board in the state this year was $50
compared with $41 last year or an in
crease Of about % per cent. Harvest
wages per day with board were $3.50
compared with $40 last year or an
increase Of about 80 per cent.
A. ]. SURRATT.
State Field Agent.
SUMMONS.